Poison Prevention Week

State and Local Activities

ARIZONA
Midwestern University and the Banner Poison Control Center ( Phoenix ) teamed up during National Poison Prevention Week to present poison prevention tips to hundreds of local pre-school children. Twenty students from the College of Pharmacy ( Glendale , AZ ) visited local day care centers and presented “Spike’s Poison Prevention Adventure.” After showing the videotape to pre-schoolers, the pharmacy students discussed the dangers of medicines when not taken properly, and the importance of asking an adult before touching, tasting or smelling unknown substances.

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ARKANSAS
The Arkansas Poison Control Center at the University of Arkansas College of Pharmacy (Little Rock) distributed stickers, magnets, brochures in English and Spanish to Head Start Centers, Migrant Head Start Centers and various elementary schools across the state. The Spike Poison Video was distributed to Head Start Centers during the week. The Educator Coordinator and PharmD Interns collaborated to present over 20 poison prevention lectures to preschoolers, grade school children and adults during National Poison Prevention Week. Also the center participated in two Community Health Fairs. An article featuring information about National Poison Prevention Week was featured in a statewide distribution of the Arkansas Early Childhood Newsletter. Local television stations interviewed poison center personnel airing the broadcasts during morning and evening news broadcasts statewide. The shows emphasized how commonly children confuse household cleaning and cosmetic products with food and drink items (poison look-alikes).

Arkansas Children’s Hospital ( Little Rock ) distributed a variety of materials, in both English and Spanish. Popular with the children were the magnets, stickers and coloring books. Patients and their families in the waiting areas also had a chance to take home materials provided by the hospital staff. Daily informational articles on poison prevention were presented on the hospital’s daily newsletter for employee awareness.

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CALIFORNIA
Two pharmacy students at the Desert Springs Medical Center ( Palm Springs ) presented poison prevention programs to elementary school classes throughout the Coachella Valley area. As part of the presentations, the school children received gift bags containing stickers, coloring books and informational packets for the parents. Local television stations covered the poison prevention activities and featured additional information regarding the abuse over-the-counter medications by junior-high and senior-high aged students.



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CONNECTICUT
The Connecticut Poison Control Center (CPCC) at the University of Connecticut Health Center ( Farmington ) kicked off National Poison Prevention Week with an advertising campaign. A combination of radio, billboard, and cinema ads ran throughout New Haven County during the entire month. A community breakfast was held for community health centers and faith-based organizations, where attendees received educational materials and toured the poison control center. Also during March, a cable access show called “Robyn’s Nest” about parents’ preventing poisonings aired locally.



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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
The National Capital Poison Center distributed Spike’s Poison Prevention Adventure to hundreds of preschoolers in the Washington , DC metropolitan area. Local media carried stories and a live radio interview about the poison center, National Poison Prevention Week, and the importance of calling 1-800-222-1222 in case of a possible poisoning. In addition, poison center staff participated in activities about inhalant abuse prevention.

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MASSACHUSETTS
A representative from the Caritas Chris ti Health Care System was interviewed by Catholic Television about poison prevention. The program was shown during National Poison Prevention Week and will be repeated throughout the year. Information was provided about the correct way to store cleaning agents, herbicides, and pesticides. Tips on various poisonings plants common to most households were provided. Advice about talking with children about medicine, emphasizing “never call medicine candy” and other strategies for medication were discussed.

During National Poison Prevention Week, Olden’s Pharmacy in South Weymouth displayed posters and hand-outs in the pharmacy. The pharmacy conducted a field trip with pre-school-aged children where the children learned poison prevention techniques and the ins and outs of the pharmacy department.





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MISSISSIPPI
The Regional Poison Control Center at University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson) sent out thousands of stickers and poison prevention fact sheets to schools, groups, and individuals. At NatureFest2004 at the National Science Museum , the education coordinator distributed publications and displayed poison prevention educational materials. Several groups assisted the poison center, including SAFE KIDS, Citizens Against Needless Deaths in Youth, Cooperative Extension Service, Junior League, Junior Auxiliary, Head Start, and State Department of Health.



