The Ohio Council of the National Association of Insurance Women International contacted the Ohio insurance Institute (OII) seeking co-sponsorship of its annual project. This project, called "TIKE,” (Toddler Info Kept for Emergencies), is a child safety seat sticker. The bright neon green sticker is to be placed on the bottom or back of a child safety/booster seat to assist emergency personnel in identifying your child should an accident disable the adults riding in the vehicle. The sticker provides emergency and medical contact information.
On the back of the sticker is the following story, which serves as the basis of the program: “In 1995 a six-month old boy was involved in a head-on traffic collision while riding with a relative. The driver was left unconscious and the boy suffered a life-threatening head injury that required immediate surgery. Police did not know the child's identity and were only able to trace his parents because an address book was located in the wreckage. Valuable time was lost due to this delay. The boy was airlifted to a nearby hospital for emergency brain surgery. He has since fully recovered. This sticker is to be placed on the bottom of your child's car seat to assist emergency personnel in identifying your child should an accident occur which disables the adults in your vehicle.”
TIKE stickers are free and can be ordered online from the Ohio Insurance Institute at www.ohioinsurance.org. To date, over 10,000 stickers have been distributed by members of NAIW throughout Ohio and the OII has distributed over 50,000 stickers with the goal of at least doubling that amount by fall, 2003. They are available to individuals and safety groups, medical practitioners, childcare operators, fire stations, EMS and hospital groups and others sharing in the common interest of child safety.
ABOUT THE OII
The OII is a trade association representing insurance companies and agent groups for the property/casualty insurance industry. A primary objective of the OII is to help Ohioans achieve a better understanding of insurance and related safety issues.ABOUT THE NAIW
NAIW serves its members by providing professional education, an environment in which to build business alliances and the opportunity to make connections with people of differing career paths and levels of experience within the insurance industry. The organization has 16 active chapters throughout Ohio.NAIW fosters and encourages diversity, offering a network for members in all career categories, all lines of insurance and all cultural and experiential backgrounds. NAIW promotes mentoring, acceptance of change, personal growth and flexibility of participation. Its membership spans the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, England, Virgin Islands, Australia and Africa.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact us at OHIONAIW@aol.com
.................... or
Mary Bonelli at www.ohioinsurance.org
TIKE CAMPAIGN IN OHIO
June 2008 Update:
Buckeye Insurance Women-Member Renee Linn went to the Car Seat Safety check that was held at Wal-Mart recently. It was sponsored by the Van Wert County Sheriff's Department and SAFE Kids. She passed TIKE stickers out to vehicles that came through from 3:00 - 4:30 pm. Renee also distributed a supply of stickers to MyLei Gay from the Van Wert County Community Action Commission for their clients.Renee also has been monitoring the Central Insurance Company Bulletin Board for new babies born to Central Employees and she follows up with a letter explaining the TIKE program and sends copies of the stickers for their child safety seats.
May 2008 Update:
Buckeye Association of Insurance Women is busy making TIKE stickers available in their area! They have made them available to Van Wert County Hospital to provide to new mothers and to Wee Care Day Care Center.
Ohio Council NAIW continues to promote distribution of TIKE stickers. This is a statewide safety project and is shared with NAIW associations, Councils and other organizations. Last fall Scioto Valley Association of Insurance Women (Ross, Pike & Pickaway Counties) distributed the bright green stickers at a child safety fair and at the spring home and garden show in Chillicothe. In addition, through our contacts with the Ohio Insurance Institute and MetLife Auto & Home the TIKE sticker program is promoted on a nationwide basis.
In a partnership between The Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona and the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, TIKE stickers are being distributed in the Northern AZ area. Life Line Ambulance, the largest private ambulance service in Northern AZ, has been designated one of four distribution organization for the stickers. Life Line Ambulance recently received the "Community Service Award" presented by Wickenburg Community Hospital. A hospital representative said, "We chose Life Line, because, as it says on the Award, the company has offered outstanding community service to our residents". The TIKE stickers are just one of many services the Life Line provides.
The TIKE sticker safety project continues to grow and reach people all across the country. The stickers can be ordered directly from OII on their website at ohioinsurance.org or e-mail us at OHIONAIW@aol.com.
The TIKE sticker campaign is off to a really good start. Ohio Council Leaders met with Mary Bonelli of the OII on May 2, 2003. We will be producing a news video release that will be sent to hundreds of media contacts during the summer. Vikki Angelo, Insurance Women of Columbus, will be our NAIW spokeswoman. Keep your eyes and ears open this summer for a news story about TIKE. Let me know as soon as you know of a story that is aired or printed.
