CAR SEATS: Become a volunteer technician

Sunday, the Press ran a Letter to the Editor from Jeanne Helstrom regarding the difficulty her granddaughter had finding assistance learning to install a new child passenger safety seat. She couldn’t have explained the situation better!

The biggest part of this community challenge is finding volunteers who are willing and able to become certified child passenger safety technicians. 

Becoming a technician requires a commitment; the training takes 32-hours and costs $75. However, volunteers know it is a commitment that is paid back 100-fold every time they help one more family ensure their little ones are safe on the road. 

Safe Kids Kootenai County offers free child passenger safety checks every Thursday at Kootenai Health by appointment (call (208) 666-2030 for scheduling).  This program is always seeking volunteers who are willing to become trained technicians. This is a very rewarding volunteer opportunity, especially for retired law enforcement officers and fire-fighters who have seen first-hand the devastating effects of the failure to properly use restraints.

Training courses are coming up in Spokane August 4-7 and in Post Falls September 22-25.  Safe Kids will reimburse the $75 course fee for individuals who volunteer at a minimum of two car seat events.

For additional information, please contact Sarah Nielsen at (208) 666-2511. 

SARAH NIELSEN

Safe Kids Kootenai County