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MISSOURI
The Missouri Regional Poison Center and the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital ( St. Louis ) teamed up to sponsor their fifteenth annual National Poison Prevention Week Poster contest. The contest was expanded to include all elementary schools from the surrounding counties. There were over 500 posters submitted. Local TV stations, including KSDK Channel 5 and WBTV Channel 11 covered the poster contest. The poster contest winner (a third-grader from Our Lady of the Pillar Elementary School ) received a free Mr. Yuk t-shirt, a pizza party for her class sponsored by Pointer’s Pizza, and 12-month family pass to The Magic House, a local children’s museum. A kick-off reception with light refreshments was held at the beginning of the week. Additionally, crayons and coloring books were given to the children in the hospital, and poison prevention materials were given to visitors and parents. Representatives from the poison center and the hospital conducted media interviews on poison prevention. The winning poster, along with dozens of others, were displayed at the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.



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NEBRASKA
The governor of Nebraska issued a proclamation for National Poison Prevention Week. A poster contest was conducted, and the winner was displayed at two billboards in the Omaha area. The Nebraska Regional Poison Center ( Omaha ) sent postcards to over 1200 daycare providers and preschool teachers in Nebraska detailing the programs available from the poison center. In total, over 50,000 pieces of public education material was distributed.



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NEVADA
Pharmacists and pharmacy students at the Department of Pharmacy at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center & Children’s Hospital ( Las Vegas ) staffed a poison prevention and treatment information table. Hospital visitors and employees in the Sunrise Children’s Hospital Lobby were given information pamphlets, poison control number phone stickers, and poison prevention coloring books. Displays of “look alike” products (medicine and candy) were available along with products used to childproof the home.



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NEW YORK
The Long Island Regional Poison Drug Information Center kicked off National Poison Prevention Week with their first annual poster contest. Over 300 elementary schools were invited to participate. The 1st and 2nd place winners were selected from Nassau and Suffolk Counties . Poster winners were submitted to the national poster contest and prizes were awarded from donations received from Applebee’s Restaurant, Loews Theatres and Jillian’s Restaurant and Activity Center . The Long Island Center conducted a mass mailing of nearly 100,000 publications to various organizations including schools, libraries and pediatricians. Proclamations for National Poison Prevention Week were made by New York State Governor George Pataki, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, and Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy.

With a theme of “A Poisoning Can Happen to You.. .at any age,” the Central New York Poison Center ( Syracuse ) continued its highly visible and effective advertising campaign. The Poison Center reached targeted populations and the mass public with 18 roadside and junior billboards, funded by Pediatric, Medical and Health System Pharmacist Societies and other local businesses. Utilizing the regional library systems, the Poison Center distributed 25,000 bookmarks to 137 libraries in 14 counties. Focusing on poison prevention, a local PBS show, “Medically Speaking” hosted representatives of the Poison Center as they discussed poison prevention and the role of poison centers. A mass mailing was sent to 1,300 pediatricians. The free “clinic pack” provided pediatricians with a variety of poison prevention educational materials.

The pharmacy department at Calvary Hospital ( Bronx ) set up a display for the staff and visitors. Pharmacists were on hand to answer questions and articles and pamphlets were handed out discussing poison prevention. The March newsletter focused on National Poison Prevention Week and emphasized safety in the home as well as the substances most frequently involved in pediatric poisonings.

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OHIO
The Greater Cleveland Poison Control Center (Cleveland) kicked off National Poison Prevention Week with a workshop which distributed “Be Poison Smart” community poison education training materials and videos to the 18 attending agencies. Public health educators and the Greater Cleveland SAFE KIDS partners were given Poison Prevention Awareness Week planners for use in conducting local outreach and education activities. PTAs and school nurses throughout Greater Cleveland were sent poison prevention school newsletter copy. Among the many school districts taking part: Westlake City Schools, which provided fliers and phone stickers to elementary school parents; Middleburg Heights, Berea, Brook Park, and Strongsville inserted messages in their newsletters.

