Sesame Street's Grover helped announce the New York launch of emergency preparedness kits for children at NYP/Weill Cornell. Also on hand were (from left) Joseph F. Bruno, commissioner of NYC Office of Emergency Management; Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop; Dr. Laura Forese, senior vice president and COO of NYP/Weill Cornell; and Dr. Gerald Loughlin, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics.
In an emergency situation, having a plan is critical. To ensure that even young children know what to do in case disaster strikes, the Komansky Center for Children's Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center has teamed up with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, to launch the first-ever emergency preparedness kit geared for parents and toddlers.
"Let's Get Ready! Planning Together for Emergencies" is a bilingual (Spanish and English) kit that uses a DVD of songs and activities, a children's activity book and a resource magazine for parents to teach children to be ready in case of emergencies. The kit is available for download at www.sesamestreet.org/ready.
"I am a physician, but I'm also a parent. I know the importance of teaching our kids about how to respond to an emergency situation — calling 9-1-1 and so forth," said Dr. Laura Forese, senior vice president and COO of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.
New York City's Office of Emergency Management is charged with readying all New Yorkers in case of a crisis, and Joseph F. Bruno, commissioner, said this kit is the first he's seen that actually speaks to young children.
"We are happy to help spread this message of preparedness," he said.
"There is nothing for families with young children," said Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop. "So we used the magic of the Muppets to teach these lessons, to teach kids how to be prepared."
Sesame Workshop collaborated with a team of experts, including Dr. Evelyn G. Lipper, associate professor of clinical pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College, and Dr. Mary Jo Ward, associate research professor psychology in pediatrics and psychiatry at Weill Cornell, whose expertise in the area of child development and emotional trauma helped ensure that the DVD materials are thoughtful, appealing and effective, particularly for children between the ages of 2 and 5.
"What you say to a 3-year-old, as opposed to what you say to a 10-year-old or an 18-year-old, are very different things," said Dr. Gerald Loughlin, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and pediatrician-in-chief at the Komansky Center for Children's Health. "This is an excellent opportunity to educate children."
Photography by Joshua Hammann.