We Have a Little Emergency

Every year, young children are involved in automobile accidents. If the adult in the vehicle is seriously injured or unable to talk, those responding to the emergency have no easy way of identifying the child. The W.H.A.L.E program is intended to give parents and caregivers tools to help emergency rescue efforts go more smoothly.

W.H.A.L.E. is an identification program that was started in the early 1990s by a child caregiver on the east coast who wondered what would happen to the children in her care in the event of a car accident. The program now is recognized and used by emergency personnel in 34 states, including Wisconsin.

Wisconsin law requires all youngsters under 4 years of age or up to 40 pounds be seated and harnessed in an approved child safety seat when riding in a car. The safety seat can provide vital information about its young occupant in the unfortunate event that the driver of the car is incapacitated in a car accident. W.H.A.L.E. stickers are placed on both rear side windows of the car and on both sides of the child safety seat so emergency personnel will know immediately there is vital information about the child on the back of the car seat. The W.H.A.L.E sticker includes the child's name, medical history, names and telephone numbers of two guardians and up to three emergency names and telephone numbers.

The packet has three parts:

1. An information label provides important information about the child such as name, date of birth, medical history and emergency contact. The label is placed on the back of the car seat to ensure privacy of personal information.

2. Two W.H.A.L.E. car seat stickers, attached to the sides of the seat.

3. Two W.H.A.L.E. vehicle stickers, attached to the rear windows of the vehicle. Each sticker depicts the W.H.A.L.E. logo and alerts emergency personnel that occupants participate in the program.

Where can I find W.H.A.L.E. packets?

Bayshore Pediatrics provides the W.H.A.L.E. packets to local daycare centers, police departments and the North Shore Fire Department car seat installation site. Packets also will be distributed during Bayshore Safety Days at the Bayshore Town Center Saturday, May 31.

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