In your area

Safety in action

Maidstone town council run an event called safety in action event once a year around the beginning of June at the Invicta Barracks in Maidstone.

Here school children who about to transfer from junior school to secondary school (year 6) spend half a day learning how to spot and avoid various types of dangers. Several professional groups and organisations are represented at the event such as the police, drugs charities and, of course, the IET. Children visit the various stands in groups of about 7 and have precisely 10 minutes at each stand. There are usually two schools represented in the morning and two others in the afternoon. The IET man the electrical safety stand which teaches about various types of hazards in the home and out doors such as overhead power lines, frayed cables, broken sockets etc.

IET Kent needs volunteers of all ages to man the stand during this event. Two people are required each day from 09.30 hrs to 15.00 hrs. Although you are not expected to take on more than one day, offers of more are always welcome. If you are a new volunteer you'll be paired with someone who has done it before to give you a chance to learn the ropes. Volunteers do not need to be an expert in electrical wiring or electrical safety to volunteer, you just need to have learnt and understood the fully prepared script before the event. Lunch is provided for volunteers on the day in the barracks mess

The IET electrical safety stand is equipped with faulty wiring on a big board, a simulated shower room and some elderly lawn mowers. The usual practice is for the two staff to take it in turns, with one member speaking to the pupils and obtaining suitable answers whilst the other member marks the response. Accompanying you is a local secondary school pupil who acts as the electrocution victim. It's all go for 1 hr 45 minutes in the morning and then again in the afternoon but worthwhile to get a good safety message over.

If you could manage a day or would like some further details please respond to John Ennew. Thanks to everyone who volunteered last year and made the 2011 event another success, I hope to see you all again this year!

The dates for the 2012 event are weekdays from the 30th April until the 11th May except Monday 7th May which is a bank holiday. The dates for this year's event are earlier due to the Olympics.

Please note: Due to the size of the groups and the level of supervision at the event, Maidstone Council do not require IET members to obtain a CRB check to volunteer.