Kidsburgh Kidcast: Installing Car Seats

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Installing car seats can be one of the most frustrating parts of parenting young children, but using them properly is also one of the most important things you can do to keep your child safe.

Kristine Sorensen talks with AAA safety advisor Terri Rae Anthony about what parents need to know and how they can get help from experts.

Here's their edited conversation.

Kristine: "What's the first thing parents should do?"

Terri Rae: "You have to find the seat that fits the child. You go on the child's height and weight, and you want to be sure seat fits in your vehicle too. Get out your vehicle's owner's manual and find out how to install a car seat in your vehicle. Every vehicle is different, so instructions will be different for every vehicle. It's something that shouldn't just sit in your glove compartment — you have to get it out and use it while installing your seat."

Kristine: "Another manual you really need to use is the car seat manual, right?"

Terri Rae: "Correct. It will give you instructions on everything you need to know to use the car seat properly. It will answer questions you have and provide phone numbers for more help."

Kristine: "We hear about car seat recalls on the news a lot. What should parents know?"

Terri Rae: Parents should register their car seat. That way, the company will send a notice if there's a recall on how to fix the seat or have it replaced."

Kristine: "When should parents install the seat?"

Terri Rae: "If you are having a baby and are a first-time parent, you're going to want to go to a fitting station or someone who checks car seats to get a lesson on how to do it before you have the baby. A lot of people think these check-up events are installation events, but they really aren't. They're to teach parents how to install the seat themselves because chances are, you're going to be moving the seat, and you need to know how to do it yourself."

Here's a list from AAA of places to get your car seat checked and get help with teaching proper installation.

By Appointment Only:
AAA East Central
5900 Baum Blvd
Pittsburgh PA 15206
Phone: (412) 365-7211

By Appointment Only
Bellevue Fire Department
537 Bayne Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15202
Phone: (412) 766-7455

Lieutenant Jack Davin
North Versailles Police Department
1401 Greensburg Avenue
North Versailles PA 15137
Phone: (412) 823-1111
By appointment only

Officer Norm Locke
Borough of Green Tree Police Department
10 W. Manilla Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15220
Phone: (412) 921-8624
Please call to schedule an appointment
between 9:00am - 3:00pm weekdays.
*Green Tree residents only

Parkview EMS
200 South Margery Dr
Pittsburgh PA 15238
Phone: 412-449-1080
By appointment only

Sydney Hussar
City of Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS & Bureau of Police
Public Safety Fitting Station
220 22nd Street
Pittsburgh PA 15222
Phone: (412) 255-2450
Second & Fourth Monday's. Please call to schedule.

Penn Township Ambulance
1030 Sandy Hill Rd
Irwin PA 15642
Phone: 724-744-4112
By appointment

Cranberry Township EMS
20727 Route 19, Suite 51
Cranberry Township, PA 16066
Phone: (724) 776-4480. ext. 1911
Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10AM and 2PM
By appointment only

Peters Township Fire Department
245 East McMurray Road
McMurray, PA 15317
Phone: (724) 941-4176
By appointment only

Eastern Area Ambulance
192 11th Street
Turtle Creek, PA 15145
Phone: (412) 829-8155

Call for appointment
Alan Hitchen
Quality EMS
222 Brickyard Rd
Mars PA 16046
(724)625-6400
Contact person Dorothy Reismeyer
By appointment only

McCandless Franklin Park Ambulance Authority
9925 Grubbs Road
Wexford, PA, 15090
Phone: (412) 367-5883 *during normal business hours
2nd Wednesday 4pm to 6pm by appointment
Last Saturday 10 am to 2 pm by appointment
Mandy Cousins

Richland EMS
4009 Dickey Rd
Gibsonia PA 15044
(724)443-3030 ext. 2
Contact person Mandy Cousins
By appointment only

Medical Rescue Team South
315 Cypress Way
Pittsburgh PA 15228
Phone: (412) 343-5111
By appointment only
or Click Here

Ross West View EMS
5325 Perry Hwy
Pittsburgh, PA 17728
Phone: (412) 931-8200
Appointments by email only CPS@RWVEMS.ORG
Greg Porter gporter@rwvems.org
Scott Garing sgaring@rwvems.org mailto:sgaring@rwvems.org

Moon Twp Police Dept
1000 Beaver Grade Rd
Moon Township PA 15108
Phone: (412) 262-5000
By appointment only

Shaler EMS
339 Wetzel Road
Glenshaw, PA 15116
Phone: (412) 487-6590
By appointment only:
Call Tim Banyas

North Fayette Police Department
400 North Branch Road
Oakdale, PA 15071
Phone: (412) 787-8900
By appointment only
Phone: (412) 787-8900
Email: nfpdjew@north-fayette.com
Monday - Friday (6:00am - 2:00pm)
Officer John Walls
*residents only

Turtle Creek
125 Monroeville Ave,
Turtle Creek, PA 15145
Phone: (412) 823-1200
Call for Appointment:
Officer John McCaul

North Strabane Fire Department
2550 Washington Road
Canonsburg PA 15317
Phone: 724-745-1010
By appointment
Dave Fair: dfair@nstfd.org

West Deer Police Department
109 East Union Road
Cheswick PA 15024
Phone: (724) 265-1100
By appointment only
Officer Tim Burk