Crime & Safety

Cherokee Fire Awarded Grant For Car Seats

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services was recently awarded the 2014 Car Seat mini grant from the state Department of Public Health.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services has once again been awarded a mini grant to provide car seats to less fortunate families.

The agency was awarded the 2014 Car Seat mini grant from the Georgia Department of Public Health's Injury Prevention Program. 

With the funds, the agency and Safe Kids Cherokee County educate parents and care givers on how to properly install and use car seats, offers car seat inspections and provides car seats and booster seats to financially eligible families. 

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The grant is funded by the Governor's Office of Highway Protection.

Since 2007, at least 262 children in Georgia who were involved in crashes were saved from serious injury or death by car seats, booster seats, and education provided through the grant, Cherokee Fire said.  

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent among infants and by 54 percent among children ages 1 to 4 years in passenger cars.

Car seats offer the best protection for children in the event of a crash, and they are most effective when installed and used correctly, the agency wrote. Roughly three out of four car seats are not installed and used properly, placing children at unnecessary risk.

"It’s our responsibility to keep our children safe," said Capt. Chad Arp, coalition leader for Safe Kids Cherokee County. "The car seat mini-grant is a great opportunity to help our community and help protect our kids from serious injuries or death in motor vehicle crashes."

In 2013, Safe Kids Cherokee County distributed 143 car seats and booster seats through the program to financially eligible families. Throughout the state, agencies in more than 130 counties are working to keep Georgia’s children safe.  

Visit www.cherokeesafekids.org to learn more about the local initiative. 


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