SECTION : 109.02 RULES & REGULATIONS

CHILD SAFETY

SEATS

Revised 2/1/09 1

PURPOSE: To provide guidelines when personnel are asked to check, inspect, or install a child safety seat. SCOPE: All personnel. POLICY: Occasionally, the pubic has asked that firefighters and firefighter paramedics assist them with the setup and installation of their vehicle child passenger safety seats. Child safety seats refer to any type of child restraint, including booster seats. Please be advised that Federal regulations require that only a certified child passenger safety technician shall check or setup child safety seats. Therefore, all fire service employees are strictly prohibited from physically checking, inspecting, or installing any child passenger safety seat for the public. Fire Service employees are advised to direct parents and caregivers to appropriate referral resources in case anyone from the public comes to a fire station seeking information or assistance with child safety seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has an excellent website that includes a data-base of certified inspection and fittings stations within a thirty-five (35) mile radius of a given zip code number. Please go to the internet hyperlink at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CPSFitting/index.cfm to access the nearest certified child safety seat inspection/installation station. Just enter the appropriate zip code number and the results will be sorted by an approximated distance to the given zip code entered.