The Greater Cleveland Poison Control Center mailed information packets with “Is It Candy or Medicine?” posters and telephone stickers to 500 Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital referring pediatricians in the five-county region. Fifty paramedics took part in a continuing education offering on pre-hospital management of poisonings.

Representing the Ohio Poison Control Education Collaborative at a conference held by the Ohio Association of School Nurses, the Greater Cleveland Poison Control Center distributed information about poison awareness and poison control center to 200 school nurses.

To promote National Poison Prevention Week, the Central Ohio Poison Center distributed 379,000 pieces of poison prevention materials within its region of 45 counties. Materials were distributed to hospitals, libraries, city and county health departments. The “Be Poison Smart” program-to-go curriculum was presented by pre-, elementary- and middle-school teachers to over 500 students.

Marking the 9th year of collaboration with Kroger Stores, Inc., the Central Ohio Poison Center ( Columbus ) coordinated development and distribution of all handouts and shipment materials. In-store displays were placed, drawing the audience’s attention at 201 different locations. These Kroger pharmacies distributed over 130,000 pieces of poison prevention materials in their entire region, including 105 stores in Ohio , six in West Virginia and 90 new stores in the Detroit , Michigan region. Collaboration between Poison Centers made possible the accomplishment of such diverse outreach outside of the Central Ohio region.

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OKLAHOMA
The Oklahoma Poison Control Center celebrated National Poison Prevention Week with two events: a news conference on March 22 and a poster contest awards celebration on March 23. The news conference was kicked off at the Oklahoma State Capitol highlighting statistics relating to the increase in the number of teen suicide exposures reported to the poison center. Representative Danny Hilliard read the National Poison Prevention Week Proclamation and recounted a personal story about how the poison center helped save a member of his family. The National Poison Prevention Week Contest Winner, Kelsey Proctor, was given a certificate by Martha Collar, Coordinator for the SAFE KIDS Coalition.

The poison center’s medical director and other experts presented statistics about suicide in Oklahoma .

Three local television stations covered the event.

More than 30 schools entered the 2004 annual poster contest. The young artists ranged in age from Kindergarten to 5th grade. To acknowledge the 2004 winners’ artwork, a celebration was planned. Events included a photo opportunity with Governor Brad Henry at the Oklahoma State Capitol. This was followed by a pizza party and awards ceremony where participants received pizza donated by Pizza Hut and prizes donated by Bricktown, the Omniplex, Office Depot, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and the Oklahoma Tourism Department. The grand prize winner received a one night stay at any resort in Oklahoma .

In addition to the news conference and awards ceremony, the Oklahoma Poison Center staff mailed out more 57,000 pieces of poison prevention awareness materials, issued news releases to the media, conducted television interviews and published poison prevention information in a number of pharmaceutical, family and health-related magazines and newsletters.



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PENNSYLVANIA
The Allegheny County SAFE KIDS Coalition ( Pittsburgh ) in conjunction with the Allegheny County Health Department and the Allegheny County Pharmacists Association distributed 300 Poison Prevention Kits to all pharmacies in Allegheny County , as well as to all City of Pittsburgh and County Head Start Programs. The kits contained the national poster, sheets of both Mr. Yuk stickers and Home Check Lists, and Carbon Monoxide and Lead Poisoning pamphlets.

Proclamations declaring March as Poison Prevention Month were issued by the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh and the Chief Executive of the County of Allegheny . Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield funded a pilot project that purchased more than 150 carbon monoxide detectors that are being installed free of charge by several municipal fire departments and the County Health Department, for low income families with children under age 14.

An 11” X 17” poster of Mr. Yuk with the national toll-free poison help telephone number was the centerfold in each of the 4,000 copies of the February issue of the Allegheny County Medical Society Bulletin, intended for posting in a physician’s waiting room. A poison prevention display featuring “look a like” candies and medicines as well as similar looking food/poisonous liquids was displayed in the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield window in downtown Pittsburgh.



