Name of the Community: Fredrikstad
Country: Norway
Number of inhabitants: 68,500
Programme started year: 1998
International Safe Communities Network Membership: Designation year : 2002

Info address on www for the Programme: In progress
Info address on www for the municipality: www.fredrikstad.kommune.no

The programme covers the following safety promotion activities:

For the age groups

• The parents of children 0-7 years are regularly given information about home-, leisure- and traffic safety at the health stations. 0-6 months: preventing fall accidents, security of toys, equipment, bathing, car-safety. 6-12 months: Preventing fall accidents, burning- and poisoning, transport security. 2-4 years: Indoors and outdoor safety, traffic safety and safety at sea. How to prevent accidents at the farm. 4-7 years: Preventing home accidents and outdoor security (playground, traffic and leisure activities);
• Home safety checklists are given to all new parents;
• First aid education is offered to kindergarten workers;
• A control routine is established (since 1996) to check the playgrounds and the play-equipment in schools, nursery schools and other play-areas;
• Registration of accidents and injuries in nursery schools and schools;
• The Children’s Safety Forum (a pilot project) is established in 6 primary schools to prevent accidents at school, traffic accidents and violent behaviour among children;
• A magic show about traffic safety and behaviour is offered to 1.-3. Class;
• Dangerous or gloomy places at children’s way to school have been registered;
• A Children’s Spokesman takes care of children’s interest in local planning;
• Safety routines and safety inspections inspection have been implemented in schools and kindergartens.

Youth 15-24 years:

A target group for information about children injury prevention. The group is also participating in prevention of work related injuries.

Elderly 65+ years:

• A resource group for safety promotion among elderly was established in 1999;

• Registration of accidents and injuries is established at all nursing homes and in home care services;

• Education of elderly safety representatives in non-governmental organisation;

• Home safety checklists;

• Safety bags designed for the elderly;

• Exhibition of safety equipment at the activity centres for the elderly;

• "Safe Hip"-underwear are regularly used in two nursing homes to prevent fall-injuries among the elderly;

• Sand is delivered to a low cost to avoid fall accidents among elderly.

Anne-Berit Mamre, leader at Solliheimen nursing Leader of the voluntary central, Kate Hoel (r) and the home, by one of the showcases of safety equipment project leader Line Angeloff demonstrating a safety bag.

All ages (the inhabitants):

Fire-prevention - the fire station offers different courses (training) and makes inspections in institutions as schools, nursing homes, discotheques, hotels etc. The fire station is planning to give courses to health personnel in nursing homes and home care services.

• A "Risk Hot Line"- a computer based registration system to avoid accidents in all areas in the community;
• Information and articles through the local media.

Home: Focus on children and elderly

• The Fredrikstad Traffic Safety Plan 2001-2004 contains traffic analyses, physical and organisational planning, attitude-related projects and campaigns to reduce accidents in traffic;
• The Traffic-regulation-project in school areas will reduce dangerous situations;
• A Speed-Reducing Project at bus-stops;
• A School-Start Campaign is arranged every year to avoid accidents at the roads in the beginning of the school year for the 6-years olds;
• Arranged a conference on traffic safety;
• A contact network is established at all schools working on traffic safety;
• Traffic safety is one of the working areas in Children Safety Forum at 6 schools;
• Local community groups participate in traffic planning;
• The Cutting Tree and Bushes Campaign is arranged every spring to give better sight along the roads;
• A Reflector Disc Campaign is arranged every autumn for children in their first school year;
• Some schools arrange a Traffic Day with different activities as bicycle training and teaching traffic behaviour.

• Directorate for Labour Inspection register accidents at work

The local council has established a quality control system to register and prevent accidents among workers (Health-Environment-Safety-Programme);

• Women working on farms are offered a safety course (fire-safety, first aid training etc.).

• Some schools have activities to prevent bullying and violence;
• The Children Safety Forum is established at 6 primary schools;
• A registration of dangerous places along children’s way to school has been organised;

• Traffic regulation project is started to promote no accidents in school areas;
• "Walk to school"-activities;
• Magic show on safety promotion.

Safety promotion in sport-areas and children’s playgrounds.

"Accidents" in the following injury areas:

Home, nursery schools, nursing homes, roads, outdoor areas and sport areas.

Violence prevention:

• The Police, the Medical centre and the Centre of ill-treated and sexually abused women co-operate to prevent violence and help the victims;
• A child guard service and crime counselling service is established;
• Groups of adults are voluntary guiding the streets at night in the weekends to prevent violent situations and drugs among youths;
• The Police and schools co-operate to prevent violence and bullying situations;
• A drug-prevention programme is established.
  

• The Local Council is no reorganising the health services, which also includes the work on suicide prevention. The new organisation intends to improve follow up-routines for suicidal persons, in order to avoid repetition of suicide attempts;
• A list of persons who work with suicidal issues/persons is distributed to all relevant health services;
• The Voluntary Centre offers localities and organises talk-groups for people with anxiety, grief or other crises. The centre establishes contact between volunteers and persons who need practical help or someone to talk to ("visit- and telephone friend");
• "Home Start" is a service offered to families in a difficult life situation. An educated voluntary worker gives personal assistance to a family some hours during the week.

International:

Focus on elderly and children safety.

Surveillance of injuries:

Central:
Causes of deaths (Statistics Norway), Norwegian patient register, register for injuries on persons at the National Health Institute and Highway office. Registration started 1992.
Local:
Medical centre (started 1999), nursing homes (started 2000), home based services (started 2002), schools, nursery schools, doctors (started 2001).
Numbers per year: 1.259 persons discharged from treatment in hospitals (1998).
Population base: 68.143

Publications:

• Project-directives (describing the programme)
• Project-reports (status of the programme)
• Application to become a member of WHO International network of Safe Communities
• Several articles produced for the local media/newspaper

 
Produced information material, pamphlets:

• Brochures and posters about the project;
• A brochure concerning safety equipment for the elderly;
• A "nice price"-card for safety equipment (fire prevention, bicycle helmets, Safe-Hip-underwear, first aid equipment etc.);
• Reflector discs (given to school children at 1.-4. class).

Staff

Number: 1 project leader
Professions: Full-time
Permanent: From 1 January 2003
Temporary: 1998 - 2002
Organization: Project / program
Specific intersectoral leadership group: In progress
General public health/health promotion group: In progress
International commitments: Hosting Travelling Seminar 2002
Study visits: Uddevalla, Harstad, Reykjavik, Ski
Participation in Safe Community conferences:
Fredrikstad (Norway), Reykjavik (Island), Vejle (Denmark)
Hosting Safe Community Conferences: 2^nd Nordic Conference on Safety Promotion, Fredrikstad 27 - 29 August 1997
Hosting "Travelling Seminars": June 2002

For further information contact:
Bent Olav Olsen
Fredrikstad kommune, Plan- og Miljøseksjonen/Helsevernavdelingen
P.b 1405
NO- 1602 Fredrikstad, Norway
Phone: +47 69 30 60 00
Fax: +47 69 30 56 64
beoo@fredrikstad.kommune.no