Transportation & Land Use

Safe Kids Maine

Program Description

Safe Kids Maine provides outreach and safety information to the public. The mission of Safe Kids Maine is the same as Safe Kids Worldwide (SKWW): to prevent unintentional childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under.

SKWW provides funding, technical, legal and marketing support to Safe Kids Coalitions worldwide. Safe Kids Maine is governed by representatives from safety organizations, the medical community, education, human services, law enforcement, and safety specialists.

The Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) is the lead organization for Safe Kids Maine and helps with fundraising, financial oversight, program administration and office space.

Funding
Funding is provided by Safe Kids Worldwide, state and federal agencies, and other private sources.

Staffing
Staci Fortunato, Safe Kids Maine Program Director (sfortunato@gpcog.org)

 

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Programs

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of childhood injury and death.  The primary focus of Safe Kids Maine is child passenger safety (CPS).  Additional program areas include bicycle helmet safety and rail safety.

Car Seat Inspection Stations

Click here to find the car seat inspection station near you.   Certified CPS Technicians can help you learn how to properly secure your child passengers. Maine Car Seat Inspection Stations are sponsored by the DHHS.

For further information contact:
Betty Mason, Maine CPS Coordinator
1-800-698-3624, Ext. 4288
or
207-287-4288

 

 

 

 

Child Passenger Safety Exhibits and Workshops

A variety of exhibit tables and awareness workshops are conducted in collaboration with health and safety fairs as well as parent  groups and other formats to raise awareness about child passenger safety.

Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification Class

In partnership with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (formerly the Bureau of Health), Injury Prevention Program, four Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification Classes are conducted throughout the state each year.  A Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician has the knowledge and skills necessary to assist families with the proper installation of car seats in their vehicle.  Each course is 32 hours over four or five days, using a curriculum developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To find a CPS class click here.

Child Passenger Safety Technical Update

Child Passenger Safety is an ever-changing field.  To help keep Child Passenger Safety Technicians current and up-to-date, Safe Kids Maine in collaboration with the Maine Injury Prevention Program conducts annual Technical Update classes.  These classes provide valuable CEUs (Continuing Education Units) required for recertification. 

Transporting Children Safely in Child Care

Safe Kids Maine contracts with the Maine Office of Child Care and Head Start to teach classes to licensed child care providers in Maine who transport children. "Transporting Children Safely in Child Care" is a four-hour class coordinated through Maine’s Resource Development Centers (RDCs).

Program Partners & Sponsors

AAA - Northern New England

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

General Motors/Chevrolet

Quirk Chevrolet - Portland

Maine EMS

Maine Bureau of Highway Safety

Maine Department of Health & Human Services

Maine Department of Transportation

Safe Kids Worldwide

State Farm Insurance

Event Partners & Sponsors

Auburn Police Department

Babies R Us

Barbara Bush Children's Hospital

Central Maine Medical Center

Central Maine Motors

Child Safety Solutions, Inc.

Falmouth Fire-EMS Department

Fuller Auto Mall

GHM Insurance Agency

Kiwanis - Rockland

Maine ENA

MaineGeneral Health

Maine Medical Center

Martin's Point Health Care

PenBay Medical Center

Windham Fire-Rescue Department

YMCA - Penobscot Bay

 

... and donations from appreciative parents!!