Winter Car Seat Safety Tips

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Wearing bulky clothes or winter coats can prevent a snug fit of the harness. You might think your child is securely snug in the seat when in fact the harness is not tight because there is so much air in the jacket. As a general rule, bulky clothing, including winter coats and snowsuits, should not be worn underneath the harness of a car seat. 

In a car crash, fluffy padding immediately flattens out from the force, leaving extra space under the harness. A child can then slip through the straps and be thrown from the seat.

These tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will help parents strike that perfect balance between keeping little ones warm as well as safely buckled in their car seats.

How to Keep Your Child Warm and Safe in the Car Seat:

(Note: The tips below are appropriate for all ages.)

• Store the carrier portion of infant seats inside the house when not in use. Keeping the seat at room temperature will reduce the loss of the child's body heat in the car.
• Dress your child in thin layers. Start with close-fitting layers on the bottom, like tights, leggings, and long-sleeved bodysuits. Then add pants and a warmer top, like a sweater or thermal-knit shirt. Your child can wear a thin fleece jacket over the top. In very cold weather, long underwear is also a warm and safe layering option. As a general rule of thumb, infants should wear one more layer than adults. If you have a hat and a coat on, your infant will probably need a hat, coat, and blanket.
• Don't forget hats, mittens, and socks or booties. These help keep kids warm without interfering with car seat straps. If your child is a thumb sucker, consider half-gloves with open fingers or keep an extra pair or two of mittens handy — once they get wet, they'll make your child colder rather than warmer.
• Tighten the straps of the car seat harness. Even if your child looks snuggly bundled up in the car seat, multiple layers may make it difficult to tighten the harness enough. If you can pinch the straps of the car seat harness, then it needs to be tightened to fit snugly against your child's chest.  
• Use a coat or blanket over the straps. You can add a blanket over the top of the harness straps or put your child's winter coat on backwards (over the buckled harness straps) after he or she is buckled up. Keep in mind that the top layer should be removable, so your baby doesn't get too hot after the car warms up.
• Use a car seat cover ONLY if it does not have a layer under the baby. Nothing should ever go underneath your child's body or between her body and the harness straps. Be sure to leave baby's face uncovered to avoid trapped air and re-breathing. Many retailers carry car seat bundling products that are not safe to use in a car seat. Just because it's on the shelf at the store does not mean it is safe!
• Remember, if the item did not come with the car seat, it has not been crash-tested and may interfere with the protection provided in a crash. Never use sleeping bag inserts or other stroller accessories in the car seat.
• Pack an emergency bag for your car. Keep extra blankets, dry clothing, hats and gloves, and non-perishable snacks in your car in case of an on-road emergency or your child gets wet on a winter outing.

To schedule a video car seat assistance appointment and to view a list of car seat resources, visit us online at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcsafe or

email us at fire.carseatsafetyprogram@montgomerycountymd.gov 

Safety First: The Dangers of Windows

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Fact: Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries in children less than 14 years of age. More than 80% of fall-related injuries among children ages 4 and under occur in the home.

You've child-proofed your home room-by-room. You've check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. You've covered all electrical outlets and you've even mastered how to install your car seat. But there is one potential hazard you may have missed or underestimated. As cooler weather arrives and people are opening their windows again, be aware of young children who may have access to windows -- and not just in high rise buildings. Many falls occur from modest heights. 

Windows play a vital role in home safety, serving as a secondary escape route in the event of a fire or other emergency, but they also pose a risk for a fall if safety measures are not followed. While most windows have screens, they are not designed to provide protection to keep a child safe.  Prevent window-related injuries in the home:

• Never rely on window screens to keep children from falling out of windows. A screen is not a safety device. It is designed to keep insects out, not to keep children in.
• Keep furniture such as sofas, beds and dressers away from windows. This will discourage children from climbing near any windows.
• Keep windows closed and locked when they are not being used.
• When windows are open for ventilation, take advantage of all safety features. If possible, open windows from the top and not the bottom if you have double-hung windows – the kind that can open down from the top as well as up from the bottom.
• Install safety devices such as window guards or window stops to help prevent falls.
• Remind grandparents and other caregivers about window safety.
• Always supervise children and keep their play area (or "home school" area) away from windows.

