Bike Helmet ‘Summer of Safety’ Event a Success

Snohomish County Fire District 7 fit over 50 local children with low or no cost bicycle helmets during its first Summer of Safety event at the end of June. This was the first of three events organized by Fire District 7 to reduce injury and prevent accidents for residents it serves in Mill Creek and unincorporated Snohomish County.

According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 26,000 children and young adults suffer traumatic brain injury from bicycle accidents each year. Many of these injuries could be prevented by wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet. However, more than half of Americans who ride bikes don’t wear one.

“It feels good to know we can stop injuries before they happen,” said Fire Chief Gary Meek. “We appreciate our community participating in this event.”

Fire District 7 will hold two more Summer of Safety events this summer targeted toward young families and senior citizens in the community:

July 11 and 12 – Fire District 7 will be at the Mill Creek Festival and Street Fair (www.millcreekfestival.com) in downtown Mill Creek teaching families about emergency preparedness. There will be a play house to teach kids what to do in case of a fire and firefighters will help families develop an emergency escape plan. Stop by to pick up an “I <3 Fire District 7” giveaway!

August 19 – Free blood pressure checks will be offered at the Wellness Fair in Mill Creek. The Mill Creek Senior Center is organizing the event, which runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at McCollum Park (600 128th St. SE, Everett). Firefighter/EMTs from Fire District 7 also will help seniors organize an Emergency Response Form that lists name, date of birth, current medications, allergies and medical history. This form helps emergency responders provide the best level of care if a senior should ever need to call 911.

All Summer of Safety events are free of charge and open to the public. For more information, please call (425) 486-1217 or visit www.firedistrict7.com.

Fire District 7 provides fire and life safety services to 77,000 people over 52 square miles, including the City of Mill Creek. In 2014 emergency personnel responded to nearly 5,600 emergency calls.