Today, EPIC Medics gathered for their third and final Helmets for Kids event of 2017.  The event took place at the Parkway Plaza in El Cajon, with the previous two events taking place at Fashion Valley Mall and North County Mall.

This community event provides children with a brand new bicycle helmet and a strong and lasting message of safety.  The Helmets for Kids campaign is a unique opportunity for these providers in that they get to deliver a powerful message to children with the hope of preventing future injury instead of responding to an injury after the fact.  “We have fitted and donated about two to three hundred helmets at each event this summer,” says Paul Maxwell, EPIC Medics founder and event organizer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2013, 238,337 children age 19 and younger sustained injuries associated with bicycles, with children between the ages of 5 and 14 years at the highest risk for bicycle injury.  An estimated 140,000 children are treated each year in emergency departments in the United States for traumatic brain injuries sustained while riding bicycles.

The use of paramedics and EMTs creates a memorable moment for the children, encouraging helmet use which can help reduce the danger of devasting bicycle-related injury.  The California Paramedic Foundation’s EPIC Medics, in partnership with Cox Cares, Kaiser San Diego and Ark Marketing, have been hosting the event for over 7 years.  Paul Maxwell estimates the campaign has seen over 5,000 helmets donated.

Thank you to our generous partners and the providers who graciously donated their time.