Brunswick police give away children's bike helmets

BRUNSWICK — The Brunswick Division of Police distributed over 20 bike helmets to local children within the first hour of its annual bike helmet giveaway in front of Brunswick City Hall on Sunday. There were three types of helmets, which ranged from extra small to extra large. Community Engagement Officer Brian Mummert selected the right size helmet for each child and showed them how to properly wear it by positioning it correctly on their head and adjusting the strap. "We talk with the kids about how to properly wear it because a lot of times you'll see kids riding, and the helmet is on the way back of their head (and their) forehead is exposed," he said. Brunswick police received a grant from the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which allows the department to give away 50 to 70 helmets a year to children, Mummert said. He has put on the program for the past three years since he started his role as community engagement officer. "May is bicycle helmet safety (awareness) month, so we try to focus on doing our distribution within the month of May," he said. "Then whatever we have leftover, we usually save for a fall event when we do our trike and bike for pediatric cancer research. A lot of kids show up to that event without helmets, so we're able to give them some helmets as well." The program helps to stress the importance of wearing a helmet, Mummert said. According to the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of Ohio children wear bike helmets, and a helmet can lessen the risk of a severe brain injury by up to 88 percent. "Brain injuries are a significant portion of head injuries, especially with younger kids," he said. "Their brains are in a constant state of development. We want to do what we can to help protect those." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.