A child may be buckled into a car seat, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 necessarily mean they are safe.

View Royal Fire Rescue has been installing child seats and teaching parents correct installation methods since November.

For years the department had new parents pop in after giving birth at nearby Victoria General Hospital and asking for assistance to install the car seat, but the firefighters had to turn them away.

B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 want to just jump into it. We wanted to do it right or not at all,B次元官网网址� said View Royal training officer Lieut. Heath Bevan.

There are seven trained personnel at the fire hall who are certified child passenger seat educators. At all times, unless they are out on an emergency call, someone is able to assist with car seats.

B次元官网网址淲e are just so close to the hospital and doing this is a value-added service to the community,B次元官网网址� Bevan said. B次元官网网址淵ou have to give back to the community, and this is definitely a way to that.B次元官网网址�

After taking a two-day course, Bevan and Lieut. Rob Marshall admitted that they had incorrectly installed their own childrenB次元官网网址檚 car seats.

B次元官网网址淚t was just a lack of knowledge,B次元官网网址� Marshall said. B次元官网网址淭here are so many types of car seats and many makes and models of cars. We have the tools and training to put them in safely.B次元官网网址�

Common errors include incorrectly securing the seatbelt to the child seat, the angle of the child seat and buckling in the child, which changes for forward- and rear-facing setups.

Both firefighters recalled their own experiences of attending car crashes where car seats had saved the lives of little ones.

B次元官网网址淟ast year a vehicle had completely flipped over and when we arrived the baby was just hanging upside down just staring at us,B次元官网网址� Marshall said smiling.

The department is offering the service to anyone regardless of what community they live in. They will install new car seats or check already installed ones to make sure theyB次元官网网址檝e been installed correctly. The firefighters are also able to check and see if a car seat has been recalled.

B次元官网网址淭he whole idea is to instruct the parent about how to install them so if they ever have to switch vehicles, theyB次元官网网址檒l know how to do it,B次元官网网址� Bevan said. B次元官网网址淭he last thing any of us would want is to see a child injured.B次元官网网址�

For more information on the service please call VRFR at 250-479-7322.

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com