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Published on: September 11, 2021
School-based prevention program associated with increased short- and long-term retention of safety knowledge
Karla S Klas1, Peter G Vlahos, Michael J McCully
1From the Trauma Burn Center, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, and Bloomfield Township Fire Department, Michigan.
The Risk Watch (RW) program effectively improved fire and life safety knowledge in young students. This program demonstrated significant short-term and long-term knowledge retention in elementary school children.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Safety
- Educational Program Evaluation
Background:
- School-based injury prevention education requires validated program effectiveness.
- The Risk Watch (RW) program focuses on burn, fire, and life safety but lacked prior medical literature evaluation.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of safety education programs is crucial for community well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the effectiveness of the Risk Watch (RW) program in improving fire and life safety knowledge among second-grade students.
- To assess both short-term and long-term knowledge retention following program implementation.
- To determine factors influencing program effectiveness, such as class size.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study conducted over six years (2007-2012) involving 1,926 second-grade students.
- The Risk Watch (RW) curriculum was delivered by a trained fire service public educator (FSPE) over nine weeks.
- Knowledge was assessed using written pre-tests (PT), immediate post-tests (PT#1), and delayed post-tests (PT#2) 12-13 months later.
Main Results:
- Students demonstrated significantly higher scores on both immediate (PT#1, mean 14.8) and delayed (PT#2, mean 14.7) post-tests compared to the pre-test (PT, mean 12.1) (P = .0001).
- Class size did not predict test score improvement (R = 0%), though individual teachers showed some influence.
- The program effectively increased knowledge and retention of fire/life safety concepts.
Conclusions:
- The Risk Watch (RW) program, delivered by a trained FSPE, is an effective method for enhancing fire and life safety knowledge in early elementary students.
- The study confirms significant long-term knowledge retention, highlighting the program's lasting impact.
- Collaborative partnerships between schools and community services are vital for sustaining injury prevention initiatives.
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