DA Marian Ryan to Hold 'Back-to-School Safety' Event Sept. 13

With the new school year just beginning, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan will host a “Back-to-School” educational event for parents, caretakers, and children.

The event will be held on Sunday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m to 1:30 p.m. at 15 Commonwealth Ave. in Woburn.

“It’s the time of year when all of us, parents, caregivers, and grandparents, need to be reminded about important safety measures to ensure our children’s well-being during the new school year,” said District Attorney Ryan in a statement released Tuesday. “Sharing this information again and again allows us to reach as many people as possible. We are committed to working with parents, school districts, and with our community partners to foster safe and healthy learning environments for children.”

The Back-to-School Safety Event will offer parents an opportunity to learn about issues affecting the health and safety of school-aged children, such as bullying, cyber safety, dating abuse and drugs and alcohol. Resource booths for parents will be staffed by representatives of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and other community organizations. Police officers from the Burlington, Wilmington and Woburn Police Departments will provide free car seat installations and checks for new and expectant parents as well as for grandparents and other caretakers. The event will offer several activities for young children, including “Explore Emergency Vehicles,” a fun and educational activity where children can interact with law enforcement and other first responders and tour emergency vehicles.

The fleet of vehicles at the event will include fire trucks, ambulances, police cruisers and motorcycles, S.W.A.T Rescue Vehicles, Military Police Vehicles and more. Public safety demonstrations will be provided by the Wilmington State Police K-9 Unit, the Massachusetts State Police Mounted Unit, and the State Police Dive Team. Public safety representatives from local, state and federal agencies will participate in the event.

This event is part of District Attorney Ryan’s ongoing county-wide effort to protect children. In June, District Attorney Ryan launched the 2015 Summer Safety Awareness Campaign education initiative aimed at preventing accidental deaths common in the summer months. In December of 2014, District Attorney Ryan started the Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Campaign to inform the public about risk factors associated with Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths. District Attorney Ryan is the Chair of Middlesex Partnerships for Youth Inc. a non-profit organization that provides school-training as part of the District Attorney’s Office. She also chairs the Middlesex Safe Babies, Safe Kids Task Force which works with healthcare workers and law enforcement officials.

Middlesex County is the most populous county in Massachusetts and one of the most populous counties in the country with 54 towns and cities and 26 colleges in urban, suburban, and rural areas, comprising over one quarter of the population of Massachusetts. The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office has offices throughout the county, including in Ayer, Cambridge, Concord, Framingham, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Newton, Somerville, Waltham and Woburn.