GEORGIA--Fire Station Permanent Fitting Station Program

GEORGIA
Fire Station Permanent Fitting Station Program

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS		PROGRAM AREA(S)
	Targets hard-to-reach/at risk population Easy to replicate		Occupant Protection

TYPE OF JURISDICTION
	State

TARGETED POPULATION(S)		JURISDICTION SIZE
	Parents and Caregivers		7,788,240

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Between 1996 and 1998, more than 25,000 Georgia children from birth to age 9 were injured, and 231 were killed in motor vehicle crashes. Although a statewide observational study conducted in 2000 revealed a child safety restraint use rate of 80.5 percent—the highest observed since data has been collected in Georgia, the study also indicated a child safety restraint misuse rate of more than 90 percent. State highway safety advocates have endeavored for years to increase child safety restraint use, through improved child passenger education, training and enhanced laws. However, as the state's population and the number of vehicle miles traveled increase, the potential for injury and death to Georgia's youngest citizens has also increased. To adequately address these concerns, highway safety advocates continue to seek ways to strengthen and broaden community-level collaboration.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort to reduce motor vehicle crash-related injuries and deaths among Georgia's children, he Georgia Governor's Office of Highway safety developed the Fire Station Permanent Fitting Station Program in 2000. Specific program objectives are to:

Develop a training and education program that could be easily replicated by county, city and volunteer fire departments statewide
To focus efforts on the proper use and installation of child passenger safety restraint systems for children from birth to 9 years of age
To create a child passenger safety permanent fitting station network to allow ready access to installation assistance and child passenger safety restraint system education throughout Georgia
To increase the number of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) certified child passenger safety (CPS) technicians in Georgia

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In developing the Fire Station Permanent Fitting Station Program, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety focused its efforts on reducing the high level of child passenger safety restraint misuse, and the limited or nonuse of booster seats among Georgia parents and caregivers. The program was designed to increase access to accurate information and education on the proper use of child safety seats and booster seats, as parents utilized local fire stations. Fire stations are selected for inclusion in the program based on location, hours of operation, availability of fire personnel during shifts, and firefighters' acknowledged commitment to injury prevention, and protection of life and property. Fitting stations are located in racially and socio/economically diverse neighborhoods, to provide equal access to child safety seat and booster seat education for families from all income levels. Each fitting station is equipped with child safety seats, booster seats, belt shortening clips and other equipment necessary to insure proper child safety restraint system installation and seat replacement. Educational materials on child passenger safety are also distributed at each fitting station.

Fitting station services are provided at no cost to Georgia residents or visitors. Common misuse problems noted by fitting station personnel include: children under 40 pounds and less than 35 inches tall restrained with seat belts; infants not facing in the appropriate direction; safety belts not holding the child safety seat tightly, or the belt is routed incorrectly; and loose harness straps.

RESULTS
Since its initiation in 2000, the Fire Station Permanent Fitting Station Program has achieved significant results, including the following:

Thirty fire station fitting stations have been established in the City of Atlanta. All fitting stations operate from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week. Two firefighters who are certified CPS technicians are on duty at each fitting station during hours of operation. Only certified CPS technicians are authorized to perform fitting station functions
Firefighters have hosted 10 child safety seat check events at neighborhood fitting stations, checking more than 594 child safety restraint systems, and providing instruction and educational materials to 297 parents or child care providers
A total of 100 firefighters have been trained as NHTSA-certified CPS safety technicians, and more than 72 fire departments statewide are currently in the process of establishing fitting station

FUNDING
	Section 2003B:	$85,200
CONTACT
	Sylvia E. Willis Governor's Office of Highway Safety 34 Peachtree Street, Suite 1600 Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 656–6996

..NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION	SPRING 2001 .