A minor notice to expectant and new parents seeking help from firefighters or other emergency workers in installing your car seat.Ahem.
Please seek this assistance PRIOR to bringing your new baby and the car seat to the firehouse.
Carrying the child on your lap in the passenger seat, I think, constitutes gross negligence. And on another note, not all emergency workers are trained in installing car seats. Unless one of them is a parent, they'll likely either read the instructions or refuse to help based on liability concerns.
Best bet is to do it when you buy it, then do it again.
Comments
Right column: http://www.safekids.org/certification/about.html
Until then, I'm sure it's totally cool to use a cooler, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii4T-O3FPGY
If the car seat has been involved in any wreck, it MUST be replaced (Britax seats are the only ones with a reuse checklist, and it has to be a tiny fender bender to qualify). I tell parents "the seat has done it's job, time for a new one". Also, the AAP recommends rear facing to the weight and height limits of the seat (my 2 year old is still rear facing)- its 500% safer on the head neck and spine. (lots of great "extended rearfacing" videos on youtube. Crash tests show the advantages very well). Ok, off my soapbox- thanks for the post though!