Protecting Our Kids From Disasters.

TILLAMOOK, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1998--A pilot program sponsored by SAFECO, the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) and the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) will help protect children in the Tillamook Early Childhood Education Center from natural hazards like earthquakes and windstorms.

The program, called "Protecting Our Kids from Disasters," promotes a concept called "non-structural retrofit." This means securing furniture and other items that would pose a threat during an earthquake, windstorm or other natural hazard.

IBHS, a Boston-based association dedicated to reducing disaster-caused deaths, injuries and property damage, will use the project as a pilot program for an upcoming national effort to make America's 93,000 day care centers safer.

On October 19, volunteers from SAFECO, the Oregon State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) and Jeff Hurliman Insurance Services will secure the day care center's shelves, pictures, cabinets and bulletin boards to its walls and add protective film to its windows to make them more shatter resistant.

The volunteers will also add barriers to existing shelves where the children's books and toys are stored to prevent them from becoming deadly projectiles in the sudden unexpected turbulence of an earthquake or windstorm.

"In the Northwest, the threat of a severe earthquake is real and we know this program will definitely make our kids safer and give their parents some peace of mind," said Ed Todd, SAFECO senior underwriter and chair of SAFECO's Portland region's community involvement committee.

Harvey Ryland, executive director of IBHS, said that people don't often think about disaster preparedness in day care centers. "A lot of America's kids spend a majority of their waking hours in day care," Ryland said. "In the surprise and stress of a severe storm or earthquake, kids are the most vulnerable, so we have to strive to make their environment safer."

Ryland said the "non-structural retrofit" concept was born out of a realization that many day care centers are located in older structures, where managing officials may believe they can't afford to shore up the building's foundation against the shaking of an earthquake or the stress of a severe windstorm.

"Our research shows that a majority of the injuries to children are a direct result of flying objects like books and files or falling objects like cabinets and pictures," Ryland said. "Securing those items is a very affordable and simple precaution which we know will prevent injury and save lives."

Todd pointed out the surprising economy of the procedure. "The materials needed for this procedure can cost as little as $200 and we think a group of ten volunteers can retrofit a day care center in one day," he said. "We hope when the parents will see this they'll use similar procedures for their homes, too."

Donald A. Hull, Director of DOGAMI, agreed, saying "The Tillamook Early Childhood Center is setting an important example for Oregonians and the nation with this prototype project. It's a fine example of partnership between state government, local volunteers and the insurance industry which will protect our most precious resource -- our children."

Over the next five to 10 years, IBHS will work with SAFECO and other insurance companies to put nonstructural safety measures in place in as many of the nation's day care centers as possible. "Several insurance companies support this," Todd said. "The bigger the push from our industry, the safer kids will be and we're for that."

DOGAMI is responsible for promoting safety from natural hazards like earthquakes and reduction of risk to people and property in the State of Oregon.

SAFECO is one of the largest financial corporations in the country, with 8,000 independent agencies representing its mix of diversified insurance and financial products. Property and casualty insurance was SAFECO's original business and remains its largest operation. In addition, SAFECO engages in life and health insurance and surety, and conducts commercial credit, asset management, insurance agency and financial services distribution operations, and real estate investment and management. SAFECO's website address is www.safeco.com.