Keeping kids safe

Butte County Public Health recently was awarded a one-year, $118,000 grant to fund local efforts to boost car-seat safety for children, according to a press release.

The Keeping Baby Safe Right From the Start grant, awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety, will help educate the public about a law set to go in effect on Jan. 1. It mandates that children under 2 years old must ride in a rear-facing car seat, unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.

“Children under the age of 2 are five times more likely to suffer a severe injury if they are forward-facing,” said Ann Dickman (pictured), the county’s public health nurse.

The funds also will be used to host monthly car-seat classes and checkup events and to train technicians to staff fitting stations throughout the county.