Safety Merit Badge

SAFETY

1. Explain what safety is and what it means to be safe. Then prepare a notebook to include:
1. Newspaper and other stories, facts, and statistics showing common types and causes of injuries in the home and in the workplace, and how these injuries could be prevented
2. Newspaper and other stories, facts, and statistics showing common types of crimes and ways to avoid being a crime victim
3. Facts you have obtained concerning the frequency of accidents and of crimes in your local area
4. A paragraph or more, written by you, explaining how a serious fire, accident, or crime could change your family life
5. A list of safe practices and safety devices currently used by your family, such as safety practices used while driving or working and safety devices that prevent injuries or help in an emergency
2. Do the following:
1. Using a safety checklist approved by your counselor, make an inspection of your home. Explain the hazards found and how they can be corrected.
2. Review or develop your family's plan of escape in case of fire in your home. As you develop the escape plan with family members, share with them facts about the common causes of fire in the home, such as smoking, cooking, electrical appliances, and candles.
3. Do the following:
1. Discuss with your counselor how you contribute to the safety of yourself, your family, and your community.
2. Show your family members how to protect themselves and your home from accidents, fire, burglary, robbery, and assault.
3. Discuss with your counselor the tips for online safety. Explain the steps individuals can take to help prevent identity theft.
4. Discuss with your counselor the three R's of Youth Protection and how to recognize child abuse.
4. Show your family the exits you would use from different public buildings (such as a theater, municipal building, library, supermarket, shopping center, or your place of worship) in the event of an emergency. Teach your family what to do in the event that they need to take shelter in or evacuate a public place.
5. Make an accident prevention plan for five family activities outside the home (at your place of worship, at a theater, on a picnic, at the beach, and while traveling, for example). Each plan should include an analysis of possible hazards, proposed action to correct hazards, and reasons for the correction you propose in each plan.
6. Plan and complete a safety project approved by your counselor for your home, school, place of worship, place of employment, or community. Include in your plan an explanation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Advisory System and appropriate actions to take for each threat level.
7. Learn about three career opportunities in the field of safety. Pick one career and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this choice with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.