CRUCIAL CREWCRUCIAL CREW

Presented by

Rotary Club of Sudbury

2

Why Crucial Crew?

Every year hundreds of Children are injured, killed or traumatised as the result of an accident. A wide range of incidents are recorded as “ACCIDENTS” but

many of these could , with just a little knowledge, be avoided

With a few exceptions accidents do not simply happen; they are caused!

Crucial Crew seeks to try and teach by hands on experience under controlled conditions how to avoid accidents, how to handle a potentially dangerous situation and what to do if faced with a dangerous situation such as a fire. Crucial Crew also seeks to illustrate how the law applies to children and to

encourage respect for the law.

Much of the content of Crucial Crew falls within the Citizenship requirements of the National Curriculum

3

Where did it start?

Across the country there are hundreds of temporary events staged each year and there are a small number of manned or permanent centres.

The events and centres operate under a number of different names including “Crucial Crew”, “Junior Citizen” and “Safety Carousel” to name but just a few.

Like any such scheme there will no doubt be many people or organisations who claim “we Started it first or it was our idea”

This is not the place to conduct or promote any such discussion. However we are aware of the activities of a Police Officer based in South London in the early part of the

1990’s. He had become increasingly concerned about effectiveness of showing videos such as “Never Go With Strangers” and as a result organised “Junior Citizen” the

forerunner of Crucial Crew.

4

Crucial CrewCrucial Crew is Active Learning!

An introduction to personal safety for 10-11 year olds

5

Crucial CrewCrucial Crew delivers:-

• An introduction to essential Personal Safety

• Encouragement of safe behaviour as a way to avoid dangerous situations

• A realistic understanding of the law as it affects children

• Results by hands on learning

6

Why do we need Crucial Crew?Crucial Crew?• Residential fire is the second leading cause of death in

childhood

• One quarter of cyclists killed and one third of those injured are children

• Every year more than 3 million people turn up at A + E departments seeking treatment for accidents that have happened at home.

In 1998 the human toll in largely avoidable accidents

18745 DEATHS

7

What do accidents actually cost?

The cost to the NHS of treating accident injuries suffered in the home is estimated

at over

£450 million per year

Crucial CrewCrucial Crew seeks to help reduce the toll!

By interactive teaching, children in the 10/11 year old age group, are

shown dangers they may encounter and are shown how to avoid or

handle these dangers.

9

Fire!This is a mock up of a bedroom. Children are shown dangers in the room which is then filled with smoke. They are taught how to react and are then rescued by a Fire Officer wearing breathing apparatus

Shoplifting

The children are left at a sweet shop, a break to make purchases. A Rotarian acting the part of a shoplifter enters the shop. Will the youngsters spot him? How will they react? There is a phone outside they could dial 999 and there is a patrolling Police officer near by. What will they do? They do not know that they are being recorded on a CCTV system. The Police Officer will tell them in a short while!

Gas Leaks

A visit to the “Transco” caravan is used to demonstrate the “smell” added to gas and the procedure to be followed

when gas is smelled.Note what he is holding in his right hand, it is a forged ID

card! A practical demonstration of stranger danger is played out. Will the youngsters let him in?

12

First Aid

As the children arrive at the door to the first aid scenario, a scream is heard. When they enter, someone is lying on the floor. What will they do? Volunteers from the Red Cross are there to guide them and show them the basic techniques employed in the recovery position. This is, arguably the most important piece of first aid training they will ever undertake.

13

Drugs Awareness

Have you any idea what these are? Do we really expect children to know the difference!

They could be sweets, but they could be dangerous.

14

Food Safety

Where would you find Where would you find Salmonella?Salmonella?

In a phone book?In a phone book?

Under your bed?Under your bed?

In undercooked meat?In undercooked meat?

