GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – A new initiative is allowing Green Bay Emergency Departments to better comfort children in an unfortunate situation.
The entire Wisconsin State Patrol and multiple emergency departments are now equipped with REACH Bags.
These are durable backpacks filled with new children’s books that are intended for kids at a scene where officers have been called to.
Green Bay Officer Kevin Warych says often times it’s the kids that are overlooked.
“When first responders respond to peoples houses kids are often the innocent bystanders,” he says. “The secondary victims to situations like this.”
Officer Warych explains the purpose of the bags.
“The bookbag contains several books, they can keep the backpack and they can use the backpack for whatever they want,” he says. “Hopefully we can install in that child that police officers are there to help them.”
A couple of things are important to achieve for kids anytime they are present when emergency responders are called to the scene.
“Make sure that child’s safe and make sure that child feels safe around police officers,” Officer Warych says
He’s hoping this small gesture can create a lasting impact.
“It’s very important that police officers connect with kids,” Officer Warych says. “Anything we can do to create maybe a negative contact into a positive memory is so important for a police officer.”
Triple-A Wisconsin organized a book drive and has donated towards the cause and the Reach-A-Child organization is hoping to expand into other Midwest states in the near future.
