Children Can’t Fly: A New York Department of Health Initiative
A Window Falls Prevention Program

Background

Program Goals:

To reduce the number of children’s falls from windows by education and outreach. The  program targets any New York City adult responsible for the care of a child under 11 years of age, for any period of time.

Intent:

Unintentional

Risk Factors Addressed:

Falls through unsafe windows, especially in high rise buildings

Place of occurrence:

Home environment, high-rise buildings

Age/Age Range:

Children via caregivers

Resources

Year Developed:

1972; expanded from high risk areas to all of city after first 2 years

Collaborative Organization(s):

Developed by the NYC Department of Health
Relies on tenant and landlord cooperation

Funding Resource(s):

NYCHD

Costs:

A one-time fee of $10 per guard may be charged to tenants, but payments may be amortized over as many as 3 years
Tenants who receive public assistance do not pay the fees but submit the bill to the subsidizing agency

Implementation

Context/Setting:

Home and community

Strategies Used:

Evaluation, Education, Engineering, Enactment

Activities Used:

media campaign to raise awareness;
door-to-door outreach;
distribution of vouchers for free window guards to high risk families in need

Program Evaluation:

Ongoing evaluation via data collection through voluntary reports for health and law enforcement agencies
Included hospital staff and law enforcement agencies in data collection

Source of Best Practice:

Volpe, R., Lewko, J., & Battra, A. (2002). A Compendium of Effective, Evidence-Based Best Practices in Prevention of Neurotrauma. University of Toronto Press, Toronto.

Original Source:

Barlow, B., Niemirska, M., Gandhi, R.P, & Leblanc, W. (1983). Ten years of experience with falls from a height in children. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 18(4), 509-511.

Supplementary Material:

N/A

Local Example(s):

N/A

Contact Information: 

Window Falls Prevention Program
Center for Integrated Prevention Programs
New York City Department of Health
2 Lafayette Street / 20th Floor
New York, NY 10007
Tel: (212) 676-2162
Fax: (212) 676-2161

Outcomes

Long-term outcomes/Effectiveness:

Successful defense of constitutionality of the legislation

Short-term outcomes:

A decrease in incidence of window falls by 50% in just three years;
Introduction of legislation that requires window guards in all multi-unit dwellings

Other

Date of Review:

2000

Classification:

Best Practice