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Cornell Cooperative
Extension and local agencies Nearly two dozen agencies combined to host a safety fair for Livingston County children. The event drew over 130 kids and parents to the fair, held this year at Cal-Mum Elementary School. In addition to fire trucks, ambulance and police vehicles, there were several agencies on hand to demonstrate and educate on child safety. Livingston County Health and Sheriff and Departments conducted bicycle helmet fitting sessions and the sheriff’s Navigation Patrol unit educated on boat safety. The children loved the NYS Trooper’s K-9 unit as well as Sparky, Caledonia Fire Department’s friendly fire dog. June Webster, Child Safety Program Coordinator with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County, the sponsoring agency of the safety fair, says the event was very successful and the children and parents who attended were eager to learn about ways to keep kids safe. Earlier this spring, elementary school children throughout the county were invited to participate in the Wheeled Safety program. They submitted posters and essays to demonstrate safety on bicycles, skateboards and rollerblades. Seven winners were announced at the fair and each one received a new bicycle, compliments of New York State Corrections Officers Police Benevolent Association. Thirty-seven children won new bicycle helmets. Bicycle winners are: Makayla Cox of Dansville, Parker Cole of Geneseo, Molly Foresman of St. Agnes School, Mackenzie Johnson of Holy Family School, Danielle Dean of Dalton Elementary School, Jackson Gaylord of Manor School and Cory Fair of Honeoye Falls-Lima School. The Cornell Cooperative Extension and local, county and state police officers are working in force to drive home the safety message to parents and kids. On April 26 they held a car seat safety check at the Caledonia Fire Hall. Four-year old Riley Williams understands it. He needs to be properly restrained in an approved child passenger safety seat whenever he rides in a motor vehicle. Scott Williams, Riley’s father, brought his son and his car seat to the Caledonia Fire Hall on Saturday, April 19 for a free safety inspection conducted by state and local law enforcement. Riley explained to New York State Trooper Mike Page that his dad’s car was in an accident. He was not in the car at the time of the accident but his car seat was. His father wanted the car seat checked out for safety. Trooper Page explained that the car seat would no longer pass the safety check because it had been in an accident. He issued a new child safety passenger seat to Scott and Riley Williams and demonstrated how to properly install in the back seat of the vehicle and how to adjust the straps. "I got a new car seat because my old one was in an accident," young Riley explained while proudly wearing Page’s Stetson. Page says that any child safety seat that is six years old or more or has been involved in motor vehicle accident, is no longer considered safe and should be replaced. Also, seats with no history or labeling such as those obtained at yard sales, do not meet safety standards. If a seat is deemed unsafe at an inspection, it must be replaced on the spot, Page explained. New child passenger safety seats were made available through a state grant. "We cannot allow a child to leave an inspection in an unsafe child passenger seat," he said. Webster said the law is not clear regarding the guidelines for using a child safety restraint seat. "It’s a combination of the child’s size and age, the make and model of the vehicle and how the child fits in the seat," Webster explained. Some children over the age of six can fit safely in the back seat of a vehicle with a seat belt while others may still be too small for the seat belt to work safely and effectively in an accident, she said. Agencies in the county will continue to combine their efforts and hold safety events like these in many different communities during the summer months to drive home the safety message to parents and kids.
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