Slide Into Safety program teaches 3rd graders summer safety

TOMAH, Wis. (WKBT) -- On Wednesday, local businesses educated 3rd graders how to stay safe this summer.

For over ten years, Safe Kids Coulee Region Partners and Gundersen Health System have been hosting their annual 'Slide into Safety' initiative to help decrease the number of injuries among children.

Kids attending participated in 12 different safety stations ranging in everything from boat safety to playground safety.

Megan Anderson is Gundersen's Injury Prevention Coordinator, she explained why the program is exclusively for 3rd graders.

"Third grade is kind of a prime audience for us, we do see injuries usually increase in like the 10-14 year old age group," said Anderson.

"It's really important to kind of get all this education to them in that prime time before they are staying home by themselves and are kind of in that higher injury risk category."

In previous years the program was exclusive to La Crosse, but a new event was added in Tomah this year to reach more kids.

In total, this year's 'Slide into Safety' educated over 1,200 3rd graders from 27 different schools.

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