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Be Healthy! Be Safe!

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department wants you to grow up safely. Here are some health and safety tips:

Remember to Exercise

Children love television, VCRs, computers and video games. Because of that, they are doing less exercise. This is a real problem. If you don't get your body moving you could have health problems when you get older. Exercise will keep you healthy! So get off your chair and start moving - get your heart pumping!

Bike Safety Tips

Bike riding is fun and a great way to exercise. Here are just a few safety tips to make sure your bike ride is safe!

  • Always wear a helmet when you are on wheels, such as a skateboard, roller-skates or a scooter.
  • Follow traffic signals and road signs. Do not ride through stop signs or traffic lights.
  • Always ride on the right. Go with the flow of traffic.
  • If in a group, ride single file. When passing other bikers or walkers, let them know your position. For example, shout out: "I'm on your left!"
  • Watch out for danger in your way. Watch out for trash, potholes, puddles of water, rocks, glass, etc.
  • Ride at least 3 feet away from parked cars to avoid car doors opening into you.
  • Always signal before making a turn. For left turns, hold your left arm straight out to the side. For right turns, hold your left arm out and up in an "L" shape.

Walking Safety Tips

Walking is a great way to exercise and you can go almost anywhere. But before you lace up your shoes, here are a few safety tips:

  • Always walk on the sidewalk.
  • If there is no sidewalk, always walk facing traffic.
  • Wear bright colors! You want drivers to see you.
  • If you are walking at night wear cloths that reflect when hit by headlights.
  • Cross only at marked crosswalks or at corners.
  • Stop and look left, then right, then left again, before you step into the street.
  • Keep looking for cars while you are crossing.
  • Walk, Don't Run.

9-1-1 Tips for Kids

  • Know your Emergency Number. It's 9-1-1.
  • Know your location, the 9-1-1 dispatcher will ask you your location.
  • Listen carefully to the 9-1-1 dispatcher - He/She will ask you questions.
  • If you don't understand a question - tell the person on the phone to explain the question to you.
  • Do not hang up the phone until the 9-1-1 dispatcher tells you.
  • If you have a fire, a fire engine will come to your location.
  • If you have a medical emergency, a fire engine and an ambulance will respond to your location.
  • Learn more about 9-1-1

Seatbelt Safety

Every year hundreds of kids are hurt or killed in the United States because they did not put on a seat belt or they strapped in incorrectly. You can protect yourself, your family and your friends by following these safety tips. The safest place for any child under the age of 12 is the back seat of a vehicle.

  • Use a Rear-Facing infant seat. Under California law, children under 2 years of age shall ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds OR is 40 or more inches tall.
  • The child seat must be in the back seat of vehicle.

  • Children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat.

  • Children who are 8 years of age OR have reached 4' 9" in height must be secured by a safety belt in the back seat.

A child under age 8 may ride in an appropriate restraint system in the front seat if:

  • there is no rear seat
  • the rear seats are side-facing jump seats
  • the rear seats are rear-facing seats
  • the car seat or booster cannot be installed properly in the rear seat
  • all rear seats are already occupied by children seven years old or younger
  • medical reasons require that a child cannot ride in the rear seat.  Proof of the child’s medical condition may be required. 

However, a child cannot be transported in a rear-facing car seat in the front seat that is equipped with an active frontal passenger airbag

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