Child Safety Seat Program

The Chambersburg Fire Department, in conjunction with IAFF Local 1813 and the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Program, is proud to sponsor a car seat inspection station. Six of the Department’s career firefighters are certified as car seat technicians.

Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. Booster seats reduce the risk of injury by 59% compared with the use of a lap/shoulder belt alone. In order for the child safety seat to be effective it must be properly installed. The technicians will inspect your seat to confirm correct installation that, in turn, ensures your child’s safety. Also, they can install new seats and train parents on proper installation of the seat.

Pennsylvania requires that a child under the age of two years be restrained in an approved rear-facing car seat. From age one to four a child must be restrained in an approved forward-facing car seat. From age four to eight the child must be in a booster seat with lap and shoulder belt. It is important to understand that these are the minimum requirements of the law. In fact, your child may be safer staying in a car or booster seat for a longer period of time. The technicians can advise you on best practices.

The car seat inspection station is open to the public. In addition to installing and checking seats the technicians are available to answer questions about car seats and vehicle passenger safety systems. Please call 263-5872 and select option 1 (speak to on duty fire department personnel) to schedule an appointment. Technicians are available most days of the week and can easily find a time to meet your schedule.