SAFETY SQUAD BLOG

Thoughts from Lifesavers 2010 in Philadelphia

Lifesavers 2010 is in the books.

First off, we're always thankful for the friends, colleagues and experts we spend time with at Lifesavers. You're crucial in shaping the message we deliver to parents about keeping children safe.  

Next, there were a few important themes we would like to highlight from this year's event. These represent emerging trends, needs and changes in philosophy relating to child passenger safety.  - We are starting to see real cooperation between retailers and CPS technicians in some cities.  This is important as stores are key places to capture parents' attention and deliver the much needed message of appropriate restraint usage.

Children benefit tremendously from police officers being car seat awareness trained. This is especially true in states which have laws addressing appropriate restraint use as opposed to just general use. Officers can't write tickets and save lives if they don't recognize misuse. 

Car seat law offender programs require clear goals. Appropriate measures must be enacted to achieve those goals. Car seat laws are useless if they are not enforced. Violators habits remain the same if they have no incentive to change.

Have a fire alarm system? Okay good, now call 911.

Many people make assumptions about how they will, or should respond in a fire. One assumption is that if you have a built-in fire alarm system in your home, you don't have to call 911. This is not true.

If you have an automatic alarm system (and it's working), the system/service will notify the fire department that a detector in the home is activated. This will generate, in most jurisdictions, an automatic alarm response which is usually 1-2 vehicles (compared to 4+). Most automatic alarm calls are false alarms (for a number of reasons).  Usually, fire departments will respond with the same speed as a 911 "Report of Fire", but mentally many firefighters' first thought when they hear automatic alarm is "it's probably a false alarm".  As a result, the firefighters while responding quickly, often are not as mentally prepared to battle as they would be for 911 "Report of Fire". This is definitely true for me too.

I know that making assumptions about automatic alarms has killed many firefighters, but my experience also tells me that false alarms are extremely common.

Safety Squad suggests calling 911 always... either after you've escaped danger or if you're trapped.  First, You will at least double the number of firefighters responding (because 911 knows it's bonafide). Second, the firefighters responding to a "Report of Fire" assume it IS a fire and not a false alarm. Third, if you are trapped, you can communicate to 911 where you are, how many people are in the home and any information that may help firefighters find you.

When we know that people are trapped, the level of alarm escalates, our determination rises and given a place to look, we will walk through walls to find you.

Dog Restraints Protect Humans, Then Dogs

This week two people died in a Wisconsin Car crash after a dog jumped into the drivers lap. This was avoidable, that's why we don't call them "crashes", not "accidents".  Read Article

This is our post from May 2008.

The purpose of a dog restraint is to protect the humans in the car from flying dogs. It may seem strange, but any loose item in the car can become a projectile in a crash. This includes unbuckled people and dogs, not to mention all of the items you need just to get the kids out of the house (stroller, diaper bag, etc.).

Yes, seatbelts can save the dog’s life, too. But keeping Fido from flying around in a crash is going to benefit the human occupants the most. Invest in a dog restraint and maybe even a cargo net to keep all of those loose items in the car from flying around during a crash. For more information: Check out this Consumer Reports article.

Why do they sell bumper pads if I’m not supposed to use them?

The simple answer….because we keep buying them. Believe it or not, there is very little legislation that addresses the type of products that can be sold and advertised as “baby products”.  Welcome to the overwhelming world of baby gear – there a lot of products that you will not need.  Some of them helpful, others that are innocuous, some that can be harmful.

Bumper pads no longer have a function in today’s contemporary world of “safety approved” cribs.  Bumper pads were used to prevent baby from escaping through the crib bars, or entrapping a body part between the rails. All newly manufactured cribs have to have corner posts, slats, spindles, or rails that are not more than 2 3/8 inches apart. (Download Federal crib regulations 2001 ) This concept of preventing “escape” or “entrapment” is no longer an issue.
...

Child Passenger Safety Techs: Who's the Best?

All National Certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technicians complete the same basic 32-hour course. Their certification is valid for two years. Each CPS Tech is required to earn continuing education credits, conduct installation training and complete a refresher course to maintain certification.

Here are some questions you should ask a potential CPS Tech:

• Does he/she have a NHTSA/Safe Kids CPS Technician Number and Card?
• How often does the technician receive updates or continuing education?
• Does the technician have an up-to-date recall list?
• Who can the technician call for advice if problems or questions arise during the installation?
• Does he/she use a waiver/checklist during the installation?
• Is he/she insured as a CPS Technician?
   Does he/she utilize the 2007/09 LATCH Manual?

The more positive answers the better. In the best case, they can answer all questions to your satisfaction. The car seat industry changes daily. If your technician takes liability and continuing education seriously, then the instruction you receive will be accurate. You should leave a CPS Tech feeling empowered and educated, if not go someplace else. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

A Unified Car Seat Message: Our Mission

One of the reasons we created Safety Squad was to create an independent voice for parents. We sit in a position to see all facets of the industry and form opinions free of influence. Our only loyalty is to parents. We give them a birds eye view, so that they can make informed decisions regarding safety for their family. This is the first in a series of comments on unifying the car seat message.

