A Good Day in Mason for Injury Prevention
Beth Ann Scarth, RN
Wesley Nurse, First United Methodist Church
Mason, Texas
Children are near and dear to the hearts of so many. The prospect of harm or injury to a child can transform a seemingly tame parent into a ferocious lion. Upholding the safety and protection of children is the driving force for Kristy Powell, County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences of Mason County, and me.
For the second time this year, Kristy and I partnered to bring a Texans in Motion Car Seat Safety Inspection event to Mason, Texas. Part of Scott & White Healthcare, Texans in Motion Seat Safety program provides certified technicians to offer consumer and public education initiatives.
On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, at the First United Methodist Church, Leslie Stark, CPSTI, Project Coordinator with Texans in Motion, and Sherri Cabrera educated parents, grandparents and guardians on child passenger safety. Car seats were inspected for proper installation as well as general wear and tear. Car seats that were found to be outdated or not meeting the child safety seat standards were replaced. Parents and caregivers attended the event with their children so all could actively participate in the installation of the car seats or booster seats and learn of the perils of improper use.
In all, 32 participants received instruction and a total of 18 child safety seats were provided by Texans in Motion Car Seat Safety program.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 9,000 children and adolescents, from birth to 19, died from unintentional injuries in the United States in 2009 with motor vehicle crashes listed as the number one preventable child injury. Car seats were noted to be either installed incorrectly or used incorrectly or not at all. One of my hopes serving as part of MHM’s Wesley Nurse Health Ministries™ program is to play a small, but significant part in the safety and protection of our children.
