Safety event promotes keeping people healthy and happy
Rockmart just got a tiny bit safer thanks to the efforts of the police, EMS, firefighters, and organizer Lisa Riley following an event they held this week to inform people about ways to keep them and their families happy and healthy.
Various booths were lined up the outside of Fulton’s Corner Shopping Center, and each offered safety tips and lessons to those who were interested during the July 12 event.
The police stayed busy offering free child car seat inspections, and those with bad ones were offered replacements. Three faulty seats were identified only halfway into the day.
“I think we’ve checked eight seats already and only had to replace three of them,” Sheriff Chief Deputy Jonathan Blackmon said.
The officers mentioned that it’s important to identify whether a car seat has been in a wreck before using it. The seats can also expire, and ensuring your child fits is imperative.
“We find out where they got it from,” Deputy Rachel Haddix said. “If they bought it at a yard-sale or a consignment, then they need to have it replaced because they don’t know if its ever been in a wreck. Looking to see if it’s expired. Checking the basic condition, and seeing if it fits the child.”
Overall, a car seat’s brand or price doesn’t matter. A safe seat is one that hasn’t been in a wreck and properly fits a child.
“They’re all crash-tested the same by the same federal safety standards,” Haddix said. “It doesn’t matter if you spend $5 on one or $500 on one- they’re all tested the same. You’re paying for looks is all it is.”
With hotter summers each year, the Rockmart Fire Department also set up to teach fire safety tips.
Whether it is faulty wiring or toying with matches, the group outlined some of the most common causes in avoidable fires.
“Playing with matches or smoking materials, make sure those are out of the way,” Sergeant Jonathan Knoll said. “Its summer so we have the burn ban, but if there is a fire make sure to have a water hose by. Fireworks in extremely dry times with low humidity and high winds feed the fire fast. Keeping your house in good electrical shape can prevent a lot of those fires.”
There were also tips on gun safety, drug safety, the new hands-free law, and much more. Free snow cones served to combat the hot day, and when the event ended at 4 p.m., Rockmart was a safer place.