Skagit County Safe Kids NEWS! 

What Will It Take For People To Buckle Up?

A story this morning on KOMO Channel 4 (Seattle) gives people another reminder that seat belts are meant to be used. Go here to read the story:  http://www.komonews.com/news/local/47429032.html. We have seat belt laws for a reason. More importantly, vehicles have seat belts for a reason: to keep the occupants in that vehicle safe. In this crash, only two  of the nine people in a Ford Expedition were restrained in the vehicle. Two of the six children were ejected from the vehicle. They are expected to recover, though for one of the children, it was dicey for a while. Unintentional injuries are the NUMBER ONE killer of children under 14 years old. Please, buckle up yourselves and your kids when out on the road. Stories like this shouldn't be on the news. Thanks! Bill (6-10-09)
 

Kids Should Be Rear-Facing Until 2 Years Old
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended that children stay rear-facing until 2 years old, changing its previous recommendations.  "AAP News," the official newsmagazine of the academy, states that research shows that toddlers are five-times safer rear-facing than forward facing. Previously, the AAP recommended that children stay rear-facing until 1 year old and 20 pounds. For more information, or to have your child's car seat checked, please contact Bill Craig at 428-3236, Erica Work at 336-6277, or Joni McSpadden at (360) 708-5057.

Safe Kids Skagit County Bus Has New Look


 

Our Child Passenger Safety Team bus now is the Safe Kids Skagit County bus. Be on the lookout for us at area car seat checkups, health fairs, the Skagit County Fair and other events near you!
 

Your emergency medical information available in a flash
 

In the event that you or your loved ones need to be transported to the hospital, personal medical information will need to be provided to emergency personnel. But what if that information is at home, locked away, lost or you or your loved one cannot remember important details?  EMERGENTag has the answer. EMERGENTag is a wearable, water-resistant USB flash drive that hold all of your vital information for easy access in the event of an emergency. In just a few minuites, you can enter all the information that can help medical personnel make faster and safer care decisions. It plugs into any personal computer and no software installation or online access is necessary. Support Safe Kids by ordering. Click here for more information.

Idaho mother charged with manslaughter over death of child riding unsafely in family car
An Idaho mom who was in a car crash in Spokane last year is facing manslaughter charges. Her three-month -old daughter was in a rear-facing car seat in the front passenger seat of the family car when the mom got into a crash in 2006. The airbag went off, severely injuring the girl. the little girl died 10 months later. This tragic story demonstrates yet again that children MUST be riding safely in their car seat according to state law and child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Children under 13 must be in the back seat. If a front seat is the only option for children in some vehicles, airbags must be disabled. NEVER put a rear-facing child in front of an airbag. An airbag will employ at about 200 mph, and certainly will critically injure or kill a child. More on this story can be found here, courtesy of King 5 Seattle.

Safe Kids reminds you that kids and cars don't mix

Numerous reports in the media from around our state and the country recently  have again heightened the awareness of the danger of leaving children in hot cars and being backed over by vehicles. Parents and other caregivers need to pay attention to their children and ensure their safety. The inside temperature of a vehicle can skyrocket in a matter of minutes when the windows are shut. Children left in vehicles can suffer severe hyperthermia and can die. Also, drivers cannot see children in rear and side mirrors when children are close to the vehicle. Keep an eye on your children and don't leave them alone for one second. Make sure your summer is a fun summer for children.

What We Do

Unintentional injuries are leading cause of death in the United States for children 14 and under. These injuries, such as head trauma due to being hit by cars or falling off a bike or from a vehicle crash, are those which usually can be prevented by giving more attention to safety.

Skagit County Medic One and Skagit County Safe Kids are leaders in child passenger safety and bicycle safety. You will see us at local events spreading information about our programs. You also will find us teaching CPR and First Aid at local schools and at events teaching parents on how to properly install and use a car seat.

We partner with the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club, Skagit County Community Action and other groups to get low cost car seats in the hands of parents who need them and to help them comply with Washington State’s child passenger safety laws. Although Washington State has one of the highest seat belt and child car seat compliance rates in the nation, too many children still are needlessly put at risk by not being put in a car seat or being in an improperly installed seat.

We also work with area partner fire departments and other government agencies to fit children with bike helmets. We head the Tulip Pedal bike ride that takes place in April that raises money for bike safety and other injury prevention programs in Skagit County.

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Bicycle Safety

Head injury causes more deaths than any other cause for children on bikes.

Safe Kids Worldwide reports that more than 70 percent of children ages 5 to 14 (27.7 million) ride bicycles.  This age group rides 50 percent more than the average bicyclist and accounts for approximately 21 percent of all bicycle-related deaths, and nearly half of all bicycle-related injuries. It makes sense, then, that a helmet is necessary.

While Washington state currently does not have a bike helmet law, many cities and towns have passed legislation requiring children 16 and under to wear helmets. Locally, the cities of Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, Burlington and Anacortes all have helmet ordinances in effect for those who ride motorized scooters.

Medic One encourages everyone wear a helmet while riding bikes, skateboards or scooters. We make low cost helmets available to all who need them. We also partner with area fire departments and other government agencies to bring helmets to local schools.

But it’s not only important to wear a helmet. It’s important to wear one that fits your or your child’s head properly.