We discussed upcoming events where we can distribute stickers. On June 28, 2003, Ohio Council of NAIW members participated in the Ohio Kids Fire Safety Expo in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This annual expo showcases the dedication of Ohio’s fire service, while promoting safety education and family enjoyment. It attracts 3,000-5,000 young families from a 50-mile radius of Central Ohio.
NAIW members volunteered at the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital booth at the KidsFest in Cleveland, Ohio in July 2003. This 3-day festival attracts 30,000 people interested in children’s activities and safety. Featured will be the Big Apple Circus Performers, the Mad Science Stage Show and the BMX Bike Thrill Show.
In addition, WSYX-TV in Columbus will be sponsoring a child safety program later this summer and expressed an interest in the TIKE sticker program as well.
Members of Ohio Council are distributing stickers through our 16 local associations. Day care centers, pediatrician’s offices, fire stations, and children’s hospitals are very receptive to this program and are willing partners in TIKE sticker distribution. Ohio’s activities statewide include:
Buckeye Insurance Women – The Van Wert County Hospital is giving tickers to parents of newborns. Also, the Early Childhood Education class that cares for children ages 3-5 at the Vantage Vocational School is providing parents with stickers.
Insurance Women of Cleveland – The association is provided TIKE stickers to Safety Town programs and is working with Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital to provide stickers to their Fit Stops (car seat safety inspection stations) and the Safe Kids program.
Grand Lake Area Insurance Women – The association is working with the Mercer County Car Seat Coalition to distribute stickers at their quarterly car seat safety checks. A local hospital will put the stickers in the “Mom” bags that are handed out on the maternity floor.
Miami Valley Insurance Women – The Forest Park Fire Department agreed to distribute stickers as well a several local day care centers.
Insurance Women of NE Ohio - Members handed out stickers at a community booth at a shopping mall. The local paper, the Star Beacon, carried an article about the project and the Ashtabula, OH local radio stations promoted the project.
Scioto Valley Ins. Women – Association will supply stickers to the local EMS department, as well as OBGYN and pediatrician offices, to give to parents.
Insurance Women of Toledo – Members will promote TIKE at “Kids Day” at the Westfield Shopping Town Mall as well as participate in Henry County Car Seat Inspection Days.
Let Cathy Wolford and Vikki Angelo know what your association is doing to distribute stickers. Try to gain local publicity for your event and if you need help, call Cathy. Again, keep them informed of your efforts.
2009 Update:
The Ohio Council of NAIW has been supporting the distribution of TIKE stickers since March 2003. This public service and safety program was introduced to Ohio Council by Sue Shaw, past RVP of Region IV & Vikki Angelo of the Insurance Professionals of Columbus, Ohio. Both women served as Public Relations Chairmen, and got the program up and running by forging a partnership with the Ohio Insurance Institute (OII) to print the first quantity of stickers. In May 2005, we developed a second partnership with MetLife Auto & Home Insurance Company to produce the stickers for their agents. This summer, MetLife re-issued the stickers in a bright red format and updated the press releases to their agents in an ongoing distribution program. The NAIW logo is prominently displayed on the MetLife stickers. TIKE continues to be promoted on a nationwide basis and has been translated into a Spanish version by the OII.In September 2009, a police crime prevention officer with the Irving, TX Police Department contacted us through the OH Council website to request stickers. When asked how many stickers he wanted, said, “I will take as many as you can send since we highly promote this program.” We contacted Mary Bonelli of the OII to request 500 stickers and 250 of the Spanish version stickers. Mary advised, “We’ll send these next week. We are happy to continue this service. We’ve sent them to almost every state and even overseas! The word is spreading.”
Also, in September, the Insurance Women of Cleveland participated in Cuyahoga County’s Wellness Fairs as a vendor promoting the TIKE program. Several meetings were held in various locations around Cleveland and IWOC handed out stickers to the attendees. The new bright red MetLife stickers were used for the events. Thanks to Jeannine Westlock who arranged for IWOC participation and Carolyn Rowen who coordinated the volunteers and for all IWOC members who participated.
The Ohio Council of NAIW continues to promote the TIKE sticker program. The Scioto Valley Insurance Professionals and the Insurance Women of Akron have also distributed stickers through local fire departments, at miscellaneous safety events, & at the Circleville Pumpkin Show.
We have TIKE stickers which are available free of charge for anyone who asks via this website (e-mail OHIONAIW@aol.com) or, TIKE stickers can be requested from the Ohio Insurance Institute through their web site at www.ohioinsurance.org.
