Winnipeg firefighters to stop inspecting child-safety seats in cars

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service will stop inspecting booster seats in cars next yeardue to a lack of resources, out-of-date information, complaints from parents and disinterest from former partners in the inspection program.

As of Dec. 31, the fire-paramedic service will end a child-safety car-seat inspection program it has run since the 1990swith St. JohnAmbulance and Manitoba Public Insurance, according to a report published by the city Thursday.

St. John Ambulance developed the course, the fire-paramedic service conducted the inspections and the data was reported to MPI, states the report authored by fire-paramedic assistant chief Mark Reshaur. ButSt. John Ambulance is withdrawing car-seat inspection programs across Canada.

• Top safety rating given to 13 new booster seats, only 1 rated 'not recommended'

"They no longer provide course content support, certification or instruction. The current inspection technician educational materials are significantly out of date. MPI has expressed a desire to transition from the current program to online-available customer education materials and education and awareness programming on demand," Reshaur writes in the report.

The fire-paramedic service also found it difficult to ensure enough staff were trained to conduct car-seat inspections at all of its stations, the report states.

"Throughout the year, designated stations are frequently without a trained inspection technician due to incidence response, illness, transfers, vacation and training. The WFPS has received complaints from members of the public who attended designated stations, only to find no one available to inspect their car seat," Reshaur writes.

Parents also showed up at fire-paramedic stations expecting to have car seats installed, not inspected, states the report, which said more money would have to be spent to continue the inspections.

"Discontinuation of this program will free up WFPSfire training and public education staff for other duties as well as contribute towards creating space in fire operations for new programs that are closer to core WFPS functions," Reshaur writes.

The report comes before council's protection committee on Monday.