Safety Fair lands at Delnor

Children and their parents were in awe Sunday as they examined the controls of an Air Angels rescue helicopter sitting on the landing pad at Delnor Hospital in Geneva.

Hopefully, none will ever need to take a ride in the chopper, which takes seriously injured or ill people from emergency scenes and hospitals to medical facilities with higher levels of specialized care.

"This is the most awesome job in the world," said Air Angels nurse Dawn Mazzuca, who was showing off the aircraft.

It was just one display at Delnor Hospital's safety fair, designed to get parents and their kids thinking about their health and safety.

The Air Angels helicopter was a major attraction.

For helicopter pilot Del Waugh, one of the primary concerns when landing on a highway to rescue an accident victim is the surrounding utility wires, trees, towers and other obstacles.

"We're always looking for hazards," Waugh said, adding that they also must be aware of debris that can get kicked up by the incredible force of the helicopter's rotor.

Waugh, who flew helicopter air assault missions during the Vietnam War, said the work done by the on-board medical crews of Air Angels is inspiring.

"The nurses and paramedics are the real heroes," Waugh said. "I'm just the taxi driver."

Air Angels maintains three helicopters, all 1983 model Bell 222's, capable of cruising at about 150 mph, or faster with a tail wind.

Inside the hospital, children had a chance to pet therapy dog Boomer, an Australian shepherd, and his owner and handler, Dan Cote of Geneva.

Cote and Boomer visit Delnor a couple times a week, as well as visiting a nearby Alzheimer's residential facility.

"The biggest thing Boomer does is put a smile on their faces," Cote said. "You don't expect to see a dog in a hospital."

Plenty of Delnor staff members were on hand to provide information to parents and children about keeping safe in today's world. Julie Gunlogson, an emergency room nurse, used a simple but effective prop to show children the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle or skateboard.

Using a slimy, soft, rubbery life-size model of a human brain, Gunlogson showed the difference a helmet made.

For skateboarders, Gunlogson recommended even more protective equipment.

"We're seeing a lot of fractured wrists in the emergency room," she said, noting that there are special wrist-protectors just for skateboarders.

Also working at the fair was Dave Middendorf of St. Charles, a paramedic student at the hospital. Already armed with an associate's degree in fire science, Middendorf has his eyes on a career as a firefighter paramedic.

"It's a passion," he said.

Middendorf and other paramedic students were running a teddy bear clinic, repairing the stuffed animals for children who brought them in.

Some of the displays featured uncomfortable topics for parents to face, including child abuse and Internet cyber bullying.

Geneva police officer Sarah Sullivan advised parents to keep the home computer in an open area for all to see, and said software programs to help thwart Internet predators are available.

Noting that Geneva police have recently instituted a cyber program, Sullivan handed out guides that detail the special codes and abbreviations young people use during internet chats, many of which can warn of a parent's presence in the room.

Nurse Linda Sietsema of Delnor emphasized automobile safety, noting that four out of five child car seats are improperly installed. She said parents may bring their vehicles to the hospital for proper installation of the seats.