Although it’s summertime, nearly a dozen kids between the ages of 11 and 13 signed up for class! While most of these students are already babysitting, they stepped up their game to earn the title of Safe Sitter. 

Safe Sitter is a national program that is taught by the experts – firefighter/EMS personnel. The 6-hour program, open to both boys and girls, covers safety and childcare skills, first aid and rescue skills, basic first aid, along with life and business skills. Participants even walk away with their full CPR certification. 

Whether a young person is home alone, babysitting a sibling or providing care for someone else’s child, things can happen and knowing what to do can make the experience not just more enjoyable, but also safer. 

The Safe Sitter curriculum is broken down into indoor and outdoor safety; for example, what to do if you smell gas, if there’s a weather emergency, a confrontation with an animal. But it also covers basic childcare skills such as navigating temper tantrums, diaper disasters, and hosting age-appropriate activities. “I learned about the high-five.” Emery, an 11-year-old who recently participated in the class, explained that the high five theory is something she was taught to help her remember what to communicate to her parents about a babysitting job. It’s five points, hence the high five. “I need to tell them and I need to ask ‘who, what, when, where and how’ when it comes to what the job is about.”

We recognize that babysitters are often focused on caring for younger children, but babysitters are often kids themselves and this class focuses on them too. For example, the program recommends having a code or way to contact their own parents privately should they be in a situation that makes them uncomfortable or they need their parent or caregiver to come get them. 

The program is approximately six hours long. Participants graduate with quick basic first aid skills and a full CPR certification. The registration cost is $90, which covers the two certifications. Girl Scout patches are also available upon request! Safe Sitter credentials are valid for two years. Kids have the opportunity to explore the fire station and enjoy a fun, hands-on experience with life-long take aways.

Learn more and sign up today by visiting us at https://wpfd.org/product/safe-sitter/.