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On Friday August 17, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood delivered remarks at the “Look Before You Lock” press conference at the Campagna Center, a local Head Start and Early Head Start Center in Alexandria, Virginia. The press conference was held to raise awareness about the number of children dying from heat stroke after being left in locked vehicles. So far this summer, 23 children have died from heat stroke due to being left behind in unattended vehicles. Child care providers, Head Start staff, parents, and other adults caring for young children can work together to prevent this horrible tragedy from happening.
The Office of Child Care and Office of Head Start are partnering with the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to provide information to the early care and education (ECE) community and parents on the importance of double-checking cars, buses, and vans to make sure that all children arrive safely.
You can read a message from Secretary Sebelius and Secretary LaHood about the “Look Before You Lock” campaign through our Web site at
http://transition.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/news/look-before-you-lock-pledge, where we will continue to add resources. In addition, HHS and DOT/NHTSA have partnered to develop a voluntary Pledge Form at http://transition.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/occ/look_before_you_lock_pledge.pdf?nocache=1345144217, that providers and parents can use to work together to keep children safe. For example, providers and parents can agree to immediately inform each other if a child is expected to arrive at home or at an ECE center and does not.
Please help us spread the word and raise awareness by sharing this message with child care providers; early childhood organizations; and other networks in your State, Territory, or Tribal community.
Additional information, including media outreach materials, posters, and other campaign materials, can be found at http://www.nhtsa.gov or www.safekids.org
Sincerely,
Shannon Rudisill
Director
Office of Child Care
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Download:
 Look Before You Lock Pledge.pdf
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