Countryside Fire offers Child Car Seat Installation Education

The Countryside Fire District has added four Child Car Seat Technicians to their Public Education Team thanks to an Illinois Department of Transportation Grant that was awarded. The team was able to purchase a heavy duty car seat simulator with the grant and other necessary supplies to ensure area residents have secured their child car seat properly in their vehicles. "The car seat simulator is an excellent tool for demonstrating proper attachment to the vehicle seat", stated Firemedic Ryan Mastandrea, one of the recently certified technicians. Firemedic Andy Rubenstein said, "I like the simulator because it was the same one we practiced on in the child car seat technician class and I am very familiar with after four days of training. "The car seat simulator is portable and we will use in local events", stated Public Education Coordinator Tony Rodkey. The simulator is to help educate residents on proper child car seat installation and by watching the techs use it, the residents have an easier time understanding how to install their child car seat properly", added Rodkey. Countryside Fire needs residents to realize that the car seat technicians are available to help educate on proper installation and this takes some time. For an appointment on checking your car seat, call Countryside Fire in Vernon Hills between 8am and 4pm Monday through Friday at (847)367-5511 to assure a car seat technician is available. Go to http://trafficsafety.illinois.gov/ and click on “buckle up Illinois” for child car seat check points.