HSA “Keep Safe” road show visited Leitrim

Over one hundred primary school children from St Clare’s Primary school, Gaelscoil Chluainin, Masterson National School, Diffreen National School, Largy National School and Leckaun National School attended a Health and Safety Authority ‘Keep Safe’ event in Bee Park Community Centre, Manorhamilton, on Thursday, 6th April.

Eight state agencies and regional organisations with a safety remit came together to deliver an interactive programme directed at fifth and sixth class pupils.

Keep Safe aims to promote safety and community awareness through involving the children in a series of interactive scenarios with a common safety theme.

Speaking at the event, Joanne Harmon, Education Manager with the Health and Safety Authority said, “We designed the Keep Safe programme to be an enjoyable and interactive way for children to learn and have fun at the same time. We cover issues like water safety, electricity, road safety, fire safety and more. The children are so engaged and interested and it is great to see the discussion carrying on back in their homes, schools and communities.”

The aims of the one day ‘Keep Safe’ event are to help children to:

• become aware of personal and home safety,
• learn how to react to dangerous situations,
• foster good citizenship,
• learn how to recognise hazards and manage risks, and
• learn how to stay safe within the context of, for example, road safety, water safety, fire safety and site safety.

The agencies and organisations that were represented on the day include the Health and Safety Authority, ESB Networks, RNLI, Irish Water Safety, Green Schools, Fire Service, IFA and An Garda Síochána.