After five years of teaching child safety seat awareness, the Hinesville Fire Department continues to increase efforts to help ensure the well being of the community’s youth.
Since wrecks are the leading cause of unintentional death among children, ages 14 and younger, and since 80 percent of child seats are installed incorrectly every year, the fire department teamed up with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to become a permanent child safety seat fitting station, HFD engineer Mike Riddle said.
Following the partnership, the HFD has sought new and creative ways to demonstrate child safety seat awareness and, through the end of September, the department will be visiting every daycare facility in Hinesville to perpetuate that awareness, William “Bobby” Williams said.
During a visit to Little Treasures Learning Center this past week, the fire department offered free inspections and demonstrations to those who wanted to learn more about child safety seats, safety technician Alison Gramza said.
“Until they exceed a height of four feet and nine inches, and a weight of 80 pounds, children should be in safety seats,” Gramza said.
If a child falls under the designated height and weight and is not using safety seats, then the lap belts can cause spinal cord injuries, and shoulders belt can increase the likelihood of cranial injuries, she added.
If anyone would like to learn more about child safety seats or to receive a free demonstration, the Hinesville Fire Department is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to do so, Riddle said.
Since wrecks are the leading cause of unintentional death among children, ages 14 and younger, and since 80 percent of child seats are installed incorrectly every year, the fire department teamed up with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to become a permanent child safety seat fitting station, HFD engineer Mike Riddle said.
Following the partnership, the HFD has sought new and creative ways to demonstrate child safety seat awareness and, through the end of September, the department will be visiting every daycare facility in Hinesville to perpetuate that awareness, William “Bobby” Williams said.
During a visit to Little Treasures Learning Center this past week, the fire department offered free inspections and demonstrations to those who wanted to learn more about child safety seats, safety technician Alison Gramza said.
“Until they exceed a height of four feet and nine inches, and a weight of 80 pounds, children should be in safety seats,” Gramza said.
If a child falls under the designated height and weight and is not using safety seats, then the lap belts can cause spinal cord injuries, and shoulders belt can increase the likelihood of cranial injuries, she added.
If anyone would like to learn more about child safety seats or to receive a free demonstration, the Hinesville Fire Department is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to do so, Riddle said.