Child passenger safety technician course planned

Published 1:30 am Saturday, October 8, 2016

Safe Kids Northwest is offering a National Child Passenger Safety Technician Course to help educate parents and caregivers in the proper installation of car seats.

According to a recent news release, over 85 percent of car seats are installed incorrectly. And with car crashes being the number one killer of kids ages 1-14, proper installation of car seats is critical.

On Whidbey, one EMT and two Central Whidbey Firefighters are certified child passenger safety technicians, as well as two local residents. No law enforcement or other first responders on North Whidbey are certified at this time.

Each month, volunteer technicians offer a free seat check event at the Oak Harbor Fire Station. More volunteers are needed.

The four-day technician certification course combines classroom instruction, hands-on work and a community safety seat check-up. Attendance is required for the entire course. It will be offered from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, and Saturday, Oct. 22, and Friday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Oct. 29, at Oak Harbor Fire, 855 E. Whidbey Ave.

Registration costs $135 with $85 due at the time of online sign-up and $50 due the day of the first class.

To register, create a free online profile with Safe Kids at http://cert.safekids.org/make-online-profile. Then find the course and register at http://cert.safekids.org/find-or-register-course.

n For more information, call Bill Craig at 360-661-7417.