Safe Communities, Safe Kids Coalition

SECRETAC Safe Communities, Safe Kids Coalition Car Seat Technicians Policies and Procedures Manual

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc SECRETAC Safe Communites/Safe Kids Coaliation 8405 Ridgeway Cir. Lamar, CO 81052 719-688-2159 719-336-5874 [email protected] Date: Aug. 12 2011 Contact Information

Cheryl Gilmore 719-688-2159 719-336-5874 [email protected]

Mike Merrill 719-468-0711 [email protected]

Rick Hartley 719- 523-4501 719-529-0182 [email protected]

Dan Gilmore 719-336-7403 [email protected]

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc Signed:

Printed Name:

Agency:

Phone Numbers:

Address:

Email:

By signing this document, I understand the policies and procedures outlined within the Car Seat Technicians Policies and Procedures Manual. I understand that these are established to ensure cohesiveness within the car seat fit stations within the Western Region. Please return this form after it has been signed, to the address or fax number on the front page. This page also will ensure contact information is current

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc This Policy and Procedure Manual will be used by the Car Seat Technicians within the six counties of the Southeast Region: Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Otero, and Prowers. It is drafted to answer questions that may arise during the course of the car seat checks, and allow for cohesiveness among the Region. The purpose of the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition’s Car Seat Program is to for education and to help parents install car seats properly. The program was not established to give away car seats for free; however, it is intended to assist parents in the event that they cannot afford a seat by other means.

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc Donations Standard Donation The SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition’s is requesting a donation for any car seat given to a family. That donation should be $25 for any car seat which has a harness; $10 for booster seats without harnesses. If the family cannot afford those suggestions, please ask what the family can afford and take that amount. These donations are to ensure sustainability of the Car Seat Program portion of the Coalition.

What to do if a family cannot afford a donation If a child needs a car seat, and the family cannot afford any type of donation, please proceed with the car seat installation. The Coalition would like to see children in properly-installed seats rather than not be in any seat. Please keep track of the information on the spreadsheet that is attached and explained later in this document. There is an option to ask the person who cannot afford the donation to volunteer at the next event. Please capture all contact information and say, “Would you be willing to assist at our next car seat event? I may not need your assistance, but I would like to ask for your contact information in the event that I need it.” Send that information to the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition Coordinator, where a data base will be maintained.

What to do with the donations The SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition’s has provided the technicians with all supplies necessary to check these car seats, the donations need to be given to SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition’s on a monthly basis. Please include a signed letter on your letterhead stating “this amount (enter amount) has been donated to the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition’s for car seats.” In the letter please explain if the money collected was from a special event or in the event of daily car seat checks.

This money can be given to Mike Merrill Or mailed to

SECRETAC 505 S Main St. Lamar CO 81052

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc Car Seat Specifics Tracking car seats The Coalition must have the following information tracked by each car seat technician. This information is being sought by grant funders; therefore, all of it is vital to obtain sustained funding for the Coalition in the future.

Date: date of car seat check

Event Location: this can be any regular appointment or special event

Name: Name of technician

Adults: Number of adults present at car seat check

Children: Number of children present at car seat check

Seat Type: Use the following acronyms for each type of seat given RFC, rear-facing convertible I/O, infant-only Own, if you just checked the seat they owned FFC, forward-facing convertible B, Booster HBB, high-backed booster

Donation: Amount family donated

Income ↓$75,000 per year: is the family’s combined income less than this amount, yes or no

Employed: Is anyone in the family employed, yes or no

Lawful Citizen: Are the family members lawful citizens, yes or no

County: First letter of the county in which the family resides

Make of Vehicle: List manufacturer of vehicle

Model of Vehicle: List type of vehicle

Car Seat Fit Station Supplies Currently, the Coalition is able to provide car seats, clipboards, tape measures, scales and other supplies necessary to run a car seat fit station. Currently, the car seats are stored at the Colorado State Patrol office in Lamar or SECRETAC/Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition Coordinators Home.. If you need more car seats, please either let Cheryl Gilmore know or check them out of the Colorado State Patrol office please ensure that you fill out all required information before taking the seats. A duplicate clipboard is in the Trailer, and you are asked to check seats from there as well.

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc

Child Safety Seat Program

This seat is being donated to the undersigned, with the following conditions.  The seat is to be used in the manner described in the child seat instruction manual, and the vehicle owner’s manual.  The seat will not be given, sold, or lent to any other party without the permission of the issuer.  In the event that the seat is in a vehicle when that vehicle has been involved in a collision, the issuer will be notified.  The issuer is not responsible for any death or injury that may result from the use or misuse of this seat.

Please fill in the following information. All information must be filled out for a seat to be issued to you.

Address:

Driver’s License # and State:

Are you currently receiving any assistance from a government program (ie. Food Stamps, WIC)

I understand the conditions of this program and that any violations of these conditions may result in the forfeiture of the safety seat.

Signature: Date:

Issuer: Date:

CPS Tech. #

Please Fax to Elaine Lindholm at 719-336-5671 (So we can keep an accurate inventory and report back to SECRETAC & CPS Team Colorado)

If you would like to make a donation for your seat please make check out to SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc Before giving a seat to a family, please ensure that the letters SECRETAC are written on the bottom of each seat in the white/silver paint pen. A silver Sharpie marker also works. This will prevent families from returning the car seats to local retailers for money. If you require other supplies (scales, measuring tapes, clipboards, hand sanitizer, etc.), please let Cheryl know and those supplies will be delivered to you.

