A free children’s safety project which offers tips about fire, water, electrical, online and beach safety, as well as first aid and other skills, has been launched online by Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service with support from partner agencies.
Staff are unable at present to run their usual Crucial Crew for children across Norfolk, which involves short workshops from many organisations offered to all 10 and 11 year olds (year six) in the county each year. One Crucial Crew is usually held annually in each district of the county, but this year only one physical event has taken place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As we are currently unable to meet with children face to face, our staff and partner agencies have put together online content for Crucial Crew. These fun educational resources which will be useful to teachers and parents in helping children of all ages to learn about everyday dangers in an age appropriate way,” said Councillor Margaret Dewsbury, Cabinet member for Communities and Partnerships at Norfolk County Council.
Online Crucial Crew is suitable for children of all ages. Among the learning and games accessible through it is…
Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service: Home safety tips, road safety advice and access to Kids’ Zone with fun resources to help children during lockdown.
Norfolk Constabulary: Safer Schools videos about online safety, sexting, stranger danger, anti-bullying and gaming.
UK Power Networks: Electrical safety, including interactive games.
St John Ambulance: Videos on how to perform first aid and how to put a casualty in the recovery position.
HM Coastguard: How to stay safe around water, including colouring sheets showing hazards.
The Matthew Project: Wellbeing advice and support around drug and alcohol issues.
Cadent UK: Gas/carbon monoxide safety.
Royal Life Saving Society UK: Lifesaver- Lifechanger staying safe in the water.
Norfolk’s Chief Fire Officer Stuart Ruff said: “While it doesn’t replace the interaction we have face to face with our communities, our online Crucial Crew allows us to continue working with teachers, and parents, to help educate children across Norfolk about lots of different safety issues.
“Crucial Crew has successfully educated more than 60,000 Norfolk children since it was launched and by making the resources accessible online, we hope parents and teachers can continue to support our desire to keep Norfolk and its residents as safe as possible.”
To access online Crucial Crew, go to www.norfolk.gov.uk/crucialcrew
Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service also has a range of fun and educational learning materials in Kids’ Zone, introduced last month on the website.
This currently includes a children’s competition, offering youngsters the chance to design a fire safety poster for the chance to win a fire crew visit to their school later this year. The competition is open to all children up to and including the age of 11 and it closes on 30 June. For more information, go to www.norfolk.gov.uk/fire
