Certification Web Site

SAFE KIDS has completed a document entitled "Major SAFE KIDS Certification Accomplishments: 2004", which details SAFE KIDS' first yearas the certifying body. It is available on the Web site under “About: History of the program.”

Many of you have tried the online demonstration test, which may be found in the resources section of our Web site. Remember, it is meant to allow you to try out the online testing system, not test your knowledge!

Re-certification Reminders

You may log your seat check activity at any time during your certification period.

Once your seat checks are logged and verified, you may register (and take the online exam) up to four months before your certification expiration date. If you are an instructor, you must have 20 teaching hours logged before you can register.

Don't wait until the last minute and risk missing the deadline to re-certify!

New Forms

The Instructor Candidacy Required Documentation Form has been updated and simplified. We encourage any technician who is interested in becoming an instructor to review the policies and procedures, which may be found under “Policies: Instructor Candidacy. The Instructor Candidacy evaluation has been updated and is available in the forms section of the web site. The new evaluation form emphasizes documentation of daily feedback and review.

Correction Resources (2/2/2004 edition)

The Riley Hospital CPS special needs program name is the National Center for Transportation of Children with Special Needs. They may be reached toll-free at 1-800-755-0912.

Teaching Hours

Please contact Customer Service and check your teaching hours!

If you need toapplyhours taught during your certification cycle but before March 2004, send an e-mail to Kerry Chausmer with the following:

• Your name
• Certification ID number
• Course dates
• Course locations
• Lead Instructors
• Number of hours taught hands-on
• Number of hours mentored

Please do not send agendas!

We are starting a new section of this newsletter highlighting trivia and facts about child passenger safety. Please submit your ideas to Kerry Chausmer. Be sure to include how you would like your name to appear.

Answers for the following questions may be found at the end of this edition of the CPS Express!

1. What does it mean to have a tether attached "Swedish style"?
   -- Submitted by Johanna Lanier (Superior HealthPlan, Austin, Texas)
   
2. How much force is used to test lightweight locking latchplates?
   -- Submitted by Mike James (Huntsville, Ala.)
   

Share Your Knowledge!

Have you participated in a really good class? Do you have a unique idea to keep folks involved?

Help your fellow technicians and instructors by sharing your CPS training tips and programs! Submit your ideas to Kerry Chausmer. Be sure to include how you would like your name and agency (if applicable) to appear, and keep it to 200 words or less.

I am the coordinator of the car seat program for Northwest Fire District. I recently received a grant from Wal-mart to purchase a car seat simulator to teach parents how to correctly install car seats. The simulator has all the seat belts used in cars and the LATCH system. This training aid gives the "hands on" practice in the classroom. The simulator was purchased through SCI Automotive Safety Division.

-- Submitted by Veronica Rubio (Tucson, Ariz.)

I recently took over the position of child safety seat coordinator for the Phoenix Police Department. One of my ideas was to write an e-mail newsletter for our employees called the Back Seat Tattler. It follows the same outline as the CPS Express, except it is for local events and lists the department’s technicians and work locations so everybody can call other technicians for help or questions.

I try to keep it short so as not to lose their interest and I use items from CPS Express and from Safe Kids to keep our people up to date.

-- Submitted by Richard Hyde (Phoenix, Ariz.)

What Steps Has Your State Taken to Re-certify Your CPS Technicians?

Eleven Child Passenger SafetyTechnician Educator Update Classes were held throughout Georgia. [NOTE: Course not provided or approved by the CPS Certification program.]

During the classes, CPS technicians were provided with updated information on CPS practices, technology changes and the new online re-certification process. Each student was given the opportunity to complete hands-on child safety seat installation skills testing. During these training sessions, classroom Internet access was utilized to allow each participant the opportunity to log on to the SAFE KIDS website, update their personal profile, enter their five seat installations and install these for an instructor. Additional assistance was provided for those attending the class that did not have their User ID/Password. A call was placed to SAFE KIDS Customer Service to obtain this information for the CPS Technician to access the system during the class.

Over 200 CPS technicians have already started their re-certification by logging seat activity, had hands-on practice with the SAFE KIDS Web site, and reviewed CPS practices and knowledge of the resources that are available in Georgia to assist with their CPS questions. These classes were possible due to the collaborative partnership of Georgia SAFE KIDS; Department of Human Resources, Injury Prevention Section; and The University of Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute. As more CPS technicians and agencies request the class, additional trainings will be scheduled.

Some comments received from the CPS technicians that attend the classes were:

1. Be more diligent in referring to the child safety seat and vehicle owner’s manual for use and installation instructions.
2. Child safety seats can move up to one inch forward and side-to-side.
3. Be a CPS educator and not an installer.
4. We felt more comfortable with the re-certification process and hands-on website access.
5. We need to attend this class every year for CPS updates.
   

-- Submitted by: Sharon Conrad, CPST Instructor
Public Health Educator
Georgia's Division of Pubic Health Injury Prevention Section

NOTE: This refresher-type course is not a part of the the CPS Certification Program.

The University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center maintains a recall listcovering child restraints manufactured after January 1981 (when federal standards first required crash testing). This list is formatted in a relatively compact format without much detail, but does serve to indicate if a particular model has been recalled.

This list is also availablein the resources section of the CPS certification Web site.

When I tried to register for re-certification, I received a message that said my certification was current. I am within four months of my expiration date, so what does this mean?

Above is a screenshot of the default error message you may receive when registering for re-certification online. If you see this message, it means that one or more of the following are preventing you from being eligible for re-certification:

1. Your certification has already expired.
2. Your certification expiration date is more than four months away.
3. Your required seat checks are not logged and/or verified in the system.
4. For instructors, you do not have at least 20 teaching hours logged into the system. Please call Customer Service to check on your hours.

If you have hours taught during your certification cycle that occurred before March 2004, please fax to 202-393-2072 a list with course dates, locations, names of the Lead Instructors, your name and certification number, the number of hours taught and the number of hours as a mentor. Please do not send agendas.

If you meet the re-certification qualifications listed above and continue to get this screen, please contact Customer Service toll-free at 877-366-8154.

1. What does it mean to have a tether attached "Swedish style"?
   
   The tether is anchored toward the front of the vehicle.
   
   Answer may be found on page 17 of the Safe Ride News publication “Tethering hild Restraints: Including LATCH.”
   
2. How much force is used to test lightweight locking latchplates?
   
   50 pounds.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Contact us at:

SAFE KIDS
CPS Certification
1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004

Phone: 877-366-8154 (toll free)
Fax: 202-393-2072
cps.certification@safekids.org