Silverlake Automotive is always on the lookout for great safety programs and information that may be helpful to our awesome customers. The following is a great program that we encourage young families to adopt. Best of all, it’s FREE.
The safety of children is of prime importance for everyone, especially parents and first responders. In 2005, Idaho implemented its Child Restraint Law, requiring that all children age six or younger be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat. Idaho has also implemented the WHALE program, an emergency preparedness action any parent can take to help rescue workers have all the information they need to know about identifying and aiding children in an emergency.
WHALE stands for “We Have A Little Emergency.” The WHALE identification card is attached to a child’s safety seat and provides vital information about the child for emergency personnel to reference in the event of a crash or other emergency. The card provides the child’s name, medical information, and emergency contact information. WHALE stickers can also be placed on the car windows to alert emergency workers that there is a child in the vehicle and the child’s information is close at hand.
Each WHALE kit comes with an identification card, a plastic identification card holder, two WHALE stickers for the child safety seat, and two WHALE stickers for the vehicle’s windows. Although the WHALE kit does not include a photograph, it is a good idea to attach a current picture of your child to the identification card.
Knowing a child’s name can help rescue workers comfort a frightened child, knowing the child’s medical needs is key to treating injuries, and knowing contact information for the parents and next closest relative allows for immediate notification during an emergency. The WHALE program was first implemented in the 1990s and is now used by emergency personnel in 34 states and is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – making this a key feature for emergency preparedness wherever you plan to travel.
For more information about obtaining a WHALE kit, contact Idaho’s Office of Highway Safety. Have you participated in this program? If so, please feel free to comment and let everyone know your assessment of how it works and offer an tips or additional resources that you have found helpful. Thanks!