Checking integrity and age of seat
Verifying seat not on a national recall list
Sizing child to seat
Checking placement of seat for stability
Checking for seat use of five-point harness
Answering questions of parents and caregivers
Outside of responding to ambulance and fire calls, First Responders initiated a new community program to protect infants and children strapped in car seats with having realized auto crashes increased 219% from 2001 to 2002. Minnesota Safe Kids states four out of five car seats are installed incorrectly by parents and caregivers, but many believe they are using them correctly. Realizing this statistic, two responders became certified in February 2003 as car seat safety technicians. Car seat safety checks are offered free to the public the first Tuesday of every month from 9:30 to 11:00 AM at the River Falls Area Ambulance Service station, 175 E Cedar St, River Falls.
An appointment is required to accommodate the 30-minutes required for each car seat checked. To arrange for an appointment or check on schedule availability, call River Falls at (715) 425-0370. For general information, contact River Falls SAFE KIDS program coordinator Mary Waters at (715) 425-9427 or e-mail marysticht@spacestar.net.
Points of Car Seat Check include:
Checking integrity and age of seat
Verifying seat not on a national recall list
Sizing child to seat
Checking placement of seat for stability
Checking for seat use of five-point harness
Answering questions of parents and caregivers