Toddlers are top-heavy. Their heads are bigger in proportion to the rest of their body than adults.This means they are more likely to fall head first, injuring their skull and brain upon impact. Window falls can happen quickly and, in some cases, be deadly. 

• If you see that a child has fallen out of a window and is lying on the ground not moving, do not move them. Call 911 and wait for emergency responders.
• Seek medical attention after a window fall, even if your child appears to have no injuries. 

Did someone say "Virtual Car Seat Check?'

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In mid-March we suspended all in-person car seat checks to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Like many other services, our resources went online. We began to offer virtual car seat checks in late March and continue to offer this service.

The Covid pandemic has upended almost all facets of our lives. Still, babies are being born and parents, grandparents, and other caregivers continue to need to transport kids in vehicles safely. To that end, MCFRS’ Car Seat Program has had to modify the way we provide caregivers with child passenger safety resources. Our goal continues to be to provide high quality, relevant, and timely child passenger safety assistance to all caregivers in need.

Virtual Car Seat Assistance

Our virtual car seat check appointments mirror what we would do during a regular in-person car seat check. We verify that the seats are not expired and operational. If the caregivers have already installed the seat, we take the necessary steps to ensure that the car seat is installed correctly. If it is not, we will walk the caregiver through the steps to correctly install the car seat. If the caregiver has not installed the seat, we provide step by step instructions. We always have our computers open to that car seat’s instruction manual as a reference and we have a demonstration car seat to provide guidance on our end of the video.

Once the car seat is correctly installed, we review the features of that specific car seat and we demonstrate how to correctly harness a child into the car seat using our demonstration seats and dolls. We also take the time to answer all questions that the caregiver may have. As with in-person car seat checks, our goal at the end of the virtual appointment is to make the caregiver feel comfortable and confident using their car seat and that all their questions have been addressed. To schedule a virtual car seat appointment with us, visit .

However, MCFRS is not the only program to offer virtual car seat appointments. Most car seat manufacturers have begun offering virtual appointments to assist that families that bought that manufacturer’s car seat. Maryland Kids in Safety Seats, a statewide program, also provides virtual car seat appointments as does the Fitzgerald Auto Mall group.

Telephone Assistance

MCFRS’ car seat program continues to offer assistance via phone.  If you have any questions related to car seats such as when to move you child from one stage of car seats to the next or if you feel that a part of the car seat is not functioning properly or not correctly installed, give us a call. Need to schedule a virtual car seat appointment?  Call us at 240-777-2223 and we’ll gladly answer your questions.

Online Resources and Videos

We have also posted valuable resources and links to videos on our website. We provide links to videos on how to properly install car seat. There are many videos online, especially on YouTube, that offer guidance on how to install car seats but not all of them provide correct information. To address this, we have video links to reputable organizations. We also have links to other national car seat organizations and car seat manufacturers. In some cases, caregivers feel more comfortable going directly to the car seat manufacturer to address their questions or concerns and we provide those direct links. Visit our resources page: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcfrs-info/tips/parents/carseats.html.

Please remember to never leave a child alone in the car and always buckle up! Everyone, every ride. Stay safe and healthy.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS - Routes for June 26 (4 - 6 pm)

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What makes Montgomery County great is its community! We'll be mobilizing an important message during this week's Friday Night Lights to remind all our friends to please complete their 2020 Census. It takes less than 5 minutes and will have tremendous impact on funding for Montgomery County (and public safety) for the next DECADE! Can we count you in?

FRIENDLY REMINDER: While our crews are excited to see everyone, their first and foremost job is responding to emergencies. Because of this, we would ask that you please be understanding as firefighter crews may need to alter, delay or cancel their routes.

How do I find out if MCFRS will be visiting my neighborhood this week?

Below please find a listing of the communities and streets that we plan to visit on June 26th.  Find your color-coded "Battalion" on the map and check out the list below.

