Reno, Nev. – The Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA) has expanded its Point of Impact car seat inspection and installation program to now offer scheduled appointments at REMSA’s Center for Prehospital Education facility in Reno. These free appointments are being offered in addition to the regular monthly, first-come, first-served free community checkpoints.
“REMSA is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to a program as critically important as Point of Impact,” said Cindy Green, Manager of Education and Community Outreach, REMSA. “Three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly. Now that we are accepting scheduled weekday appointments as well, we can work to educate more people about the best ways to keep children safe in the car.”
For an appointment, parents should bring their child(ren) and car seat(s) and schedule about 30 minutes; longer for more than one seat. Staff and volunteers will check for obvious defects and determine whether the car seat appears on a national recall list. In addition, they will check the installation, correct any problems and provide education on the proper use and installation of the car seat.
An incorrectly installed car seat can fail in the event of a crash or accident and can lead to severe injuries or death. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, correctly installing a car seat can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71%. Nevada law requires children under age 6 and 60 pounds to be properly restrained when riding in a vehicle. REMSA follows national guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics that exceed state law.
REMSA encourages parents to check the car seat to make sure it has all its parts, labels and instructions and it should never have been involved in a crash. Also, car seats should be registered. Registration makes it easy for the manufacturer to contact the consumer in the event of a recall.
Point of Impact launched in 1998 and is a community outreach program offered by REMSA. The program’s volunteers inspect and properly install more than 300 car seats each year. The program is administered by a REMSA employee who educates and trains volunteers who staff the community checkpoint events. To make a Point of Impact appointment, please visit remsaeducation.enrollware.com/schedule and choose the Car Seat Inspection button.
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About REMSA
REMSA is a private, locally governed, non-profit emergency medical services provider serving northern Nevada since 1986. REMSA also comprises Care Flight, a regional, non-profit, air and ground critical care transport service, a Nevada-licensed, post-secondary educational institution, a state-of-the-art, fully accredited 9-1-1 dispatch communications center, a Tactical Emergency Medical Support team and community and special events EMS teams. REMSA provides quality patient care with no taxpayer support or other subsidies. For more information, visit remsahealth.com.