Childrenâs Expo & Public Safety Day
Brewster, NY, April 26, 2016âCounty Executive MaryEllen Odell is once again pleased to invite Putnam County residents to the Childrenâs Expo & Public Safety Day, on Saturday, May 14th from 11 to 3 at the Countyâs TOPS (Training and Operations) building on the Donald B. Smith Campus, 112 Old Route 6 in Carmel. Admission is free.
âPutnam County is a great place to live,â said Odell. âOur county is frequently cited as one of the best counties in the state to raise children and thatâs because we are committed to keeping Putnam safe through the efforts of police, local government, social service agencies, private partnerships and extraordinary volunteer fire departments and service groups.â
This year, Putnam Hospital Center has joined long-time sponsors Eric Gross and Durantâs Party Rentals as an Expo sponsor. âPutnam Hospital is an integral part of this community,â said Odell. âAs a leader in the health care industry, it recognizes the benefits of being proactive in protecting and promoting childrenâs health.â
âThis event is about community, meeting and celebrating all the people and organizations who give so much of their time to serve children and families,â added Anthony Sutton, commissioner of the Bureau of Emergency Services. âWeâre looking forward to showing residents the latest in Fire Prevention and Safety Services.â
The Childrenâs Expo is co-presented by the Child Advocacy Center of Putnam County (CAC) and the Bureau of Emergency Services of Putnam County. âItâs an easy way to educate families on health and safety issues, as well as the supports and services available to them in the community, all while having fun,â said Marla Behler, program coordinator of the CAC.
The Putnam County Sheriffâs Office will once again be offering Operation SAFE CHILD. Operation SAFE CHILD cards contain a child’s name, biographical information (date of birth, gender, height, weight, hair color, eye color, etc.), and a fingerprint image of both index fingers. The card is made in less than two minutes and can be easily carried in a wallet or purse.
This yearâs event will also include Home Depotâs free Kids Workshops which offer fun and useful building projects. The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety while they help to instill a sense of accomplishment. In addition, more than 40 exhibitors will be on hand to offer a wide range of: activities for children (camps, theatre, martial arts, etc.,), programs including social media safety, medical, physical and mental health services, car seat checks, emergency services programs as well as live demonstrations (jaws of life and underwater rescue, tanks, fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, canine units and more).
This yearâs entertainment features performances by nationally acclaimed Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk, crowd favorite All About Animals, magician and balloon artist, Jocko, and DJ Ron Blanco. In addition there are games, a giant bouncy house, face-painting, raffles, food and lots of free giveaways!
âThe CAC is dedicated to preventing child abuse and ensuring safety and treatment for abused children. By increasing the publicâs knowledge, our hope is to promote safety and prevent tragedies,â said Behler. âThe Childrenâs Expo & Public Safety Day, now celebrating its eleventh year, was organized with this objective which continues to be the primary goal of the event.â
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The Child Advocacy Center of Putnam County opened in 1999 to handle child abuse allegations in a coordinated way in order to minimize additional trauma to the young victims. A multidisciplinary team of child protective service workers, prosecutors, law enforcement investigators, medical care providers, victim advocates and therapists work together to provide all necessary services in one place. The CAC also provides education for the community to reduce the incidence of serious childhood injuries and death.
The Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services helps protect residents by operating the 911 Communications center. The Bureau is also host to Fire, EMS and Emergency Management training in the County. BES has a state of the art Emergency Operations Center where officials manage natural and man-made emergencies. BES also fields special teams to investigate cause and origins of fires, a Team to respond to Hazardous Materials Incidents, Fire Police to provide traffic control, security, and preserving evidence. There is also a Communications Team that uses specialized equipment to assure that County agencies and agencies providing mutual aid can speak on the same radio frequencies. The Bureau works closely with Senior Services, The Department of Health and the CAC to be a force multiplier in keeping Putnam safe.