TACKLING THE TABOO OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WITH CHILDREN

How do you prepare children for emergency situations? It’s a difficult subject to broach but a brand new national programme for school children is tackling the issue head on – helping to increase emergency understanding, awareness, preparedness and response in a fun, interactive and engaging way.

Using six characters and their sniffer dog, each with a different personality, The Danger Squad offers a series of classroom-based learning tools and visual aids which highlight potential dangers and emergency situations for KS1 learners, aged five to seven.

From car accidents and house fires, to finding weapons, the programme is based on real life experiences – and is designed to teach children to correctly respond to emergency situations, not shy away from the subject.

It has already been delivered at schools across England, with more already signed up to deliver the valuable learning programme to their pupils. 

Krista Brown, who created and founded The Danger Squad said: “It is an unfortunate reality that children today could come across any kind of emergency situation, from losing their parents when shopping, to being caught in the middle of a terrorist attack.

“The programme doesn’t use shock tactics, but it does gently introduce children to some of the emergency situations that they or their peers could face – and how to respond to them in the correct way using safe steps and being aware of safe people, safe places and safe signs, for example.

“One of the inspirations behind the development of the programme was a young boy who found a gun in his home. He didn’t know what to do – but with the help of the Danger Squad, our aim is to give children the understanding and awareness they need.

“We focus on the role of the emergency protective services, techniques to help children and their families prepare for an emergency situation and what to do if they come across something unexpected – all supported by a series of short stories which help to bring certain scenarios to life. The response from teachers and learners so far has been excellent.”

The Danger Squad pilot scheme will reach more than 1,000 pupils across the UK throughout May, before it is made available to all schools from June.

For more information visit www.dangersquad.org.uk.