Participants in the Car Seat Technician Class were (BACK ROW — left to right): Ryan Payne, Jasper Fire Department, Matt Hickey, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services (CCFES), Oscar Garcia, CCFES, Christopher Seay, Milton Fire Department, Manny Zapeta, CCFES, JT Viehweg, Doona Car Seats, Dalton Hamby, CCFES, Brian Wood, CCFES, David Beasley, CCFES, Aaron Mills, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. FRONT ROW: Remi Blankenship, citizen, Emily Gottlieb, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Kaleigh Liscio, CCFES, Hugo Ramirez, Gwinnett County Fire Department and Jon Jones, Jasper Fire Department.
Participants in the Car Seat Technician Class were (BACK ROW — left to right): Ryan Payne, Jasper Fire Department, Matt Hickey, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services (CCFES), Oscar Garcia, CCFES, Christopher Seay, Milton Fire Department, Manny Zapeta, CCFES, JT Viehweg, Doona Car Seats, Dalton Hamby, CCFES, Brian Wood, CCFES, David Beasley, CCFES, Aaron Mills, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. FRONT ROW: Remi Blankenship, citizen, Emily Gottlieb, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Kaleigh Liscio, CCFES, Hugo Ramirez, Gwinnett County Fire Department and Jon Jones, Jasper Fire Department.
Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services
Participants in the Car Seat Technician Class were (BACK ROW — left to right): Ryan Payne, Jasper Fire Department, Matt Hickey, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services (CCFES), Oscar Garcia, CCFES, Christopher Seay, Milton Fire Department, Manny Zapeta, CCFES, JT Viehweg, Doona Car Seats, Dalton Hamby, CCFES, Brian Wood, CCFES, David Beasley, CCFES, Aaron Mills, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. FRONT ROW: Remi Blankenship, citizen, Emily Gottlieb, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Kaleigh Liscio, CCFES, Hugo Ramirez, Gwinnett County Fire Department and Jon Jones, Jasper Fire Department.
Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services
Aaron Mills with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office prepares to install a car seat.
Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services
Hugo Ramirez with Gwinnett County Fire Department checks over the car seats.
Safe Kids Cherokee County recently hosted a national certification class for car seat technicians.
This certification gives people the knowledge and tools to help parents in their communities keep their children safe in cars.
Nationally, four out of five car seats are used incorrectly ,according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
These new techs will add to the 20,000 around the world certified through Safe Kids World Wide. The class was from varying agencies and counties including Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Jasper Fire Department, Milton Fire Department, Gwinnett County Fire Department, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Doona (car seat manufacturer) and private citizens.
This was a four-day, intense training on not only car seats and the differences between brands, but the mechanics of different seat belt systems and other systems in the cars to anchor car seats correctly and to make sure the child is correctly harnessed.
“I always ask the class in the beginning, who thought it was crazy that it takes four days to learn about car seats? They usually all raise their hands. At the end of the class I ask the same question and no one has ever raised their hand. There is so much to know and understand and having this knowledge helps make our communities safer,” Lisa Grisham, Safe Kids Cherokee County Coordinator and Instructor said.
Instructors for the class are from all around the state and team teach to allow for classroom instruction as well as hands-on activities and tests.
The final exam is a community car seat check. This one was held in partnership with the Cherokee County Health Department and Cherokee County Recreation & Parks the South Annex. At the seat check, students educate parents on proper use, check for mistakes, and then corrections are made and the techs make sure the parents can do it for themselves.
Safe Kids Cherokee also provided car seats for those in need at this event.
Twenty-six seats were checked. About 14 were installed wrong and corrected, 30 caregivers received education, five seats were taken due to expiration or damage and seven seats were provided that day.
For more information on becoming a car seat technician or having your seat checked, visit www.safekidscherokeecounty.org or call 678-493-4343.
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