This course was written in 1992 when Sunny Johnson, a nurse
and long-time Red Cross volunteer, was serving as the Assistant Director for
her daughter Amanda’s preschool. She was looking for material to teach three-
and four-year-old students about basic safety. When she could not find the
material needed, she was more than a bit frustrated. Her daughter was not upset
in the least. Having attended many of the adult American Red Cross classes that
her mom had taught, the answer was simple to her. “Just teach Red Cross, only
little,” she explained in a matter-of-fact tone. In that moment, the “Tommy the
Safety Cat” course began.
Tommy the Safety Cat is a real cat that resides at the home
of the author in Winnemucca, Nevada. Tommy is known around the small town as a
hero to young and old. In fact, Tommy won an award in 2001 proclaiming him as a
“Real Hero” because a local preschooler remembered what he had learned from his
“Tommy the Safety Cat” course, saving his infant sibling from a more severe
burn when his mother spilled hot coffee on the infant’s arm. The three-year-old
informed his mother that “Tommy the Safety Cat” said that the burn must be put
in “cool - not warm, not cold - but cool water for 20 minutes.” Apparently Mom
listened to her son and followed Tommy’s advice as the baby’s arm was spared.
In the reviewing process concerns were raised about the fact that a preschooler
is unable to tell time. The idea behind much of Tommy’s material is that the
young child memorizes the knowledge and teaches the adult.
It has also been observed that a child in an emergency
situation will remember the knowledge that they have learned. A woman called us
with a story about her nephew who had taken the “Tommy the Safety Cat” course
in his elementary school class over a year before. A strange man had pulled up
beside the child on the way to school and tried to lure the little boy into his
vehicle. The child realized that this man was a stranger and ran away, going to
an adult that he trusted, thus avoiding a possible abduction. The aunt thanked
us for teaching “Tommy the Safety Cat” and said that she felt that Tommy quite
possibly saved her nephew’s life.
A second grader in one of local elementary schools knew what
to do when a classmate broke his arm on the playground. He immediately found
the playground attendant and explained that there was an emergency and that 911
needed to be called. He was given an award for his quick action. When the press
stopped taking pictures, he leaned over and whispered to the Red Cross
representative, “Tommy’s my pal...”
“Tommy the Safety Cat” was designed to be taught in
storybook fashion and can be presented to children that are preschool age
through early first grade. It can be taught to a large number of children at
once as the book is designed to show the picture on the side facing the
children and the text facing the presenter, making the content flow without
interruption. This course is also perfect for cuddling your child or grandchild
on your lap reading like a book for a more intimate discussion.
“Tommy the Safety Cat” has proven to be a useful tool in
elementary schools, preschools, churches, and library story times. It is
presently being worked into a Girl Scout Daisy and Brownie Patch. We enjoy
hearing your “Tommy the Safety Cat” stories and hope that you will feel free to
share them with us!
