OGDENSBURG -- The Claxton Hepburn Medical Center Auxiliary, the hospital’s Community Relations Department, and the Ogdensburg Police and the Rescue Squad have created a WHALE Program car seat safety training video.

WHALE (We Have A Little Emergency) is a nationwide child car seat safety program intended to give parents the tools to help rescue efforts go more smoothly in the event of an emergency.

Among the things WHALE recommends is a label attached to the rear of the child’s car seat with information about the child in the seat, such as name, date of birth, medical history, and who to contact in case of an emergency. Stickers placed on the car’s rear windows and the seat indicate to emergency personnel that the information is present.

Members of the committee will be distributing this training video and information packets for distribution to all rescue departments, volunteer fire departments, and police agencies in St. Lawrence County.

Volunteers Grover B. Katzman and Ken Gardener from the Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad helped to create a realistic setting for the training video. Victims were portrayed by Erin McCormick and her son Brody Crosson. Michele Catlin, Community Relations Department for CHMC, Ramona Kennedy, CHMC Auxiliary liaison, and committee members Mary LaCombe, publicity chairman, Ronda Jacobs, hospital employee and auxiliary volunteer, and Anna Gore, volunteer, where instrumental in completing this project.

Wayne Ladouceur, VIP Films, directed and filmed the video.

The public can obtain a WHALE packet by contacting Ramona Kennedy, Claxton Hepburn Medical Center Auxiliary Liaison, at 393-1559.