WHALE - We Have a Little Emergency

Child Safety Seat Identification Program

What is WHALE?

WHALE is an identification program that was started in the early 1990s by Connie Day, a child caregiver in Virginia, who wondered what would happen to the children in her care in the event of a car crash. The program is now recognized and used by emergency personnel in 34 states.

The WHALE program is sanctioned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the program will be distributed through certified child passenger safety technicians, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services professionals, and the members of both the American Society for Directors of Volunteer Services (ASDVS) and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) - of which the GFWC Marlborough Junior Woman's Club (MJWC) is a member. MJWC provides WHALE kits free of charge to residents of Marlborough and the surrounding towns.

"We Have a Little Emergency"

In 2002, 63,000 children under age four were involved in automobile crashes. These crashes happen when children ride with parents, as well as with others, such as grandparents, neighbors and babysitters. If the adult in the vehicle is seriously injured and unable to talk, emergency personnel have no easy way of identifying the child or his/her special needs — vital information that can help rescue efforts go more smoothly. Sometimes, just knowing the child’s name can help rescue workers comfort a frightened child, while knowing whom to contact in an emergency allows them to notify parents or the next closest relative right away. That’s when WHALE — "We Have A Little Emergency" — can make a difference.

How did WHALE get started?

While driving to the store with her 8-month-old grandson, a grandmother lost control of her car and crashed into a tree. The infant suffered only a few bruises, but the grandmother was knocked unconscious. When rescue workers arrived on the scene, they had no way of identifying the baby or collecting vital medical information about him. Fortunately, both the grandmother and infant received the treatment they needed, but rescue workers felt that they could have been much more effective if they had only known the child’s name and pertinent emergency information.

What is included in the WHALE kit?

WHALE The most important item in the kit is the identification label that is affixed to the back of the child safety seat. Parents and/or guardians fill in information about the child in the car seat, such as: name, date of birth, medical history and whom to contact in case of emergency. Each kit contains:

A car seat identification label
Two WHALE stickers for each side of the car seat
An instruction brochure for parents and/or guardians

The parent and/or guardian can also affix a current photo of the child to the identification label if they wish. Attaching the information label to the back of the seat ensures privacy by keeping it out of sight from outside the vehicle. Two of the stickers are attached to the sides of the safety seat to alert rescuers that the child seat occupant participates in the program. Most law enforcement officals are trained to look on the back of car seats for indentification information.

How can I get a WHALE kit?

We will mail a limited number of kits to residents in Marlborough MA, Hudson MA, Sudbury MA and Northborough MA. If you live in any one of these towns, you can request one from us at:

GFWC Marlborough Junior Woman's Club
P.O. Box 934
Marlborough, MA 01752

Or contact us via email at: whale@marlboroughjuniors.org

Note, we can only mail to Marlborough MA, Hudson MA, Sudbury MA and Northborough MA addresses.

Information for other public safety and service organizations

If your organization would like to implement a WHALE program in your community, here are a couple of resources:

The WHALE manual is available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- View the contents of the kit or
- order the kit (search by item # 3P0136)
Colorfully Yours offers low cost WHALE kits to public service organizations

GFWC Marlborough Junior Woman's Club

MJWC

WHALE Program