How to dispose of old car seats

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc Please do not let the parent leave with a car seat that you have replaced, unless it is still in useable condition. For example: if the parent is the original owner/ purchaser and the seat has still not reached the manufacturer’s imprinted expiration date. If the seat needs to be destroyed:

Harness system and fabric should be removed and made unusable

On the shell in permanent ink write one or all of the following o Warning o Do not use o Not Safe

Take the car seat to someone who can crush the seat with extreme weight, such as with a loader or where it can be safely cut in half and disposed of in a trash bin Answers to Questions

What to do if requestor needs a temporary seats In the event that a babysitter, aunt, uncle, grandparent is requesting a car seat and only needs the seat temporarily, the suggestion is to have the person call a car rental business. These businesses have a policy of having to rent the car and the car seat. The Coalition will not loan out seats because of potential liability concerns upon the car seats’ return.

Churches/ Daycares/ Schools In the event of a church, daycare or school requesting a car seat, it is recommended to not provide seats. Since each seat needs to be fitted to an individual child, and these types of agencies transport several children it is unknown if the child fit for that seat will be using it specifically.

If there is no car In the event that someone comes to the fit station and is on foot, claims they are no longer in possession of a car, or that the car is unavailable at this time, please do not give them a car seat. Since the adult needs to be shown proper installation of the car seat in a vehicle, not having a vehicle makes this impossible.

Technician Specifics Attendance at special events

Since the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition has provided you with the opportunity to become a car seat technician, it is required that you participate in at least two special events annually. As a representative of the Coalition, you will be asked to do car seat

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc checks at any of the following, outside of your normal fit station locations. This could include, but is not limited to, car seat checkpoints at the following locations:

Safety fairs

Safety & Health 4 Kids events

Store parking lot check points

Day cares

Fairs and expos

Festivals

Rodeos

Car seat checkpoint you have organized

Mileage/ Time Reimbursement As long as the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition has funding, the technicians will be reimbursed for mileage for attending these special events. Everyone, including the Car Seat technicians, will only be compensated for duties performed outside the scope of their regular work functions. These non-compensated times include:

Special Car Seat Events other than those hosted/presented by member’s originating agency

Mileage for events hosted/presented by member’s originating agency

Quarterly and special meetings of the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition

Locations of all car seat fit stations The car seat fit stations in the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition are:

Colorado State Patrol Office Lamar 111 W. Parmenter 719-336-7403 Walk-ins and Appointments

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coordinator Cheryl Gilmore 8405 Ridgeway Cir 719-688-2159 Appointments Only

Colorado State Patrol Springfield Mike Smith 719-336-7403 Appointment Only

Las Animas Fire Department John Spano 719-456-1110

Crowley County Kent Darnell 719-468-1456 Appointment Only

Colorado State Patrol La Junta 617 Raton Ave 719-384-8918 Appointment Only

La Junta Fire Department 601 Colorado 719-384-2323 Appointment Only

Tri-County Family Care Center Rocky Ford 512 ½ Main St 719-254-7776 Appointment Only

Kiowa County Ambulance Service 719-438-5900 Appointment Only

Renewing Certifications As long as the Car Seat Technician is willing and able to continue with the car seat checks and as long as the SECRETAC Safe Communities/Safe Kids Coalition has funding, certification renewal costs will be reimbursed. Technicians renewing certifications will be required to assist with two special events, similar to the new technician requirements.

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc Using the Car Seat Trailer

The Coalition has a trailer that is equipped for a mobile car seat checkpoint. To reserve the trailer, please complete the form attached. This form must be submitted at least two weeks prior to any event.

of 14cgilmoreSECRETACHRIPComm120810Eads,CO.doc The Coalition will take the trailer to any location for an event. Someone from your organization must plan on meeting the trailer at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the event, unless other arrangements have been made in an email format. In the event someone from your agency is able to transport the trailer, please include that information in the request.

It is understood that the trailer will be returned in the same or better condition than when it was reserved. All supplies and equipment will be returned to their proper locations. If someone reserves the trailer, it is also understood that at least two certified technicians will be present during the event. Please note that no event will take place unless there are two or more technicians present.

In the event the trailer is damaged and needs necessary repairs, it is the responsibility of the reserving party to notify Mike or Cheryl so that repairs can be made. There is a checklist in the trailer to help make sure that everything is returned as it should be.

Trailer Request Form

Today’s Date:

Your Name:

Your Phone Number: Your email:

Name of Event:

Name of contact at event: Phone number at event:

Date Needed: Time Needed:

Delivered -or- Pick Up

** Someone from your organization must plan to meet the trailer 15 minutes prior to event start for set up and other directions, unless other arrangements have been made. **

Specific location for trailer delivery i.e., northwest corner of Hospital Parking lot: Address:

Date trailer needs to be picked up/ or will be returned:

Will you need car seat technicians to assist with your event? Yes No

How many? When will you need the technicians?

** Event will not take place unless there are two or more technicians. ** ** Technicians will only do events for 4-hour increments. **

Will you need help with publicity?

Other assistance?

Please return this form to Cheryl Gilmore [email protected]. If you have questions, call Cheryl at 719-688- 2159. The form must be submitted to Cheryl at least two weeks prior to event.