Photos: Ted E. Bear Clinic at Northern Westchester Hospital

Children ages three and up, their teddy bears and their parents were invited to Northern Westchester Hospital's on Saturday to take a tour, meet the staff and learn about how to prevent and mend injuries.

Dozens of children came to the Mount Kisco facility's new Mary & David Boies Emergency Departmen with their teddy bears. Upon entry to the facility, they went to a designated triage area for "patient assessment."  They then followed paw prints on the floor to learn to be "Germbusters", had their bears x-rayed, sutured, put in a cast and given an IV while meeting the various doctors, nurses and volunteers who work in the department.

Improvements to the facility include an increase in the number of private patient care rooms—from 14 to 26—a bereavement counseling area, a new modern and more spacious design and a child-friendly treatment areas.

According to Mark R. Vincent, Vice President Marketing and Communications at the hospital, this event was designed to help children become acclimated with the new area and "see us before you need us." 

The Mount Kisco Police Department taught bicycle safety and let the children sit in a police vehicle—in the front seat, while the volunteer ambulance corps let them walk through their ambulance.