Martin County Center: (507) 238-4757
Faribault County Center: (507) 526-3265
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Martin County Center: (507) 238-4757
Faribault County Center: (507) 526-3265
Home | Contact | Calendar | Blog | Pay My Bill
Ensuring Child Safety: The Importance of Proper Car Seat Installation
Did you know? According to U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46% of child car seats are installed incorrectly. Car seat installation can be tricky, and common mistakes include loose installation of the seat and incorrect harness positioning.
Car Seat Technicians to the Rescue!
To ensure all kids are riding safely, Health & Human Services of Faribault & Martin Counties offers a car seat awareness program. Through this program, staff offer car seat education to ensure proper installation and proper use to comply with state laws.
To become a car seat technician, our staff complete a program which certifies them to provide car seat education and installation of car seats for parents with young children. Through this program, car seats are made available at no cost to families who have UCARE or Blue Plus health insurance. If a family does not have one of those two insurance plans, our staff connect them to our child car partner at South Central Emergency Medical Services who can provide the family with a car seat at no cost.
Prior to your car seat appointment, staff will contact you to gather some information about your child and car seat needs. Staff will send you a video and educational video to view before the appointment. When you arrive at the appointment, staff will provide car seat training to ensure proper use as your child grows. Staff will guide you through the process of installing the car seat properly in your personal vehicle. In less than an hour, you'll have everything you need to safely transport your child!
Pictured are Sarah and Dani (on left) and Becca and Brookelyn (on right) who were recently trained to as car seat technicians to help families in our communities.
Elisa O'Malley, BSN, RN, PHN has been working to provide car seats to families in her role as a Public Health Nurse for over 26 years. Elisa helps lead the car seat program at the agency and is extremely passionate about vehicle safety. "I'm always on the lookout for ways to support families. Installing car seats can be intimidating and I'm not afraid to point out if I see something that needs correcting. It could save a life."
She references the example of Morgan Grunewald, a young mom, tragically lost her life in a crash in June 2024, but her three little girls survived uninjured because their mother buckled them up every trip, every ride. You can hear Morgan's story here: The Morgan Grunewald Story on Vimeo
Call us to make an appointment!
If you are interested in learning more about car seat installation or would like to receive a free car seat through the UCARE or Blue Plus programs, please contact our office at 507-238-4757. We are also holding a car seat event in August!
Ensuring your child's safety is our top priority! Join us on August 19th for a FREE Car Seat Check. We have partnered with Fairmont Early Childhood during the August Family Fun Night. Our certified technicians will be on hand to help you install and inspect your car seats to ensure they are safe and secure.
📅 Date: August 19th
🕒 Time: 5pm-7pm
📍 Location: Cedar Creek Park, Fairmont
To schedule your appointment, please call Public Health at 507-238-4757. Spaces are limited, so don't wait!
Let's keep our little ones safe on the road. We look forward to seeing you there!
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