- Video shows Eaton County 911 dispatchers talking about the importance of having a car seat installed correctly.
- The car seat safety checkup is a new program introduced by Eaton County 911 providing free inspections of car seats and booster seats.
- To schedule an appointment you can visit Eaton County's website and set up a date and time to meet with one of the four child passenger technicians
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
National child passenger safety statistics show that 46% of observed car seats and booster seats are used incorrectly and Eaton County 911 is combating that with their newest program
"We do get quite a few calls... More than you would think" said Katie Hennessy, Eaton County 911 telecommunicator.
Proper car seat safety practices are crucial for babies and young children and dispatchers here in Eaton County say the reality is... Many parents are unaware that their children could be put in danger due to incorrectly used car seats and booster seats
"You think you got everything and there's just always that one thing" said Cassidy Kelley, Eaton County 911 telecommunicator
This lack of safety instructions ties into a lack of resources for law enforcement according to Eaton County 911, which inspired 4 of their dispatchers to enroll in a car seat safety training program
"There wasn't even any in Michigan me and Cassidy had to go to the state of Indiana" said Katie Hennessy.
From this the Eaton County car seat safety checkup was introduced to the community... Providing a free inspection and one on one instruction for parents
"Questions about the car seat itself, how they get their child in and out, put the car seat in and going over when they should switch their kids from rear facing to forward facing, booster seat systems all of that" Hennessy said.
Eaton County 911 encourages parents of children of all ages to refresh their car seat and booster seat memory
"Your child grows... Height and weight and that has a lot to do with the car seat safety" said
Robert Kramer has a four year old who has been using this car seat for a little more than a year and he stopped in today because he says you can never be too safe.
"Car seat felt a little loose I wanted to make sure that it was done right and then tightened" Kramer said.
The county hopes this program brings more parents like Robert to learn information that could save their child's life
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