Coordinator, Kevin Poore Did You Know?? In the state of South - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Coordinator, Kevin Poore

Did You Know?? In the state of South Carolina around 90% of car seats are • being used INCORRECTLY…or not at all. Motor Vehicle Accidents are consistently at or near the top • of the list for causes of injury among young people as well as anyone up to the age of 44 years old. A car is the most dangerous place that many of us go on a • daily basis…and each of us tends to take for granted the forces involved when we are traveling Weight X Speed •

How Buckle Buddies is making a difference…

Seat Check Events • In Lexington and Richland Counties we do regular seat checks at all three Kohl’s Locations, Buy Buy Baby, and occasional seat checks at events like Tot Trade, Kid’s Day Lexington, and other community events. • On average we usually get to help 12-15 families when we do an event, but we have checked over 80 seats in one event. Attendance does vary based on weather, time of day, time • of year, advertisement, etc. • Newberry Location

Fitting Stations • A fitting station is a place where parents can set up an appointment anytime to have their car seat looked at by a trained technician (usually a fire department, or a LE agency). • Including Seat check events AND fitting stations, we usually check between 150-200 seats per quarter. • Technicians have gone through a 3-4 day class to learn how to help parents with their car seats. • In Newberry County the Sheriff’s Department is a fitting station!!

Parent Classes • Classes are scheduled to last 1hr 15min, and give new (or veteran) parents the basics of car seats. • Expiration Dates • One use Product • Aftermarket Products • Airbags • Common Misuses • We currently offer the class in nine locations around the Midlands area. • Our newest class is in Newberry at Westview Behavioral Services and will be held quarterly. (Next class April 16 @4pm) • This is the fastest growing part of our program, as attendance has grown at all locations…our last hospital class at the Children’s Hospial was standing room only.

Purchasing Program • We sell our seats AT COST to ANYBODY • People who are Medicaid eligible receive a discount • People who take one of our parent classes receive an even bigger discount • You can qualify for either discount, or BOTH discounts (in other words you don’t have to be Medicaid eligible to receive the educational discount). • We look at our purchasing program as one of our strongest tools to get people in the door to get good information about car seats.

Partner Organizations • Kohl’s • Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital • Buy Buy Baby (Harbison) • Safe Kids South Carolina/Children’s Trust of South Carolina • Organizations who serve as fitting stations • Richland County Sheriff’s Department • Cayce Public Safety • West Columbia Fire Department • Irmo Fire District • South Carolina National Safety Council • Lexington County Sheriff’s Office • Lexington Police Department • Batesburg/Leesville Police Department • Chapin Police Department • City of Columbia Police Department • Newberry County Sheriff’s Department • DHEC-Division of Injury and Violence Prevention

For more info… • Bucklebuddiessc.org • Safekidsmidlands.org • Safekidsmidlands@gmail.com