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TEXAS
The North Texas Poison Center at Parkland Health and Hospital System (Dallas) kicked off National Poison Prevention Week by teaming up with the Caldwell Zoo (Tyler) for a Poison Jungle Safari. Elementary age students entering the zoo visited six different poison prevention stations set up throughout the zoo. After completing the safari, students turned in their registration forms for a chance to win a bicycle. The North Texas Poison Center also participated in three health fairs and also made 24 presentations in schools. The poison center mailed out thousands of poison prevention guides along with phone stickers and magnets. The poison center also received many proclamations from both cities and counties through the service area.

The South Texas Poison Center (STPC) at the University of Texas Health Science Center ( San Antonio ) mailed educational materials to pharmacies, homes, pediatrician, clinics, day care centers and WIC clinics. A total of 84 presentations and 17 health fairs were conducted on various sites. More than 300 poison prevention packages were mailed out to South Texas pharmacies. The packages included brochures, stickers and magnets. Articles and STPC advertising were created and published in the Bexar County newspaper and UTHSCA newsletter. Articles included information on poison prevention and inhalant awareness. The STPC advertised in a local newspaper, which allowed residents of the surrounding areas to identify the availability of a poison center and its services. Radio announcements provided STPC information to local listeners. Dr. Miguel Fernandez provided a live interview with the Kelly Kendall Morning Show, KISS FM Radio. A mayoral proclamation was issued to the South Texas Poison Center . The proclamation recognized National Poison Prevention Week and stated the necessity of utilizing the South Texas Poison Center .

The Southeast Texas Poison Center (SETPC) at the University of Texas Medical Branch ( Galveston ) participated in a health fair, contributed to an article written for local distribution, and delivered nearly 9,000 magnet, sticker and pamphlet packets to 63 local pharmacies. Poison center staff also presented poison safety messages to 850 1st and 2nd grade students at two elementary schools and to 45 retired persons. In addition, with the help of the Fort Bend Independent School District ’s “Communities in Schools” director, the SETPC assisted with a district-wide poison prevention and awareness education session for each of the 36 elementary schools within the Fort Bend education system. The Southeast Texas Poison Center believes their combined efforts resulted in the poison prevention message reaching about 10, 200 families in the region.



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VIRGINIA
At the request of the Virginia Poison Center in Richmond , Governor Mark Warner issued a proclamation recognizing the commemoration of National Poison Prevention Week in Virginia . In conjunction with the Virginia Department of Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Division, an informational radio announcement was aired throughout the week on all Clear Channel radio stations in central Virginia . The announcements provided listeners with poison prevention tips. The Virginia Pharmacists Association featured poison prevention in its cover story in the March issue of their magazine. Ukrop’s supermarket chain included an article on poison prevention in their pharmacy newsletter, read by more than 15,000 customers a week. Students from the Virginia Commonwealth University ’s school of pharmacy used the videotape, “Spike’s Poison Adventure,” to teach safety concepts to several hundred preschoolers. Elementary schools received a mailing of magnets, stickers a fact sheets. A special effort was made to make rural communities aware of National Poison Prevention Week, with poison safety articles published in nearly a dozen small independent newspapers serving these areas. The Virginia Poison Center sponsored a display at the annual meeting in March of the Professional Family Child Care Association and distributed several thousand magnets and stickers.

Hampton University ’s third-year pharmacy students enrolled in the Toxicology & Poison Control curriculum distributed brochures on poison prevention to the Hampton community. The students explained to interested persons that by following the information provided in the brochures, they could keep their homes, family members and even their pets safe from unintentional harm. Literature distributed not only contained information on how to keep homes and families safe, but also on what to do in cases of drug interactions, the safe use of over-the-counter medications and also the importance of reading the labels carefully. The activity was well received by the Hampton community.



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WYOMING
An estimated 800 postcards were sent to Wyoming physicians, pharmacists and school nurses. In addition, a press release was distributed to the media in Wyoming. The poison center in Omaha helped coordinate these activities in Wyoming.


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