FOR MORE
than 15 years, Langlade Hospital
Emergency Department staff has visited local
first-grade classrooms as part of the Bicycle Safety
Education Program.
Langlade Hospital provides a free bike helmet
to every first grader in the service area, with
schools including Antigo Unified School District,
Birnamwood, Wittenberg, Elcho and White Lake.
Kids are taught safe bike riding procedures and are fitted
with a helmet.
Helmet safety also includes wearing a helmet while
snowmobiling, rollerblading, horseback riding, skiing, dirt
bike racing, and playing sports such as football or hockey. In
training, kids talk about professionals who wear helmets, such
as firefighters, construction workers and line workers.
Set a good example
No matter how old you are or how much experience you
have, wearing a helmet when you ride is one of the best ways to
help prevent serious injuries. In fact, according to the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, helmet use reduces the risk of
serious head and brain injuries by 85 percent.
When choosing a helmet, make sure it fits properly. A good
helmet should fit snugly on your head. It shouldn’t slide from side
to side or front to back, but sit squarely on top of your head. It
should cover the top of your forehead and have a strap that fastens
firmly under your chin.
Remember, cuts, bruises and broken bones will likely heal. But
damage to your brain can last a lifetime.
Langlade Hospital is committed to the safety of our youth, and
this program represents our mission. As a ministry of Jesus, we
heal, promote health and enrich lives.
• Pathways
13
Emergency Department
promotes helmet safety
with local first graders
