First, your car hits something: for example, another car, a tree or a phone pole.  The impact stops your car in about 1/10^th of a second.

• The human collision

       Just because your car stops doesn’t mean that what’s in the car stops.  Anyone who is not belted in keeps going-at the speed of the vehicle right before the crash.  Without safety belts, the collisions are awful: head hits windshield, rib cage meets the dashboard, face hits steering wheel, and on and on.

After the human collision, your body’s organs (brain, lungs, kidneys) are still moving.  They can smash into each other and into bone, leading to serious injury or death.

Safety belts help prevent the human collision and limit the force of the body’s internal collision.  Safety belts double your chances of walking away from a crash without serious injury.

Car crashes are the #1 threat to our children.  Car crashes kill more children between the ages of 1 and 14 than any other cause.  Children’s bodies are easily injured because their bones are softer, their ligaments are looser, and young children’s heads are heavy, in proportion to their bodies.  Properly installed, safety seats reduce the risk of death for young children by about 55-70%.

·        The law states: Children who are under age 4 or who weigh less than 40 lbs. Must be secured in an appropriate child safety seat.

·        Children age 4 through 7 who weigh at least 40 lbs., must be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat unless they are 80 lbs or 4’9” tall.

·        Children age 8 and older who weigh at least 80 lbs or are at least 4’9” are required to be secured by a safety belt or booster seat appropriate for that child.

The Harrison County Health Department is now a NHTSA car seat check site.  We can check your child’s car seat to assure you that it is installed correctly for optimum safety to your child.  We have a Certified Passenger Safety Technician on staff, and offer a replacement car seat program.  Call for an appointment at 425-6324 to have your child’s car seat inspected today.  The right safety seat-installed and used properly-can save your child’s life!       

WIC is a supplemental food program for women, infants and children.  Women that are pregnant, up to six month post-partum or breastfeeding an infant under one year old, children under five years of age could possible qualify for this program.  Qualifications for this program are based on income in the household.  If a child or women is on Missouri Health Net,  previously called Medicaid, or food stamps they are automatically eligible for WIC.

 This program helps our community by supply nutrition education for women and children.  The foods that can be available through this program include milk, cheese, eggs, juice, peanut butter, dried beans or dried peas, cereal, carrots, tuna and approved infant formula if the infant is not fully breastfed.  The items provided are not meant to be the full nutrition for the participants; it is provided as a supplemental program.  By helping our participants in WIC this helps them learn good eating habits so that they will continue these habits and our community in turn can become healthier.

 If you are or know an individual who could benefit from these services, call our office at 425-6324 and speak with the WIC department.  With information gathered over the phone we should be able to help you know if you or your family might qualify for this program.  We schedule appointments one day a week, so please call our office if you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment.