Hot News

Buckle Bear Came to Town!!  A special friend visited each local Head Start in February with a very important message for all kids and adults; to buckle up.  The children learned how to be “Buckle up Helpers”, and how to ride safely in the car and on the bus.  The children listened to a very important story about riding in their booster seats and using their seat belts.  After the story each child received a teddy bear to help remind them to buckle up while riding in the car.  The highlight of the day was having the children’s special friend Buckle Bear greet the children and encourage their proper use of booster seats and seat belts.  The Head Start children have a very important message for all parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and friends: “I love you, buckle up”!  Ride Safe Program by Ho-Chunk Nation Office of Environmental Health

 

11/10/06 an annual WCPSA meeting was held at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton , WI.   After the WCPSA meeting, WI CPS Instructors met to discuss certification and training issues. MEETING MINUTES

 

What is new in CPS 2006? - Sherri Faust demonstrated features on the new child restraints while Beth Kindschi shared a wealth of knowledge on the new car seats. Other issues discussed included regulation changes, the WI child passenger safety law was reviewed, AAP recommendations.
Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry presented her platform issue:  Building Intolerance to Drunk Driving.  She shared a story of losing a friend in high school to drunk driving.
	Signatures were collected in support of a petition to NHTSA to remove the sunset clause in FMVSS 208 allowing manufacturers to stop providing the lockability features of safety seating positions with lower LATCH anchors.  It is a matter of urgency, as the lead time for vehicle design changes in very long.  Over 50 conference participants signed the petition.

Wisconsin CPS Instructors Recognized

All Wisconsin CPS Instructors were recognized at the 32nd Annual Governor’s Conference on

Highway Safety by Major Dan Lonsdorf, Director Bureau of Transportation Safety in Madison 8/06,

and received a recognition plaque. 

The recognition was to show appreciation for their dedication to

child passenger safety, time spent training advocates and educating parents.

Pictured above:  left to right Lisa Ebert, Patti Dickey, Justine Lodl,

Beth Kindschi, Amy Martin, Sherri Faust, Kevin Olin, Matt Alt, Lisa Voss, Paula Silha,& Kathi Hegranes.

Not available for photo: Eric Campbell, Bridget Clementi, Pam Ebel, Joan German,

Kristen Hecht, Jane Howard, Jamie Kessenich, Don Kimlicka, Lori Klatt, John Parenteau,

Maureen Pilsner, Melissa Potocki, Pete Supple, and Dean Wilde.

The Beth Kindschi CPS advocate award is named in honor of lead instructor,

Beth Kindschi of Monroe, WI  a long time advocate & leader in CPS.

This award recognizes the cornerstone of successful child passenger safety efforts in an individual of Wisconsin.  One individual is recognized annually for their outstanding communication skills, creativity, legislative efforts, ethics, mentoring, and dedication to the concept of protecting children from transportation injuries or death. 

This year’s recipient is known for her dedication, passion and long time commitment to CPS.

She is a wife, a mom, a CPS technician, an instructor and a volunteer at local events in her community.

She can be seen checking car seats one day, and dressed as buckle bear or crash helmet the next.

She has been a passenger safety educator at Dean Foundation for 19 years.

Congratulations Sherri Faust, Dean Foundation– Madison, WI.

Pictured above left to right:  Beth Kindschi, Kareen Everman, Patti Dickey & Sherri Faust.

People who shine award

Bridget Clementi, Tim Cordon, MD and Nan Peterson played an instrumental role in getting legislation passed that has upgraded Wisconsin’s child passenger safety law.  They spent numerous hours testifying before committees, making phone calls to various advocates, and contacting key legislators to get them to vote in favor of these bills.

Once the bills were passed and signed by the Governor, they have continued to provide education and information to the public about the changes in the child passengers law.  They have been interviewed by television and radio stations on these changes and have demonstrated correct use of child safety seats that will enable the public to comply with the law.

The impact of their efforts in getting this law changed will have an impact on saving children’s lives and assisting parents in the proper use of child restraints in Wisconsin for years to come.

Legislation Immunity from Civil Liability

SENATE BILL 608(Link)                                   
An Act to create 66.0602 (3) (h) of the statutes; relating to: creating
an exception to the local levy limits for amounts assessed by a joint
fire department. (FE)
2006
04-06.  S. Introduced by Senator Darling; cosponsored by
                Representatives Gielow and Wasserman.
   04-06.  S. Read first time and referred to committee on Veterans,
                Homeland Security, Military Affairs, Small Business
                and Government Reform  .................... 767

	    05ACT322 Child Seat Immunity (Link)

Many CPS advocates made the journey to UW Children's hospital

in Madison to watch Governor Doyle sign the CPS improvement bill

into law.  Senator Carol Roessler, writer of the senate bill and

Representative Jerry Petrowski, writer of the assembly bill

were both present and said a few words to the group. 

