HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.8.21 For Immediate Release_ Public Health Awarded Grant for Child Safety Seat Education Program and Bicycle, Pedestrian Safety Education
From:Almaguer, Lisa
To:BOS; Cox, Erin; McSpadden, Elaine; Nicholas, Jodi; Putnam, Jodi; Soderstrom, Monica; Star, Nanette
Cc:York, Danette
Subject:For Immediate Release: Public Health Awarded Grant for Child Safety Seat Education Program and Bicycle,
Pedestrian Safety Education
Date:Monday, November 8, 2021 11:13:55 AM
Attachments:OTSCarSeatGrant.docx
OTSBikeGrant.docx
Good morning,
The Butte County Public Health Traffic Safety and Safe Routes to School Programs have been
awarded grants to continue safety education throughout the county. The attached press release
announcements will be issued shortly.
Thank you,
Lisa
Lisa Almaguer
Butte County Public Health
lalmaguer@buttecounty.net
http://www.buttecounty.net/publichealth/
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Public Health Department Danette York, M.P.H., Director
Prevention & Health Promotion Division - Chico
0 2491 Carmichael Drive, Ste 100 T: 530.895.6565
buttecounty.net/publichealth
Chico, California95928F: 530.891.2873
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 8 2021
Media Contact:
Rachel Phillips, Public Health Education Specialist: (707) 832-6715
Public Health Awarded Grant for Bicycle, Pedestrian Safety Education
BUTTE COUNTY, CA. – Butte County Public Health (BCPH) has been awarded a one-year “Bike and
Pedestrian Safety Program” grant for $77,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The grant will fund activities to promote
bike/pedestrian safety in Butte County.
In Butte County, between 2015-2020, 757 bicycle and pedestrian crashes were reported, resulting in 65 deaths
and 740 injuries. In 2018, Butte County was ranked 6th worst out of the 58 California counties for the number
th
of bicyclists killed or injured in a crash and 9 worst for the number who were under 15 years old. Additionally,
while California law mandates bicyclists under 18 to wear a helmet at all times, helmet use is low. For example,
in a recent observation conducted near downtown Chico, only about 30% of youth and adult bicyclists wore a
helmet.
This grant will fund activities promoting bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicle safety education and will be conducted
in partnership with schools and local community groups. Outreach events will include virtual classroom
presentations, distribution of helmet and safety equipment, bicycle rodeos, diversion programs for people cited
by law enforcement, and safety workshops. Education will also focus on increasing bike and pedestrian
awareness of laws.
The grant program will run through September 2022.
To learn more about the Butte County Pedestrian and Bike Safety Program and to find events near you, visit
the BCPH Pedestrian and Bike Safety page:
www.buttecounty.net/ph/Programs/InjuryPrevention/PedestrianBikeSafety
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
###
Public Health Department Danette York, M.P.H., Director
Prevention & Health Promotion Division - Chico
0 2491 Carmichael Drive, Ste 100 T: 530.895.6565
buttecounty.net/publichealth
Chico, California95928F: 530.891.2873
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November,8 2021
Media Contact:
Rachel Phillips, Public Health Education Specialist: (707) 832-6715
Public Health Awarded Grant for Child Safety Seat Education Program
BUTTE COUNTY, CA -- Butte County Public Health (BCPH) has been awarded a one-year Child
Passenger Safety grant for $153,000. The grant will enable BCPH to continue child passenger safety
educational activities and training opportunities throughout the County with the goal of preventing
childhood injury. The grant program will run through September 2022.
Motor vehicle (MV) crashes continue to be a leading cause of death for children and adolescents at
the national level. In 2019, Butte County data shows that approximately 9% of children involved in MV
crashes under the age of eightwere not properly secured in a car or booster seat and were only
utilizing a lap/shoulder belt, and 3% were not restrained at all. Additionally,26 children under the age
of eight were injured and 14 children between the ages of nine and twelve were injured. Tragically,
one MV related death was reported.
Wearing seat belts and properly buckling children into age- and size-appropriate car and booster
seats can reduce the risk for injury by 71-82% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Based
on inspections done by BCPH Child Passenger Safety Technicians, approximately 80-90% of car and
booster seats are used incorrectly in Butte County. A primary goal of the program is to equip families
in need with no-cost car seats and to provide high-quality training for individuals to become Child
Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST) to reduce MV childhood injury in Butte County.
Grant funded outreach and activities will include:
One-on-one appointments to inspect caregivers’ car seats.
Child safety seat inspection events and education classes.
Child safety seats at no-cost to families in need following education classes.
Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) certification and recertification courses.
Work with local organizations to train staff and promote child passenger safety education.
BCPH encourages parents and caregivers to take advantage of the grant funded services to ensure
child passenger safety. To locate a car seat fitting inspection station or to register for a car seat class,
please visit the Public Health Child Passenger Safety website:
www.buttecounty.net/ph/Programs/ChildPassengerSafety or call 1-800-339-2941.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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