Information about installations:
Installers:
Paramedic Deputy Chief Chris Norris
EMT Basic Captain Stephen Vanasse (Coordinator)
EMT Intermediate Shawn Denkiewicz
EMT Paramedic Joshua Coates
Installations offered Wednesdays between 9-1pm. Please call 413-587-1030 to schedule an appointment.
Information about seats:
What is the best car seat for my child?
There is no one seat that is better than others. Choose a seat that fits to your child's body size.
When buying a car seat consider the following:
1. Do not base your final decision on the price. A higher price does not always mean better quality or that it is easier use. All car seats sold in the US must meet government safety standards.
2. If you find a seat you like, try it out before you buy it. Make sure your child fits into the seat properly and make sure that they are comfortable. Also make sure that it fits into your car safely.
Important safety rules:
When driving always use a car safety seat. You should start this when your baby has his/her first ride home from the hospital.
DO NOT place a child in a rear-facing car safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has a passenger air bag. The safest place for all children to ride is in the back seat.
To set a good example for your child, always wear your seat belt. Help your child form a habit of buckling up.
Also remember that every car safety seat is different. Read and keep the instructions that came with your seat handy, and follow the manufacturer's instructions at all times.
Read the owner's manual that came with your car on how to correctly install car safety seats.
Rear Facing seats:
All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least one year of age and weigh at least twenty pounds. That means that if your baby reaches twenty pounds before her first birthday, she should remain rear-facing until she turns one year old.
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It's best for your child to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of the seat. There are two types of rear-facing seats, infant-only seats and convertible seats. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants, and then converted to a forward-facing position once the child is old enough and big enough to do so safely.
Convertible Seats:
Convertible Seats are used in rear-facing position for infants from birth to at least 1 year of age and at least 20 to 22 pounds. They can also be used in forward-facing position for older children.
Convertible Seats have higher rear-facing weight limits than infant-only seats. These are ideal for bigger babies.
Convertible Seats have the following three
types of harnesses,
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- 5-point harness - 5
points of attachment: 2 at the shoulders, 2 at the hips, 1 at the crotch
- Overhead shield - A padded tray-like shield that swings down over
the child
- T-shield - A padded t-shaped or triangle-shaped shield attached to
the shoulder straps
Booster seats:
Booster seats do not come with harness straps but are used with the lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle, the same way
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an adult rides. Your child should stay in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible before being allowed to ride in a booster seat. You can tell when your child is ready for a booster seat when one of the following is true:
He/she reaches the top weight or height allowed for the seat with a harness. (These measurements are listed on labels on the seat and are also included in the instruction booklet that is provided with the car safety seat.)
His/her shoulders are above the harness slots.
His/her ears have reached the top of the seat.
Booster seats are designed to raise your child so the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. This means the lap belt lies low across your child's thighs and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of your child's chest and shoulder. Correct belt fit helps protect the stomach, spine, and head from injury in case of a crash. Both high-back and backless booster seats are available. Booster seats should be used until your child can correctly fit in lap and shoulder seat belts.
Seat belts:
Your child is ready to use lap
and shoulder seat belts when the belts fit properly.
This means
The shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat.
The lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, not the stomach.
The child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with her legs bent without slouching and can stay in this position comfortably throughout the trip.
Remember, seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your child correctly, he/she should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit him/her correctly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age.
Installing a car safety seat:
There are 2 main things to remember when installing a car safety seat.
Your child must be buckled snugly into the seat.
The seat must be buckled tightly into your vehicle
Is the car safety seat buckled into the vehicle correctly?:
Is the car safety seat facing the right direction for your child's age and weight?
Is the seat belt routed through the correct belt path?
Is the seat belt buckled tight? If you can move the seat more than an inch side to side or toward the front of the car, it's not tight enough.
Is your rear-facing seat reclined enough? Your infant's head should not flop forward. If it does, tilt the car safety seat back a little. Your car safety seat may have a built-in recline adjuster for this purpose. If not, wedge firm padding, such as a rolled towel, under the base.
Do you need a locking clip? They come with all new car safety seats. If the seat belts in your car move freely even when buckled, you need a locking clip. If you're not sure, check the manual that came with your car. Locking clips are not needed in most newer vehicles and in vehicles with LATCH. (See "Installation made safer and easier" below for more information.)
Some lap belts (especially those found in older vehicles) need a special heavy-duty locking clip. These are only available from the vehicle manufacturer. Check the manual that came with your car for more information.
