MEXICO – The Child Health Center’s ProtectME program will reopen the River Valley child passenger safety fitting station from noon to 4 p.m. Friday in Wal-Mart’s parking lot.
The station will be open the first Fridays of the month and is free.
Shannon Hamner, a certified child passenger safety technician and area resident, has volunteered to work with the program to offer the service. She will be available to inspect children’s car seats to make sure they are being used properly.
She will also be able to offer some qualified families free high-back boosters the Child Health Center obtained as part of a grant from the Maine Center for Public Health.
The Child Health Center’s ProtectME program established the first fitting station in Rumford as part of the River Valley Safe Communities Coalition. Since the beginning the fitting station has been staffed by the Child Health Center and volunteers.
The Child Health Center notes that 95 percent of all children’s car seats it has inspected have had at least one error in their use.
National research has shown that when correctly installed and fitted, a child safety seat reduces the need for hospitalization in children ages birth to 4 years by 69 percent, and it decreases the risk of death by 71 percent in infants and 54 percent in ages 1-4.
Dunkin’ Donuts will donate munchkins for kids to enjoy while adults wait. For more information, phone the Child Health Center at 743-7035.
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