Before we talk about what is being said, we must first identify who is talking.
In no particular order:

• NHTSA (National Highway Traffic & Safety Administration)
• Safe Kids (Local, National, Worldwide)
• State legislators (Individual State law)
• Car Seat Manufacturers
• Retailers
• Vehicle Manufacturers
• Public Safety Agencies
• Watchdog Groups
• Non-Profits
• Individual CPS Techs
• JPMA (Juvenile Product Manufactures Association)
• Researchers (Consumer Reports, etc)
• Hospitals and Medical Associations (Specializing in Child Safety)
• Media
• Parents (Forums, Blogs, Websites)

Everyone has their own message. Some are similar, while others are quite different. Either way, the end product is a confusing and conflicted message about how parents should address car seats. It is our mission to create unified message, while allowing individual opinion and enterprise.

Three Crashes, Two Success Stories, One Lesson

When we talk with parents, we often talk about "What if it happens?".  But as firefighters, paramedics, cops and nurses, we know that crashes happen... all the time.

Usually, it takes a death for people to take action. So, we want to tell you about a very sad event. Last night, a volunteer firefighter in suburban Chicago lost his family in a roll-over crash caused by a drunk driver.  The crash was horrific and most likely criminal. While details are not complete, it has been reported that the two young children were thrown from their car seats into a field.

We don't know if the car seats failed, or if the children were secured properly, or if the crash was so violent that no measure of safety would have saved these children and their mom.

But we do know some things about parents and car seats.

We know that most children are riding in improperly installed car seats. We know that most parents don't secure their children correctly. We know that most parents believe that these facts don't apply to them.  And we also know that you can only take action BEFORE the crash, to give your children every chance to live. 

We can't change what happened here and we don't know what happened with the car seats, but we can take steps to prepare for the next crash.

Taking action saves two

Recently, we were informed of two crashes that could have been worse, but properly installed car seats saved the children inside.

Side-Impact: The wife of a Northwestern Memorial employee was driving with their daughter (25lbs and 15 months old).  The car was a 2004 Chevy Malibu LT.  Her seat was a Britax Boulevard and it was in the middle. These were the facts when they the crash happened.  While the mother was injured, the daughter was fine.

A recent report by the AAP stated that the middle position is 43% safer than the window seats. This isn't always possible to achieve, but it should be the first choice. The child was secured properly. The Britax Boulevard includes dedicated side impact protection which adds to the safety of the seat. All of these factors worked together to protect their daughter in this full side-impact crash.

Roll-Over: Last month, one of our clients was driving his 03 Range Rover with his son in the back. While the Range Rover is a quality vehicle, it like most SUVs, is more likely to roll-over in a crash... and his did. The truck was totaled, but the child was uninjured. Once again, this child was in the middle.  He was riding in a high-weight five-point harness (Britax Regent) and not a booster.

Our Lesson

Sometimes, you can only do so much to protect your kids and yourself in a crash. But most times, preparation will save lives and anguish.  Don't just get your car seat checked, know how to use it, know how to fit your child into the seat and know that as your child grows you may grow out of proper-use into mis-use. So get re-educated as baby grows into a toddler into adolescence.

Don't Gamble on Infant Seats, Safety Squad's Top Ten is Coming

Over the last few months, we have been really light on the commentary. You probably noticed. We've had a busy summer and have plenty to talk about in the coming months.

This past May, we partnered with one of the largest birthing hospitals in the nation to provide personalized car seat installation training for parents. This fee-based service has begun to fill a tremendous need in Chicago. While providing premier service to parents focused on car seat installation instruction, it has also freed-up limited space for other parents in existing free or donation based services.

This summer we worked with hundreds of Graco, Chicco, Peg Perego, Maxi-Cosi and Orbit infants seats. The result: We know what is good and what is not. Before we talk more about our experience, we are going on a little trip.

Tomorrow, we are going back to Las Vegas to attend the ABC Expo. Last year, we got an inside look at the industry. We are returning this year to speak with manufacturers about the issues we have found and the solutions best for parents.

When we return, we will be publishing our Top Ten List of Infant Seats. This list will be based on our experiences with the actual base installation and carrier ease of use. 

On the convertible seat front, we are currently reviewing new seats including the Britax Boulevard CS. Stay tuned.

Chicco Key Fit: You can tell a CPS tech designed it.

If you read this blog, then you know that we call companies out when something's wrong, but we also praise those that care to "get it right".

While we don't endorse seats or take sponsorship from any particular manufacturer, we do have our favorites. One of our favorite infant seats is the Chicco Key Fit 30. The Key Fit 30 is a top-rated seat, but ratings often don't translate to actual ease of use or convenience for parents. In this case, they do!

Everything about the seat is thoughtful. While no seat installs itself, and everyone should seek out a CPS tech for assistance, this seat gives parents a fighting chance. We'll break down this seat into areas that relate to misuse of seats, in general....

Clek Olli Review

The Clek Olli is a backless, belt-positioning booster, rated for children 40-100 pounds and 40-57” tall. The Olli is one of two booster seats with rigid lower LATCH attachments. It is also one of a handful that allows LATCH to be used at all as a booster.

As with all boosters, the Olli must always be used with both a lap AND shoulder belt. Children 12 and under should always be seated in the rear seat, even if there is no active airbag in the vehicle. Since the Olli is backless...