Be Active and Safe, Protect Your Noggin

The province is investing $200,000 to provide helmets to children and youth in need to help them protect their noggins and play safe.

About 15,000 children and youth will receive the helmets through this partnership involving the province, injury-prevention stakeholders and first responders from local law enforcement and paramedics. Medavie EMS is also contributing funds as a corporate sponsor.

"It is important to be active and safe, but we know there are children and youth in our communities who do not have access to helmets," said David Wilson, Minister of Health and Wellness. "Nova Scotia is a leader in helmet safety, and we want to build on that success by working with partners to provide health promotion and protection initiatives."

Injury-prevention partners like the QEII division of neurosurgery and Child Safety Link at the IWK understand first-hand the effects that not wearing a helmet can have.

"The division of neurosurgery applauds the provincial government for investing in brain injury prevention in Nova Scotia," said Dr. Simon Walling, a neurosurgeon with the QEII and IWK. "We know the tragic human and economic costs that patients and families face when they suffer a brain injury; prevention is the only cure."

Paramedics and local law enforcement across the province will be give helmets to children and youth they identify as in need in the communities they serve.

"The municipal police agencies and the RCMP in Nova Scotia, with EHS paramedics, are very happy to support this unique partnership initiative," said Mark Mander, president of the Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association. "It promotes safety and provides officers and paramedics an opportunity to interact with members of the community in a very positive way through education and distribution of helmets to those most in need."

For more information on helmet safety, visit www.childsafetylink.ca and www.thinkfirst.ca .