When you're a CPST...

What do YOU do? I know what the class is all about so that's not what I am asking...I'm curious to know where you use your certification. Do you work somewhere you are able to use it, do you volunteer somewhere, work at a hospital....? A class is available in June and I am going to take it but I was just wondering what YOU do once you are certified!!

Me and my friend do checks for village residents at the fire department we work for three times a month.

I also volunteer at Safekids events about once a month.

I think most of us use the class in different ways.

For example, on this board, we have members who work in hospitals, either as a nurse, or specifically as a CPST... we have firefighters, EMTS... we have members who work in Baby Stores, selling/helping parents with carseats and other purchases... we have members who volunteer once a month, or less, with a local agency, whether it be Safe Kids or whatever... and others who run a private business and help parents privately, for either donations or for a set rate.

Use your imagination - there are tons of things you can do with certification!

I volunteere for Safe Kids events in my area. I have done 2 events this month and plan to do 2 more. May is a super busy month here!!! After than I'll likely do 1 a month until the fall when they start having events again.

I volunteer at Safe Kids events and help out friends and family members.

I am a lucky one that works for a local hospital as a CPST/I and get paid. I am the asst SK coordinator so my job covers a big scope of SK injury prevention (not just CPS).

I started out as just a CPST volunteer at events & the hospital fitting station. It grew from there for me.

I am volunteering with Safe Kids as much as possible. I also gave my # to the local fire department today (they don't have ANY technicians on staff)... they usually refer people to Children's Hospital but the lady said occasionally they get somebody who needs it quickly or can't make it up there, so I left info just in case.

I also work at a daycare center, and while it's not an official CPST position and my boss had nothing to do with me becoming certified, I will be the one installing the car seats in the van for field trips this summer... so I know those kiddos will be safe. I have also found that since I became a CPST I have an excuse to talk to people about car seats... they don't take me a whole lot more seriously since most of them have never heard of a CPST but the whole 'certification' and 'four day class' and 'wallet card' things give me a bit more authority than just that crazy chick I work with who's obsessed with car seats. I've checked a seat for a coworker (she had it almost perfect!) and I'm going to be doing another one when another coworker's dd has her baby in August.

Basically I use it whenever I can. Not a day goes by that I don't think about car seats and how I can play with them