Burlington kids are spending part of their summer learning safety skills that could save their lives.Safety Town is a two-week program for 4 and 5-year-olds put on by the Burlington Kiwanis Club in partnership with the Burlingto n Police Department, with support from the Burlington Fire Department and Racine County Sheriff's Office.The program has been running for more than 50 years and covers everything from traffic signals to internet safety.Much of the learning takes place in a miniature version of the community, complete with replicas of local businesses.Kyle Ketterhagen of the Kiwanis Club of Burlington said the familiar setting helps make the lessons more meaningful."To help them kind of focus and understand visually the actual safety of what we're trying to teach, this really helps," Ketterhagen said. Topics covered include how to call 911, stranger danger, the importance of wearing seatbelts and helmets, and water safety.Participant Ava Anderson said she came away with practical knowledge she could use in an emergency."If there was a fire at my house, I'd say, 'Help! I have to go outside, because there's a fire!'" Anderson said. The program also comes at the beginning of summer, which brings more independence for children, along with greater exposure to potential hazards.Student instructor Averie Calkins said the season makes safety education especially urgent."For water safety, everybody's out swimming," Calkins said. "Everybody wants to be outside, which is where there's more cars and stuff."She said the kids are coming away with knowledge they can use "going to a friends house, playgrounds, even crossing the roads for school, getting on the bus, strangers, everything like that." The stakes are real. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related deaths for children ages 5 to 14. In Wisconsin, kids and teens account for 37% of all bicycling injuries, according to 2024 data from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.Ketterhagen said the program exists to prepare children before emergencies happen."We're preparing you for incidences like this, because unfortunately they do come up," Ketterhagen said.And Calkins agreed."Exposing them as they're little helps keep the community safe," Calkins said.Participants graduate on Friday and can later return as student instructors, keeping the program going for future generations."It's engraved in you, which is really cool. That's what makes this such a special program," said Ketterhagen, who participated in Safety Town as a child.The two-week program offers early morning, mid-morning, and early afternoon sessions. Participation costs $48.The Kiwanis Club of Burlington expects to open enrollment for Safety Town 2027 in April.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less