Bike Helmets Given Away At Safety Fair
By Libby Smith
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo (CBS4) - Bicycle helmets are an important piece of safety equipment for children.
"If you crash your bike while you're not wearing a helmet, you could end up with a catastrophic head injury," said Micah Larson, the EMS & Trauma Outreach Coordinator at Lutheran Medical Center.
LINK: Lutheran Medical Center Foundation
Larson has amassed several pallets of bike helmets, in various sizes. Through the Lutheran Medical Center Foundation, the helmets are given out at safety fairs and schools.
"It's part of our injury prevention program," he told CBS4.
The helmets provide protection to a child's head in the case of a crash.
"Once the helmet hits the ground, it disperses that energy over a wider area than it would have if they weren't wearing the helmet," Larson explained.
At the Jefferson County District Attorney's Safety Fair, the helmets are given away as part of the bicycle rodeo. They'll even fit the helmet to your child's head.
The Fair is Saturday, Aug. 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.
There will be more than 80 booths this year including information on:
-- Teen driving safety
--Living safely with wildlife
--Water and boating safety
--Elder abuse issues
--Emergency preparedness
--Fraud and identity theft safety
--Mental health and well-being
--Fire safety
--Veterans benefits.
You can get up to five boxes of documents shredded, and drop of unneeded prescription drugs. Bring your old cell phones in and they'll use them as emergency 911 phones for senior citizens. You can get a child ID kit made free of charge, and kids can get a free bike helmet for participating in the bicycle rodeo. CHEEZO will be on hand with important online and cell phone safety information for children and parents.
LINK: Jefferson County District Attorney's Safety Fair
Libby Smith is a Special Projects Producer at CBS4. If you have a story you'd like to tell CBS4 about, call 303-863-TIPS (8477) or visit the News Tips section.