“So it’s more about what fits in that car and what fits that family’s life.”Īdditionally, a concern with being “extra safe” can negatively affect the chair’s performance in crashes. “There’s the safest place, but then mom might have two or three kids, and a car seat for each of those kids,” Montevideo elaborated. Seat placement can vary depending on the type of vehicle, the type of seat, the age of the child and how many car seats are being placed in the vehicle. Montevideo and Dietman recommend bringing both the seat’s owner’s manual and the child who will be using the seat to ensure correct installation. Properly installing the seat once it is checked is equally important. Some are a little bit longer some are five years, but they do expire.” “Typically they have about a six-year life. “A lot of people don’t know that car seats expire,” said Montevideo. Other important elements to check include whether or not the seat has an outstanding recall or if the seat has expired.

Once a car seat’s in a crash, it’s really no good anymore,” she explained. “Some people are buying them at garage sales and they don’t really know if it was in a crash. When inspecting, Montevideo said, knowing the history of the car seat is crucial. We come in after hours, we come in on weekends, whatever is convenient for the family,” Montevideo said.ĭietman and Montevideo go through a checklist to make sure the car seat is properly installed and up to specifications. Otherwise a lot of people call and just make an appointment. “If one of us is here, we’ll do it right then. Montevideo and Dietman are dedicated to helping families even if the appointment falls outside their regularly scheduled hours. To get their car seats inspected and installed, drivers can call the East Side Fire Station. Now, the pair work out of the garage at the SBFD. The two participated in a weeklong certification program in Green Bay through Safe Kids Worldwide, a global organization that works to reduce preventable injuries in children. Montevideo and Fire Chief Tim Dietman wanted to make car seat safety and support more readily accessible to members of the Door community. “The only technician at the time…was Jenny Austin of the State Patrol, who still currently does it.”Īs a State Patrol officer, Austin works throughout the state of Wisconsin, which limits her availability for Door County drivers. “There really wasn’t a technician in this area,” Assistant Fire Chief Kalin Montevideo explained.

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