Please Note:We will not be able to drive through every Montgomery County neighborhood or down every street, but will do our best to make it to as many areas as possible. MCFRS crews will remain in service to respond to emergencies, so may get pulled away to respond to calls. Please be alert to this. Thank you for adhering to social distancing guidelines and do not approach the fire trucks or equipment as they drive by. We can’t wait to see you … from 6 feet away. Please be sure to check your smoke alarms and there’s never been a better (or more important) time to have a home fire drill! 

Battalion 1 - Neighborhoods

• Unit Blk of Dale Dr. to 700 Blk of Dale Dr, then 500 Blk of Ellsworth 800 Blk of Ellsworth Dr.
• Ethan Allen Ave, Prince George's Ave, Woodland Ave, and Sycamore Ave
• Mcknew Rd and Cedar Tree Dr Neighborhood
• Northwood Park
• Montgomery Hills Neighborhood - Seminary Rd to Hale St, Osborn Dr, Warren, Westview Dr., Riley Rd, 2nd Ave, Linden Ln, Monroe St

Battalion 2 - Neighborhoods

• Glenbrook Rd; Bettery Ln; Wilson Ln; Exeter Rd; Fairfax Rd; Moorland Ln; Del Ray Ave; Cordell Ave; Edgemoor Ln; Woodmont Ave; Hampden Ln; and Arlington Rd.
• Preston Pl. Leland St. Blackthorn St. Woodbine St. 
• Mirriam st, Barlow End, Winsome Circle Neighborhood at end of Grovensor Lane
• Stanmore neighborhood (Stanmore Dr to Pleasant Hill Dr to Belmart Dr to Brickyard Rd, including all side streets)

Battalion 3 - Neighborhoods

• Travis Ave. and all Croos Streets 
• Farmhaven Drive neighborhood and Rollins Avenue neighborhood between Evelyn Drive and Lorraine Drive
• Towne Crest Dr, Fairhaven Dr, Amity Dr (and side streets), Epsilon Dr (and side streets)
• Copen Meadow Dr, Carrington Hill Dr, Nursery Ln, McDonald Chapel Dr, Hillstone Rd, Orchard Dr, Seurat neighborhood
• Downtown Crown Neighborhood
• Marseille Dr. and various streets north to Tuckerman Lane

Battalion 4 - Neighborhoods

• Alexander Manor
• 4500 Blk Gaynor Road, 12400 Blk Dewey Road, 4500 Blk Furman Road, 12500 Blk Veirs Mill Road
• Emory Lane, Jasmine Dr, Carrolton Rd, Sunflower Dr, Red Clover Dr, Flower Valley Dr

Battalion 5 - Neighborhoods

• Little Bennett Dr and Little Bennett CT and neighborhoods.
• Rolling Fork Way; including the loops and courts that connect to it
• Cissel Manor Dr., Billek Ct., McKernon Way, Hackett Ct., Lewis Orchard Way
• Matteny Road from Rt. 118 to Clopper & Cinnamon Drive
• Crossridge dr, Ridgecrest dr, Stoneybottom rd, Gunnerfield la, and all side strr
• Milestone Manor Lane, Stardrift Drive, Emerald Drive, Royal Crown Drive and associated side streets 
• Shawnee Lane, Timbercreek Lane, Brook Point Way, Needle Drive, Dancrest Drive

IT'S OFFICIAL! Summer. Is. Here.

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Happy First Day of Summer! Fire Chief Scott E. Goldstein is launching the department's annual "Summer of Safety - Version 2020” campaign today! We know that the COVID19 summer ahead is going to be a lot different than previous summers and we're here to help as summer officially gets underway.  

Throughout the summer, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) will be providing key safety tips, information and activities to help keep families safe and we'll be providing fun "edu-tainment" activities for the kids! Follow along throughout the summer as we promote safer habits to help protect you, your children and your pets.

Fire Chief Goldstein’s campaign goal is to raise the collective "Safety IQ" of the community in a fun, interactive and engaging format. Follow us on social media for updated topics and stick with us all summer and see what you learn! You just might save a life... 

Are you in?