From the desk of Deputy Chief Terry Herthel:
The Lafayette Township Fire Department is developing a Child Safety Seat Inspection
Program to serve our area here in Floyds Knobs. We will be one of only a few such
locations where care givers can come to have their car seat inspected and receive
education in correct installation and use of car seats, booster seats and seat belt systems.
Program Background
The Automotive Safety Program at Indiana University School of Medicine, affiliated with
Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University Health, was founded in 1981 by Dr. Marilyn
Bull. Funded by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, the program directs child passenger
safety research, education, and training in the state of Indiana. In addition, the Automotive
Safety Program has long been a national leader and expert in transportation of children with
special health care needs. In 2004, the National Center for the Safe Transportation of
Children with Special Healthcare Needs was established by the Automotive Safety
Program. The Automotive Safety Program has also been the lead agency for Safe Kids
Indiana since 1997.
Child Passenger Safety
Advances in technology, legislation, enforcement and research combined with collaborative
partnerships and community outreach have improved outcomes for children in motor vehicle
crashes. In the United States from 2002 to 2011, fatalities decreased by 46% in the 14 and
younger age group and 49% in the 8 to 14 age group. In Indiana from 2008-2012, there
was a 10% decrease in fatalities for children 0-15 years of age.
Using child restraints improves a child’s chances of surviving a crash. An estimated 9,874
children under the age of 5 were saved during 1975 through 2011 due to the use of child
restraints. In 2011, 30% of child passenger fatalities among children 4 and younger were
unrestrained.
Unrestrained child occupants are more at risk of serious injury than their restrained
counterparts. According to the Indiana Traffic Safety Facts Children 2012, only 4% of
properly restrained children were seriously injured compared to 13% of unrestrained
children. This indicates that an unrestrained child is 3 times more likely to be injured than a
restrained child.
The Automotive Safety Program continues to lead Indiana’s efforts to increase proper
restraint use by children through state of the art programming, research, training and
education.
What Lafayette Township Fire Protection District is doing?
Members of the Lafayette Township Fire Department have been certified to NHTSA
(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and CPS (The National Child Passenger
Safety) standards to perform Child Safety Seat Inspections.
The training program focused on these five goals:
1. Certify our members as a CPS Technician.
2. Provide them with the opportunity to apply basic technical skills and knowledge to
the correct installation and use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belt systems.
3. Equip them to educate caregivers in the proper selection, installation, and use of car
seats and booster seats and to know when to move to seat belts once booster seats
are outgrown.
4. Equip them to educate caregivers so they can confidently install car seats and
booster seats.
5. Enable us to be a resource in our community.
Baptist Heath Floyd no longer provides this service to their patients and is instructed to
contact their local fire department for information and assistance in proper installation and
use of child protection systems.
What we would like to ask from you?
The Lafayette Township Fire Department has applied for various grants to purchase car
seats to replace out dated and/or re-called car seats that come into our car seat inspection
events or appointments but to this date we have not been awarded the funding to do so.
We have an obligation to replace any and all car seats that do not meet safety standards
and/or are out dated or have a manufactures re-call.
Our goal is to have at least four (4) new 3 in 1 car seats on hand. We are also looking for infant car seats, with or with out bases, and booster seats with backs.
Anyone wishing to donate a New child safety seat or booster would be very helpful in getting our program up and running. Unfortunately we can NOT accept used car seats or boosters due safety concerns. They must be in the original box with manuals.
If you wish to help out, use the Contact Us form below or call the fire house Monday thru Friday 8AM-5PM 812-923-8003.
Thank you,
Terry Herthel
Deputy Chief
Lafayette Township Fire Protection District