The Weakest Link or the “Poison Link” uses a well The Weakest Link or the “Poison Link” uses a well recognized format from TV to enable “Poison Ivy” to put recognized format from TV to enable “Poison Ivy” to put across some essential food safety and hygiene messagesacross some essential food safety and hygiene messages

15

Stranger Danger

Would you like to come and see my shell collection? A total stranger approaches a group and entices one or more away on some pretext. Unfortunately many choose to go with the stranger.

16

Building Site Danger

“If a brick falls on your head it will be broken for ever”.

A memorable quote from a youngster who had attended Crucial Crew and meet with the HSE on this dangerous building site

17

Farm Safety• Children are shown

the potential dangers on the farm

• They are encouraged not to think of it as a playground

• Last year this display was adapted to take account of foot and mouth disease

18

Risky RubbishLikely contents?• Hypodermic needles• drugs• matches• solvents• animal droppings• and much more!Would you go searchingIn this bin?

19

Cycle Safety• Every year over

20,000 cyclists are killed or injured in reported road accidents

• One quarter of cyclists killed and about one third of cyclists injured - are children.

20

Who supports Crucial CrewCrucial Crew In Sudbury?

• Suffolk Police• Suffolk County

Council• Health and Safety

Executive• Sudbury Upper School

• Suffolk Fire Service• British Red Cross• Delphi Diesel Systems• Waitrose

21

£££££££’sObviously there is a financial consideration in running Crucial CrewCrucial Crew.

We prefer however to look at it as an investment in the future of our community providing benefits to all.

The scenario providers make no charge, the premises are provided at no charge, and no charge is made to either the schools or the youngsters taking part.

Yes, there is a cost, but consider the value!

22

Who finances Crucial CrewCrucial Crew in Sudbury?

• Sudbury Education and Training Trust

• Babergh District Council

• Sudbury Town Council

• Sudbury Crime Reduction Panel

• Community Energy Project

And sitting below these with a “safety net” is the Rotary Club of Sudbury!

23

The impact of Crucial CrewCrucial CrewQuote from Suffolk Fire Service: -“..we are conscious of the importance of fire safety and see Crucial Crew events as the best way of increasing fire safety awareness in children of this age group”

24

The impact of Crucial CrewCrucial CrewQuote from a senior Police Officer:-

Suffolk Constabulary “are fully committed to supporting and assisting with staff at Crucial Crew”

25

The impact of Crucial CrewCrucial Crew

Mrs. Hall Great Cornard Middle School

“The pupils and staff of our school gained enormously from their experiences, a price cannot be put on the lessons learnt by the pupils”.

26

And what do youngsters taking part feel about “Crucial Crew”And what do youngsters taking part feel about “Crucial Crew”The statement below is a quote from a youngster leaving the The statement below is a quote from a youngster leaving the smoke logged Suffolk Fire Service bedroom scenario.smoke logged Suffolk Fire Service bedroom scenario.

27

Keeping Crucial Crew Crucial Crew Relevant

The third most common cause of death amongst under 16’s is drowning - with the majority at inland sites such as rivers and streams.

DTI figures for 1996 show that of 465,000 accidents specified as being in or around the garden, almost ¼ involved children.

We are looking at the need to include these areas in future events

28

What can you do?

Funding is needed but more importantly help with activities and scenarios is a much more critical need.

Putting your hand in your pocket is helpful but active participants are even more useful

You can make it happen!

29

Crucial CrewCrucial Crew events in Suffolk take place at:-

• West Suffolk College Bury St Edmunds.

• Suffolk Show Ground Ipswich.

• Holiday Camp at Kessingland.

• Mildenhall Stadium.

• Museum of East Anglian Life Stowmarket.

• Delphi Diesel Systems Club Sudbury.

30

And at many other locations country wide

It is known that some Rotary Clubs provide

financial support to local events while some

help with manpower, an essential requirement.

Can you provide help with an event in your

locality? If you are already involved we would

love to hear from you so that we can gauge

what help is being provided and to see if there are

ways to provide inter club assistance.

31

AND TO CLOSE!Words of Wisdom from a former DG!

• History owes no debt to bystanders. Anon.

• Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H.G.Wells