Child Safety Seat Checks
The Liberty Township Fire Department has made a commitment to help our community remain as safe as possible. One of our more popular safety programs is the Child Passenger Safety Seat Program. A group of of fire fighters have become specially trained and certified as child safety seat technicians. They are available by appointment to assist you with installing your new car seat, answering any questions you may have and/or checking to see if your current car seat is properly sized and faced for your child. In addition to this, they will also check a constantly updated online database of car seat recalls to ensure that the seat you are using has no defects and still meets all federal standard. There is no charge for this service and no limit to the number of seats installed. Many people assume that a car seat installation is a simple and straightforward thing to do. In reality, studies show that as many as 90% of car seats are either not properly matched to the child's size or are improperly installed. Don't take a chance with your child's safety - read your manual and when in doubt, call the fire department for help. That's what we are here for! To make an appointment or ask a question, please feel free to call Liberty Township Fire Department Headquarters at (513)759-7530 and ask for a car seat tech. You may also email our Chief, Paul Stumpf, at pstumpf@liberty-township.com. We have weekday, weeknights or weekend appointments available.
For more information on child safety seats and the safety seat check program please see: www.cincinnatichildrens.org www.nhtsa.dot.gov www.safekids.org www.carseat.org Car Seat Recall List
Why do you need a Child Safety Seat?
It's the LAW. In all 50 states, police can stop a vehicle because a young child is not properly restrained. In Ohio all children must travel in a federally approved child safety seat until they are 8 years of age and weigh 80 pounds. This includes children with special health care needs. The fine can be $100.00 for the first offense and $250.00 for the second offense.
Why is the backseat the safest place for a child to be?
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children 5 to 15 years of age. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concluded children are safer riding in the back seat. Air bags are lifesaving devices, but special precautions must be taken when driving children in air bag-equipped vehicles. Children risk injury if they are unrestrained, improperly belted or otherwise too close to the dashboard when an air bag inflates. To play it safe, always buckle children in the back seat. This rule holds to for any child under the age of 12 years old. If the vehicle does not have a back seat, move the front seat as far back as possible from the dashboard and sure the child is buckled properly in the appropriate restraint for their height and weight. Many vehicles now offer a way to deactivate the passenger airbag with either a weight-sensitive switch or a turn of the ignition key on a specialized manual switch. This switch should absolutely be utilized whenever someone under the age of 12 is in the front seat. NEVER place rear-facing infant safety seats in the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger-side air bag. The back of the safety seat in this position is too close to the inflating air bag. The infant could be killed or seriously injured in the event of a collision with airbag deployment.
CHAD: Children Have An iDentity
The Liberty Township Fire Department supports the CHAD: Children Have An iDentity program. This safety seat child identification program was developed as a result of a traffic crash involving a 13-month old boy named Chad. The babysitter who had been driving was killed. Chad was injured, but no one at the scene knew his identity. To ensure rapid identification of your child by law enforcement and emergency medical personnel in such an emergency, please contact us for a CHAD Sticker. This would have all the information needed and placed on the side or back of the child's safety seat. To inquire about CHAD stickers please contact the Liberty Township Fire Department Headquarters at 759-7530, email Chief Paul Stumpf pstumpf@liberty-township.com or contact the State of Ohio, Department of Public Safety at 614-466-4775.