Don’t panic!

Have you ever panicked in an emergency and couldn’t recall important information?

Martin High School seniors Iyona Chandler and Kacie Trussell are making sure kids at Little Elementary don’t run into that problem.

Students in the Arlington ISD Police Academy at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center were tasked with completing a service project to help the community throughout the year, and the duo came up with the idea to create “refrigerator safety packs” for children in emergency situations.

The pack includes an emergency contact card with spots for their parents’ names, phone number and address; an instruction sheet with steps to follow; and a magnet to stick the card and sheet on the refrigerator. If kids ever find themselves in a situation where they need to call the police or a family member, they’ll already have the tools needed right there on the fridge. This eliminates extra panic or anxiety in an emergency.

“We can’t expect little children to remember all their information when things are hectic. This is why we created the packs,” said Trussell, a former Little student. “It feels good to be able to come back and help the kids learn about best practices for safety.”

Boots on the ground

Chandler and Trussell made 800 packs to ensure every child at Little received one to put in their home.

“To know we gave the kids the means to know what to do in an emergency makes us proud,” said Chandler. “We’ve worked on this for a few months now. It feels good to know we’re making a difference here and in the community.”

The Arlington Police Department is proud of the two for coming up with such a terrific idea for students.

“Projects like these help the whole community,” said Officer Daisey Rhodes. “Because they’ll have the knowledge of the card being on the fridge already, they can use it to assist 911 dispatchers in order to send help faster instead of trying to use different avenues to find their location.”

Both students recognize the value of this project. Both are hoping the idea gets picked up at other elementary schools in the district. They are also encouraging parents to start conversations about safety, emergency exits and what to do in an emergency at home. Preparing your kiddo now can prevent panic or distress if an emergency happens in the future.

Arlington ISD’s Police Academy is a partnership with the Arlington Police Department. This partnership gives juniors and seniors interested in law enforcement an incredible experience. If you’d like to learn more information about the police academy, please visit aisd.net/career-technical-center.