Helmet Checks and Car seat installments in the neighborhood

I made it over to Children's Hospital for a helmet check today for the first time and thought I would pass along what they offer at their Safety Stop.

Helmet checks, car seat checks/installments, and home safety consultations
* The helmet check was really easy. I called and made an appointment and they replaced some of the padding in Lucas' helmet and I bought a new one for Maria for just $8.

* Here's what the web says about car seat checks:

Parents bring their child, vehicle and car seat to Safety Stop and a certified child passenger safetytechnician will inspect the seat, check it for a correct fit to the child and show them how to install itproperly.

* And home safety consults:
A trained safety expert will review the top three unintentional home injuries that we see at St. Louis Children's Hospital, discuss ways avoid these injuries and ways to make a home a safer environment for children. This service is perfect for expectant or new parents. All participants receive a FREE home safety starter kit!

Just call 314.454.KIDS or 800.678.KIDS or check out: www.stlouischildrens.org/content/safetystop.htm

Maintaining a presence for safety in the cold months ahead

I was just reading a book published by the Project for Public Spaces and in it they highlight Jane Jacobs' book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. She says that more than security cameras and police patrols, what makes our neighborhoods safe is the presence of people - people walking along the sidewalks, eating at the local restaurants, sipping coffee at a newsstand or just enjoying the view from their front porch. And she goes on to say that the fear of crime can be more detrimental to a neighborhood than the crime itself.

I thought these were some interesting insights and I tend to agree with her, or at least I feel more safe when there are more people about. It's harder in these cold months to eat dinner on the front porch or to just leisurely linger down the sidewalks, but they are some of my favorite past-times in the neighborhood. Even though it's dark by 5:30 I would love to continue evening walks and the fresh air is great for the kids. If anyone is interested in coordinating walks or hot cocoa runs, feel free to post it on the listserv.

The weather outside may be frightful, but that doesn't mean our neighborhood is.

CWE Association Security Meetings

The CWE Association's Safety & Security meetings are held the last wed. of the month. March's meeting has been canceled but the next one will be April 30 at 5:45 at the Schlafly Library. You can view the latest security updates at http://www.thecwe.com/CWEsecuritycommunity.htm or receive them in your email by contacting the CWE Assoc. at 367-2220.

Please do not shy away from bringing your kids. The president of the Assoc., Tricia Roland-Hamilton, has encouraged me to bring mine. We pick up a few books from the library and then head into the conference room where the meetings are held. You may want to check out the month's topic before bringing your kids (my 4 year old has started calling them "panhandling meetings," so he clearly pays some attention to what's going on).

CWE security

Please email us with your thoughts and concerns about safety in our neighborhood.

St. Louis Police Department
Emergency 911
Non-emergency 314-231-1212

Hi-Tech Security
1210 S. Vandeventer
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-531-1500

Safe City Crime Mapping
View Website