SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — The Sarasota County Fire Department (SCFD) is offering free child seat safety inspections next month.
Each monthly inspection will be held at a different SCFD station in the county. The inspections begin in March.
During the inspection, a Sarasota County Fire Department Child Passenger Safety Technician will teach you how to use and install a car seat on your own and check to make sure your car seats are installed correctly.
"The personnel that we have certified in this program are certified through Safe Kids Worldwide, and that's a program that takes about 3-4 days to get the certification and training needed in order to inspect car seats and booster seats," said Battalion Chief Michael Sullivan.
People who sign up for the car seat inspection must bring a car seat with them. It is not required for the child to attend.
"The Sarasota County Fire Department, We just started a child passenger safety technician program. We're going to be offering monthly car seat safety checks, once a month at a different fire station so we can accommodate residents for both north, central, and south Sarasota County," said SCFD Battalion Chief Michael Sullivan.
A Charlotte County family is encouraging parents and guardians to make sure their child's car seat is correctly installed.
On February 8, a Charlotte County deputy saved the life of a six-month-old baby after a motorcycle collided with the family's car. The motorcyclist was traveling 100 mph before he crashed, according to deputies.
The deputy pulled 3-year-old Ariel Foley from her car seat after the crash. He rescued 6-month-old Lola and performed CPR until EMS arrived.
Lola remains hospitalized at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, and her family said she is making progress.
"Both these children were safely, properly restrained in their car seats as they were supposed to be. Had they not been, we probably would not have either one of them and definitely not Lola," said Lisa Foley, Ariel and Lola's grandmother.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 40% of children killed in car crashes in 2021 were unrestrained.
NHTSA officials also said 46% of car seats and booster seats are used incorrectly.
SCFD car seat inspections are free and by appointment only. Appointments are expected to last approximately 30 minutes.
To learn more about how to schedule a car seat safety inspection, dial 311.
More information on Sarasota County Fire Department programs can be found at scgov.net/fire.
For more information on car seat safety or to register your car seat and booster seat with the car seat manufacturer so you can be notified in the event of a recall, visit nhtsa.gov/therightseat.
To find a program near you, visit here.
