Fifteen years ago, a pediatric surgeon at Children’s Medical Center in Washington, D.C. was distressed by the number of children with serious injuries he treated each week in the emergency room. Babies suffocated by their own soft bedding. Curious toddlers poisoned by substances found in their families’ cabinets. Children who were badly hurt by running across the street, playing near open windows, or riding unbuckled in cars. No matter how the injuries occurred, parents asked the same question:

Why did this have to happen to my child?

The doctor came to believe there was only one answer.

IT DIDN’T.

Preventable injuries and death from car crashes, fires, poisonings, drowning, and other common risks remain the leading health threat to children living throughout south central Idaho. For the thousands of parents who rushed to emergency rooms this year with a seriously injured child – each asking themselves, "How could I have kept this from happening?" – the work of SAFE KIDS has never been more relevant.

Located at St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls, SAFE KIDS serves all eight counties of south central Idaho and the Elko County area of Nevada.

SAFE KIDS offers certified child passenger safety instruction, car seats and booster seats, bike helmets, snow helmets, multi-sport helmets, protective gear-wrist guards, elbow and knee pads, smoke detectors, gun locks, loaner car seats, loaner special needs car seats, loaner library safety videos and educational materials, and free resources and referrals for anyone needing injury prevention information.

What happens at SAFE KIDS?

• A brother and sister find the right size and fit in new bike helmets.

• A family tries on snow helmets.

• Parents have their car seat inspected by a SAFE KIDS certified child passenger safety technician free of charge.

• A foster parent is able to buy a new, low-cost car seat for a child with special needs.

• A grandparent checks out a loaner car seat for an upcoming visit from a grandchild.

• A teacher selects educational materials on pedestrian safety for a class project.

• A school resource officer stops by to set up a bike rodeo event at a local school.

• A doctor refers a patient to SAFE KIDS for a free car seat inspection and information on baby safety.

• A church group calls to request a safety presentation.

Who is helped at SAFE KIDS?

Our mission is to prevent and reduce injuries for children from birth to age 18.

All along we’ve said if we can save even one child’s life, it’s all worth it. We may never know about the many lives that have been touched by a SAFE KIDS free car seat inspection, educational presentation, bike rodeo, or office visit. We do know that more than 3,000 parents, children, and caregivers walk through the doors of SAFE KIDS looking for answers to protect their children. We do know our work in the community reaches an additional 7,000-plus residents throughout the south central Idaho area. We do know that as one of the more than 300 coalitions of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, the unintentional injury death rate has dropped by 37 percent. And we do know there is a long way to go. But if our previous efforts are any indication, we are confident that we will continue to make progress in keeping children safe.

The Results: From 1987-2002, there was a 43 percent DECLINE in fatal accidental injury of children aged 14 and older.

Click here to see upcoming SAFE KIDS events

Contact Us

Magic Valley SAFE Kids Coalition
St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center
P.O. Box 409
598 Addison Avenue West
Twin Falls, ID 83303
Phone 208-737-2433
Fax 208-737-2432
Page Geske, Director
Carma McKinnon, Office Manager

Office Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday or by appointment
Closed noon-1p.m., unless prior arrangements have been made.

Websites:

www.safekids.org
www.safetyalert.com

SAFE KIDS Child Passenger Safety Check Sites

Twin Falls County
SAFE KIDS of the Magic Valley
598 Addison Avenue West
Twin Falls, ID 83303
208-737-2433 or 208-737-2432

Twin Falls Police Department
356 3rd Avenue East
Twin Falls, ID 83301
208-737-7297
Contact: Officer Lou Coronado

Blaine County
Friedman Memorial Airport, Hailey
1616 Airport Way
Hailey, ID 83333
208-788-4956
Contact: Paul Brown

St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center
100 Hospital Drive
Ketchum, ID 83340
208-737-8776
Contact: Jami Adrian, RN

Jerome County
Idaho State Police Department
18 West 200 South
Jerome, ID 83338
208-324-6000

Jerome Police Department
124 South Lincoln
Jerome, ID 83338
208-324-4348
Contact: Bryan Clayton

SAFE KIDS Safety Equipment

Please make checks payable to:
Magic Valley SAFE KIDS Coalition

Car Seats

• Evenflo Infant Carrier with Base, $45, for infants 5 to 20 pounds.

• Evenflo Tribute Convertible Car Seat, $50, for children 5 to 40 pounds.

• Evenflo Express High Back Booster with 5 pt. Harness, $50, for children 20 to 80 pounds, forward-facing only.

• Evenflo Sightseer Belt Positioning Booster Seat, $30, for children 30 to 80 pounds, forward-facing only.

• Evenflo Big Kid Full Body Adjust Booster Seat $35, for children 40 to 80 pounds, forward-facing only.

• Evenflo Right Fit Booster Seat, $20

Helmets

• Bike Helmet: toddler through adult sizes, $10

• Multi-Sport Helmet: S,M,L sizes, $20 (bike, in-line skate, or skateboard use)

• Motorcycle Helmets (ATV usage), $25

• Snow Helmet: toddler through adult sizes, $40, Bugaboo, Sonic, and Camber styles

Protective Gear

• Wrist guards, elbow and knee pads set, $10

• Gun Lock, $2-4 each

• First Alert smoke detector, $15