To the Editor:

On Sept. 17, the Massena Fire Department hosted a Car Seat Checkup event during Child Passenger Safety Week. These events have been provided for several years as a community service by the North Country Child Passenger Coalition. On behalf of the Coalition, I wish to express our deepest gratitude for the consistent support of the Massena community in our efforts to help children ride more safely in vehicles.

First of all, we thank the entire staff of the Massena Fire Department, including current

Chief Tom Miller, former Chief Shawn Gray, members of the Fire Union, and cook Joe McCauley. They make it possible for us to provide a safe and successful event.

We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Massena Pizza Hut.

Managers Fred Kellison, Jamie Daggett, Dana Daggett, and Mike Bleau have been providing their awesome pizzas to sustain the volunteers through very busy afternoons.

We also send a special thanks to Ms. Tammy Rivera, who provides child care and “go-fer” assistance to make our checks safe and efficient.

The North Country Child Safety Coalition is composed of child passenger safety technicians who are certified by National Safe Kids to teach caregivers how to choose, use, and install the safest restraints for their children. During the past year we provided services for over 210 children. Of the seats we checked, only 15% were installed and used correctly.

Our Coalition would also like to thank the agencies that have maintained their commitment to the car seat programs. Seaway Valley Ambulance Service, the Village of Massena Police Department , the New York State Police, the Saint Regis Mohawk Health Services (including the Outreach Chronic Nursing Care Department) and the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program have consistently supported our efforts to prevent childhood deaths and injuries.

Funding for our car seat programs is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

More information about child passenger programs in the North Country can be found at www.safeny.ny.gov, or by calling the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program at 379-2306.

Mary Davison

For the North Country Child Safety Coalition