October 31, 2019 (Aspen Hill Inspection Station) – During a
routine car seat appointment at the Safe Kids Inspection Station in Aspen Hill,
technician Master Firefighter Ian St. John with Fire and Rescue Service discovered a potential serious problem
with a car seat. During the visit, the parent asked the technician about rotating the rear-facing seat to a forward-facing position for her 3-year-old child. However, the child weighed 25 pounds and, although this car seat allows children weighing 22 pounds to go forward-facing, the technician advised the parent that given the child’s lower weight, it was better to keep the child rear-facing. The parent agreed and taking advantage of the car seat being out of the car, the technician decided to vacuum the car seat.
While the car seat was being cleaned, the technician noticed that the shoulder harness straps were twisted. As the harness straps were being readjusted, the technician noticed a hesitation when the harness strap was pulled. Tracing the problem through the pathways of the car seat harness system, the technician found a cut and frayed harness strap. The cut was found in an area not usually seen and was only found by extending the straps completely during the inspection.
Frayed and/or cut harness straps can be dangerous because fraying could cause the harness strap to break. If the straps break, the car seat is inoperable. In a crash, the straps could break and lead to a serious injury.
In this case, the technician advised the parent that the
frayed harness rendered the car seat inoperable. The parent ordered a new car seat online and
was provided a loaner car seat until the new one arrived.
Just another instance of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Car Seat Program working with caregivers in a partnership of safety.
For more information or to get your car seat(s) inspected, please call 240-777-2223 or check us out at:
Just another instance of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Car Seat Program working with caregivers in a partnership of safety.
For more information or to get your car seat(s) inspected, please call 240-777-2223 or check us out at:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcfrs-info/tips/parents/carseats.html
For online appointments click below:
https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/FRSCarSeat/
For online appointments click below:
https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/FRSCarSeat/