Valley View Hospital’s annual Kids Safety Fair returns on May 17 for an educational and fun-filled morning that’s an engaging introduction to fire, water and helmet safety for children.

“For us here at Valley View, we care for so many kids in the community, and a lot of those kids come in with injuries, and so the hope for the Kids Safety Fair is to help them and their families be more safe when it comes to riding their bikes, water safety, and fire safety,” said Stacey Gavrell, Valley View chief community relations officer. “The safety fair came together to create a free open event for everyone in our community to come together and learn about safety.”

The free community event features hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations, perfectly timed for the start of summer. 

“I think it’s particularly relevant as the summer season is approaching and hopefully all the kids in our community are getting ready to go do things like riding bicycles, go camping, have campfires, go swimming,” Gavrell said.

Kids can learn about fire safety and tour a Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District fire truck, then try on firefighting gear. Pediatric Partners, Valley View’s pediatrician practice, will share water safety resources in preparation for aquatic summer fun. 

Through the bike safety course Glenwood Springs Kiwanis Bike Rodeo, children can learn riding skills and signals and the ABC Quick Check. Participants can bring their helmets and ride a tricycle or bicycle provided at the fair. They’ll also learn how to wear a helmet and have the opportunity to bring home a free bike helmet that’s fitted to them. 

“In real time, the kids — in our closed parking lot — go through all of these different elements of riding their bike; learning what signs mean, what you do in an intersection, but also how important it is to wear a helmet when you’re riding your bike,” Gavrell said. “Through generous support from the Valley View Foundation, we give away free helmets and we fit them to the kids, so that’s another great element of the fair, to have not only learning how to wear a bike helmet, but getting a free fitted helmet.”

Valley View has held the Kids Safety Fair for over 20 years, according to Gavrell. 

“There’s a lot of focus on prevention,” Gavrell said. “We want to hopefully see as many kids as possible for wellness visits, for getting their vaccines, but if we can do anything to help them not come to our emergency department because they’ve had an accident at the pool, or riding their bikes, that’s part of why we host the event as well.”

This year’s fair is hosted in partnership with the Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District, Glenwood Springs Police Department, Kiwanis Club, Glenwood Springs Park and Recreation, Raising a Reader, Valley View Pediatric Partners and Valley View Foundation.