Fit helmets by performing the following checks:
            EYES check: Position the helmet on your head.
            Look up and you should see the bottom rim of the
            helmet (one to two fingers above the eyebrows).
            EARS check:  Make sure the straps of the helmet
            form a "V" under your ears when buckled.  The strap
            should be snug but comfortable.
            MOUTH check:  Now open your mouth as wide as
            you can!  Do you feel the helmet hug your head?  If
            not, tighten those straps!

We sell helmets at cost.  Bike helmets for $7, and multi-sport helmets for $13.  Our helmets are top-of-the-line and come in several cool colors. Make an appointment to have you and your child fitted with a helmet today.

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Child Passenger Safety

Too often we read about children who have died in vehicle crashes. The sad fact is that most of these deaths could have been prevented.

In 2001, 1,579 children 14 and under nationwide died in car crashes. Officials estimate that half of these children could have been saved had they been placed in car seats or wore seat belts. In 2002, 227,000 children 14 and under nationwide were injured in vehicle crashes.

As of June 1, 2007, Washington state law requires that children up to their 8th birthday, unless they are 4' 9" tall (57 inches), be in an appropriate car seat. Current law also requires that children under 13 years old ride in the back seat where it is practical to do so. Click here for a video on the state's booster seat law.

Washington’s comprehensive car seat law has been in place since July 1, 2002. Despite this, too many parents do not put their children in car seats. Not having children in car seats can result in a $101 ticket from a law enforcement officer.  More importantly, children can be seriously injured or killed in vehicle crashes while not secure in a car seat.

Washington state has one of the nation's highest car seat usage rates, but roughly 90 percent of car seats are installed incorrectly. Medic One’s certified car seat technicians are available to help answer your questions.

We work with the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club and Skagit County Community Action to get seats into the hands of parents who need them.  For those receiving WIC benefits in Skagit County, we ask that you attend a one-hour class where we demonstrate how to properly and safely install your child's seat. After the class, parents will be asked to install their own seats. Technicians will be on hand to give pointers and to ensure seats are installed properly. Classes take place monthly at Skagit County Community Action, 330 Pacific Place, in Mount Vernon. Call (360) 416-7585 to make an appointment. Class sizes are limited. Cost is $5. Although every attempt is made to help all in need, our numbers of seats are limited and are available only on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For those who have an emergency need, please contact us. We are glad to help. For an appointment to learn how to install and use your child safety seat, send an e-mail to email@skagitems.com, or call 360-428-3236.

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Why should I use a child passenger car seat?
It’s the law. All 50 states in United States have car passenger safety laws in one form or another. Washington’s current law has been on the books since July 1, 2002. Besides, any parent wants the best for his or her child. Keeping kids safe is the best thing to do.

Can I get a ticket for not having my child in a child passenger car seat?

Yes. In Washington state, you  can expect a fine of $101 PER CHILD in your vehicle should you get pulled over  and ticketed by a law enforcement officer.

My child is 8 years old and weighs about 90 pounds. Does he need to be in a child passenger car seat?

If a child is not four-feet, nine-inches tall, he or she MUST be in a child safety seat or a belt-positioning booster seat. We do recommend that children up to 80 pounds and 8 years old be in car seat, but if the child is at least 4’ 9” tall, they generally are ready to use the vehicle’s seat belt.

Why can’t my children use the car’s seat belt?

Seat belts were made with adults in mind, not children. Children less than 4’ 9” tall usually will find that the lap belt rests on their stomach, not the lap, and the shoulder belt rests on their neck and not on the shoulder and across the chest. In an accident, a  seat belt could severely injure or kill a child who is not big enough for the seat belt system.

I have heard that my child has a better chance of surviving a crash being thrown from the car than being trapped in it. Is this true?

This is a common belief. But think about it. After your car has come to a sudden stop after a crash, everything in the car that is not secured continues to move at the speed at which the car was moving. That means if your child was not buckled up, and you were traveling at 30 miles an hour when you suddenly slammed into that bread truck in front of you, your child would fly through the car at 30 miles an hour. If your child is 50 pounds, that is 1,500 pounds of force passing through the vehicle.

My vehicle has only lap belts. Is my older child safe?

Children and adults should use a shoulder belt to protect from injury to the head and spinal cord. If your vehicle was made prior to 1990, it may not have shoulder belts installed. Contact a local dealership or contact vehicle manufacturers on ordering retrofit kits.

I can’t afford a seat, so why should I get one?

If you drive and have children, you don’t have a choice here. It’s the law. Standard car seats range $20 - $150 at any department store. If you cannot afford a seat, we have a limited number of low-cost seats available. Contact us for information about how you can purchase one.

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Car Seat Clinics
Our next scheduled Skagit County SAFE KIDS Child Passenger Safety Team car seat checkups will be:

• Thursday, June 18, 1 to 3 p.m., Skagit Valley Hospital, Mount Vernon
• Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Bakerview Park, Mount Vernon (In Partnership With Windermere Real Estate Community Service Day Project)
• Thursday, July 16, 1 to 3 p.m., Skagit Valley Hospital, Mount Vernon

Car seat checks also are done by appointment at Skagit County Medic One. Call (360) 428-3236 to make an appointment. You also can call the Mount Vernon Police Department at (360) 336-6271,  or the Mount Vernon Fire Department at (360) 336-6277 to schedule an appointment.  Our technicians also speak to parent groups, daycares, schools and other entities about child passenger safety laws, best practices and other important information.

For more information about our county child passenger safety programs, contact Bill Craig, billc@skagitems.com or (360) 428-3236 or Joni McSpadden at (360) 708-5057.

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