Bridget Clementi, Representative Jerry Petrowski, Governor Doyle, and
Senator Carol Roessler

Many CPS advocates attended the bill signing

Major Daniel Lonsdorf summary of WI ACT 106 (CPS improvement law

WISCONSIN ACT 106 – Formally Assembly Bill 618

Wisconsin’s New Child Booster Seat Law

By:  WisDOT/DSP, Bureau of Transportation Safety, BOTS

Background Scope:

·        A total of 3,082 child restraint citations were posted to driving records in 2005

·        In the past five years, 53 kids, ages 0-8 were killed in Wisconsin from M/V crashes

·        Another 8,207 were injured over that same period

·        Of those killed, 30% were unbelted and 59% were either unbelted, or protected only by a seat belt

General Provisions:

·        The law goes into effect on June 1st

·        The 6-month written warning grace period for any child passenger violations under 347.48(4) will last until the end of the sixth month (December, 2006)

·        Citations may be issued starting in January of 2007

·        Warnings issued during the grace period shall be sent to DMV

·        Second and subsequent violations during the grace period are citable

Core Provisions:

·        In basic terms, kids must be in a car seat until they reach age 4 (not new)

·        And in a booster seat until they reach age 8 (new)

·        Tiered Structure (all new):

-less than 1 year old, or less than 20 lbs. must be in a rear-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)

-age 1+ up to age 4, or less than 40 lbs. must be in a forward-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)

-age 4 until they reach age 8, between 40-80 lbs. and no more than 4 ft 9 ins. must be in a booster seat

·        The fines remain the same, although tiered for ages 0-4 and ages 4-8

Exemptions:

·        The exemption allowing temporary removal of a child from a restraint to attend to personal needs has been removed

·        The exemption for drivers who 'reasonably believe their passengers are restrained' under 347.48(2m)(c) has been removed

·        The exemption for physical, medical, or body size condition still applies to booster seats & seat belts

·        UW Children's Hospital reports the average height for an 8-year old is 4 feet 1 inch tall and on average, 45 lbs., so some latitude is built in

Legislative Intent:

·        Emphasis should be on education of parents and the public, not enforcement

·        While exact weights and heights of children may not be readily accessible, officer-discretion remains a viable option

·        Police should emphasize the bill's intention to establish guidelines for parents to follow in order to maximize the protection of all children

·        Consider the bill an opportunity for a 'teachable moment'

Federal Funding Eligibility:

·        Wisconsin will be eligible for approximately $625,000 in federal incentive funding from passing this qualifying legislation

·        Similar funding will be included in each of the following three years for a estimated total of $2.5 Million

·        Funding will be used to educate and train the public along with a portion dedicated to purchasing booster seats for low-income families

·        Qualifying booster seats cost generally between $15 - $75, depending on the model

·        The federal incentive funding will be managed by BOTS utilizing existing child safety vendors across the State

·        Booster seat distribution will likely be provided by these vendors to those who successfully complete the usage educational programs

·        Education and outreach has already begun, booster seat distributions will be available sometime in mid-2006

·        BOTS will publish and distribute educational material targeted to three sectors; parents, law enforcement, and the general public

Change to State’s Mandatory Seat Belt Law:

·        This act removed the "not more than 15-years old" provision of 347.48(2m)(c) now compelling any driver in violation for all unbelted passengers in their vehicle, regardless of age

·        Under this provision, drivers may be cited for permitting unbelted passengers of any age in their vehicle

·        Outreach about this provision should be emphasized especially toward teen drivers

Questions:

·        Questions about booster seats can be addressed @ www.BoosterSeat.gov

Or, specific questions about child seats/booster seats can be most expeditiously handled by WINS (Wisconsin Information Network for Safety) at their toll-free number -- 1-866-511-9467

Antigo, WI  - Our fitting station was a huge success!  The radio station
was there for a live broadcast and they advertised on it throughout the day
and again today. Majority of the people stated they heard it on the radio
and newspaper. We did 17 car seats and were busy from 3 right up to 6 p.m.
We had free cotton candy (which was fun to make!) and Buckle Bear was a
hit!  We had 10 techs there helping out. If you look in the picture in the front row left
to right: Tasha Hotchkiss, Jenny Gretzinger, Jamie Lenzner, Corey Smith.
Back row left to right: Donna Yarie, Katie Meyer, Sheila Rine, Sherri
Parsons, Buckle Bear, Laura Meverden, Mary LeMere, Ron Pizl.

Thanks Sheila Rine

CPS tech immunity bill passes in Assembly Judiciary

EXECUTIVE ACTION BY ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
AB-376. Immunity from civil liability for providing safety services
related to the inspection and installation of child safety restraint
systems in motor vehicles. Passage recommended 7-1.
SB-386. Immunity from civil liability for providing safety services
related to the inspection and installation of child safety restraint
systems in motor vehicles. Passage recommended 7-1.

A car seat check up event was held at Other Mother's in Stevens Point, WI in August.
 

Check up event on April 20, 2005 at the EJ Salentine dealership in Muskego, WI.
 

On 1/24/05 CPS instructors and Coordinators traveled from all over WI to meet in DeForest, WI and discussed CPS issues.  Re-certification was a major topic and ideas were discussed as to how to maintain our current technicians.  It was proposed to have a 8 refresher classes around the state with a car seat event to verify seats checked."   Wisconsin Legislation & Booster seats These are links to three peer-reviewed articles in the current Wisconsin Medical Journal.  Below the links, is a copy of a related news story about a Wisconsin bill to improve child occupant protection legislation.  It appeared in The Capital Times Web Edition. Analysis of Booster Seat and Seat Belt Use: How Many Wisconsin Childhood Deaths and Hospitalizations Could Have Been Prevented in 1998-2002 Timothy E. Corden, MD http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/uploads/wmj/CordenSA.pdf Give Wisconsin Children a Boost Lisa A. Uherick, MD; Marlene D. Melzer-Lange, MD; Sarah E. Pierce, BS http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/uploads/wmj/Uherick.pdf Improving Awareness and Use of Booster Seats in Head Start Families Sarah E. Pierce, BS; Malon P. Mundt, MS; Nan M. Peterson, RN, MS; Murray L. Katcher, MD, PhD http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/uploads/wmj/ACF35.pdf