Policing and public safety

Community Safety

DANGER DETECTIVES

Danger Detectives is an experiential learning event, which aims to reduce accidents amongst young people.  

How is this Achieved?

It achieves this by creating a safe environment where young people can learn to:

1. Become more aware of personal safety both in-doors and outside.

2. Learn how to react to dangerous situations.

3. Know what roles the emergency services play.

4. Make a contribution towards reducing both crime and accidents

    

   

   Each child visits seven "Safety" sets:

   Strathclyde Fire & Rescue - At the beginning of the event the children watched a demonstration of what would happen if a chip pan went on fire. The children found this very scary and many jumped back when the fire 'blew up' when a small cup of water was added. The purpose of this was to alert children just how dangerous fire is. To get out of the house, stay out and call the Fire Brigade
   
   East Ayrshire Council Road Safety Section - This site involved a 'child' being knocked off his bike. There was a crashed car nearby that had also been involved in the accident. The children were to identify the points that may have caused the accident.

   EAC Trading Standards and Environmental Health - This was a 'hazard house'. The team set up a dummy living room and put possible hazards there, e.g. clothes drying round a fire; cigarettes and matches lying around and toys strewn on the floor. The children had to identify the hazards.

   EAC Countryside Rangers - The Rangers demonstrated to the children what to do if someone took ill or had an accident outside. How to make a stretcher and also points to remember about safety in the countryside and respect for the wildlife.

   Stagecoach Buses - The Youth Express bus was there and the children were invited aboard and told about vandalism - how to have respect for your community and also the cost to themselves and their families.

   Strathclyde Police - The Police set up a new Internet chatroom scenario. The children were invited to speak to another 'young person' in a chat room and they were told of the dangers of giving out their personal details over the internet. The person they were chatting to turned out to be an adult pretending to be the same age as them and asking if they could meet.

   Visions Leisure Centre - Water Safety was the important lesson here. The dangers of swimming in rivers an ponds. What to do if someone falls in etc. the children were encouraged to use their local swimming pool.
   

   This year's event took take place at Dean Castle Country Park during August and September. For more information contact community.safety@east-ayrshire.gov.uk