Dealer's Child Safety Program Highlighted by Congressman
DETROIT (Feb. 12, 2008) — GM dealer Jack Fitzgerald's efforts to promote child passenger safety and the GM - Safe Kids Worldwide SAFE KIDS Buckle Up program were recognized last week in the Congressional Record by Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.).
Since 1996, Van Hollen said, "Safe Kids Worldwide has partnered with General Motors to help change the way parents and caregivers learn about child passenger safety". Under the program, "there have been more than 44,000 events that bring much needed car seat inspection services and education to families across the country", he added, and "Safe Kids is well on its way to checking one million child safety seats."
Part of the program's success, the Congressman noted, can be attributed to Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Auto Malls. Since 1999, Fitzgerald has "hosted hundreds of check up events", working with Safe Kids Montgomery County (Md.), local government agencies and police and fire departments. The dealership hosts monthly inspections free of charge for anyone in the community, Van Hollen added, inspecting more that 35,000 child safety seats to date. " This service is only possible because Jack Fitzgerald has personally paid for his employees to become national certified car seat technicians", Van Hollen added.
Van Hollen commended Fitzgerald and his dealership family for serving as "role (models) for all public/private partnerships" and for "their steadfast commitment and determination to keeping kids safe".
