HAMILTON — Although the home is thought of as a place of safety, statistics show otherwise.

        Nationwide, a fatal injury occurs every 18 minutes and a disabling injury every four seconds in or around the home, according to the National Safety Council. And locally, many deaths result from accident, either at home or on the road.

        In Butler County alone, 81 of the 318 deaths investigated by the coroner's office in 2000 were caused by motor vehicle and other accidents. Twenty-six of the victims were children ages 1-19.

        Such numbers seem startlingly high to Ohio State University Extension agent James Jordan. His office is helping sponsor the first Butler County Family Safety Round-Up on April 13.

        “We need people to really start looking at preventing accidents in the home and around the farm, to be a little more safety-conscious,” he said.

        The idea for the safety round-up came last March when Gail Lierer, a Morgan Township farm wife, learned about a national farm safety program at a state 4-H volunteer conference.

        Believing the program would be ideal for Butler County, she pitched the idea to Joyce Brown, a Ross Township farm wife. They decided to co-chair the event, which would focus on farm safety for children.

        But with Butler County becoming more urban, the planning committee expanded the program to make it relevant county-wide.

        “The main thing was that Butler County is getting so built up,” Mrs. Lierer said. “We wanted to make it more interesting to (urban residents) as well as to the farm families.”

        Events will run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Butler County Fairgrounds.

        Though the day is aimed at 9- to 17-year-olds, Mrs. Lierer said she hopes that “the whole family will be there to watch and learn and listen.”

        At noon, the state highway patrol will stage a mock crash inside the grandstand. The crash is similar to those staged around prom time; the scenario involves young people in an accident and shows what happens at an accident scene.

        Other events include a fire safety house, seat belt inspections, screening for facial sun damage and fire extinguisher safety.

        “It isn't just farming and grain bins. It's broader-based,” Mrs. Brown said.

        However, farming will play a role in the round-up. There will be demonstrations on four-wheeler safety, tractor lighting laws, and farm machinery safety.

        The event is being merged with the annual Butler County Kid's Day.

        “We're incorporating the title with the safety day because it becomes very difficult to hold two similar things in such a short amound of time,” said Eugenia Beecher of the Lane Library.

        The library plans to participate in this year's event by bringing its Bookmobile and handing out literature and coloring booklets about safety.

        The safety round-up is free and open to the public. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The first 500 youths who register and return filled-out evaluation cards will get free T-shirts and become eligible for drawings for a new bicycle and helmet from the Lindenwald Kiwanis Club.

        “What we're trying to do is to help families prevent accidents and be more safety-minded,” Mr. Jordan said.

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