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CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY SEAT PROGRAM
Joe Zuccaro, Coordinator
The South Euclid Fire Department is a member of the Greater Cleveland Safe Kids/ Safe Communities Coalition, part of the larger national Safe Kids/ Safe Communities organization. It is focused on all aspects of adult and child safety including child passengers of automobiles. This Greater Cleveland office is located at University Hospitals Rainbows Babies and Children's Hospital and is staffed by paid employees and supported by volunteers from throughout the surrounding communities.
The South Euclid Fire Department has been functioning as one of these volunteer agencies since 1999. During this time period, we have expanded our involvement in the coalition to promote different safety messages. In 1999, we began our involvement by sending 2 firefighters through the child passenger safety seat technician course. Upon their completion of this nationally accredited curriculum, they joined other certified technicians from all across the country to form a network of people all focusing on one common goal: the goal of helping to keep child passengers of automobiles safer through the proper usage of child restraints (car seats). Since that time, we have increased our numbers to the current 4 technicians. As of the end of 2006, our South Euclid Fire Department technicians have installed or checked the installation of over 800 car seats. In addition to the car seat information, we have distributed printed materials covering poison prevention and injury prevention around the house. All of this has helped to give the parents and grandparents peace of mind.
Another way we have expanded our involvement is by conducting monthly classes through the Hillcrest Hospital Lamaze child birth classes. These classes are scheduled once a month and I teach the parents how to properly install their car seats in their vehicles and then how to secure their child into the seats. They are given individual practice time which helps to make it easier for them to understand. These classes have been conducted for the past 2 years and have reached over 300 parents.
Another coalition promoted safety message is poison prevention. During these Lamaze / car seat classes, we discuss how to poison proof their homes and how to contact the poison control center if necessary. The parents are advised on what to look for and are given written handouts to help them be as informed as possible. The Poison Control Center is easily reached from anywhere in the country by dialing 1-800-222-1222.
In 2006, the South Euclid Fire Department installed or checked the installation of 106 car seats, 48 of these were for South Euclid residents. The remaining 58 were from 16 other cities. These cities ranged from our direct neighbors on all sides to as far away as Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Cuyahoga Falls, Eastlake, Garfield Hts., Moreland Hills and others. The technicians get a feeling of satisfaction knowing they are helping to keep children safe and all the parents that have used this service are thoroughly pleased.
The program is available free of charge to all South Euclid residents and residents of the surrounding communities. The South Euclid Fire Department is networked with our surrounding cities and other members of the Safe Kids Organization, thus allowing us to offer our residents many options to attend checkups when it is convenient for them. This has worked well to help the program continue to grow.
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