Becoming a CPST

tinyactsofcharity · Jan 11, 2009

I went to a seat check event today and the techs were apparently impressed with my car seat (TFY True Fit) and my install (rock solid

) and my car seat knowledge (I'm such a dork, stop me now.)

They asked me to take the CPST certification class in March LOL.

I think I'll do it. I'm worried about leaving the babe all day for 3 days but I think we can figure it out.

Is it possible to make ANY money as a tech? I know that they volunteer for the seat checks... I just wonder if I can even recoup the expense of the class?

So, what do you think?

MustangMama · Jan 11, 2009

I wanna do it too! Another question:

Does it cost anything except the $60 registration fee?

mykidsmylife · Jan 11, 2009

Safe Kids in El Paso wanted to certify me for the same reason. LOL. They were going to pay the $60 fee. However, I would have had to pay over $100 for daycare so I passed.

I am going to get certified this summer though.

It is rare to make money as a tech. Occasionally you can find a job at a hospital etc.. but it is rare. I would have been able to get a job had I lived in Ma and been a tech. The local hospital was looking for one.

The only fee involved is the $60, to begin with...

I will have a 1m old when I start my training. The instructor already told me to have the babysitter bring baby girl up to the class when she needed to bf. I am so going to do it...

emandbri · Jan 11, 2009

Cool! I didn't have to pay when I took my first class but did when I renewed. I know there are some paying jobs for techs but they might be hard to find. I'm also thinking about trying to find a paying job down the line but we'll see. I know there are some hospitals who have techs on staff and some baby stores do as well. A women who owns a local baby store said she wanted to hire me to work there but it was just too far. After I got recertified I called to see about maybe teaching a car seat class a few times a month but they were worried about the liability.

NannyMom · Jan 11, 2009

becky129622 said:
I wanna do it too! Another question:

Does it cost anything except the $60 registration fee?

It depends on where you live. But here in MD, it was just the $60 fee. THe safe kids website should tell you if there are any other fees.

Farm_Mama · Jan 11, 2009

I really wanted to become a tech, but here the closest class is over 3hrs from home and they charge $150 in addition to the $60. :thumbsdown:

I wish they would make it easier for more people to take these classes. I've spoken with one of the only techs within an hour of here and she wants to see more people get involved, but nobody makes it very easy. There's no way that I could drive 6hrs/day for three days and if I had to get a hotel, sheesh, the price would skyrocket. Not to mention what I would do with three kiddos(one being a BFing infant) for those three days.

About being paid, don't some techs charge for one on one sessions? Like if you call them up and want them to come over to help you with your seats they'd charge like $20 for their time/driving since it's not a scheduled check event.

wendytthomas · Jan 11, 2009

About 90% of my checks are private one on one checks. And I don't charge for them. For a few reasons. First, I think it's a civic duty, and often the people who need it the most are the ones who can afford it the least. Second, if I do that I go from being a good samaritan to being a professional, and then I'd have to carry insurance. And there's no way I can make up the costs of the insurance. Occasionally I've had people put money in my pocket, or I've allowed them to pay for my gas if I'm going far, but ottherwise I don't take money. And if they do stuff money in my pocket I turn around and make a donation to safekids. If people ask who to pay I tell them I don't charge, but they're welcome to make a donation of whatever they please if they so choose.

Some techs do charge for this private time. I prefer not to. I hear of techs in SoCal charging $50 an hour for it, and people paying.

Must be nice to be them. LOL

I paid the $60 fee for my class and then $40 to renew two years later. My mom stayed with Piper, so I had no childcare costs. It was an hour away, so there was gas for the two hours a day for five days, plus lunch, but that was it.

Good luck!

Wendy

LISmama810 · Jan 11, 2009

I charge for checks, but I'm in an area that can support it, and there are lots of free checks available.

We have free events every month, plus there are probably 20 free fitting stations in my area, so no one HAS to pay if they don't want to.

For many people, it's a luxury they can afford to have someone come to their house without a long wait. There are a lot of places where that wouldn't be the case, though, so whether or not you can expect to make money doing private checks depends a lot on the demographics and resources available in your area.

Also, no one will recommend doing private checks until you have some experience under your belt. It's humbling to realize how much there is that you DON'T know (general "you") even after spending a lot of time here, and even after going through the class.

As for the class, the fees vary. Mine was $60, but it was far enough away that I stayed at a hotel, so I had to pay for that, obviously. Some classes charge up to $900. The fees will be disclosed when you search for the class, though.

skiersnowboarder3 · Jan 11, 2009

NannyMom said:
It depends on where you live. But here in MD, it was just the $60 fee. THe safe kids website should tell you if there are any other fees.

That's not completely true. I had to pay an extra fee ($100? maybe?) because I lived outside of the county that was hosting it. They said they could have waved that fee if I agreed to drive down there for checks once a month but at over an hour each way, I (well the daycare

) paid the extra fee.

Unregistered1 · Jan 11, 2009

Some people have been able to get the fee waived, could you ask them about this possibility?

Also, I know we are VERY lucky here with our Safe Kids program, but our coordinator provides all the techs with a $10 giftcard at each event, to somewhere we can use like BRU, a gas station, etc. Often the organization hosting the seat check (BRU, a daycare center, etc) will provide the gift cards so Safe Kids doesn't have to pay for them, but if they don't our coordinator does. By now I have probably been to enough seat checks that those have made up for my $120 registration fee. But I'd do it without them

I love being a tech soooo much.

firemomof3 · Jan 11, 2009

After becoming certified what do you do about insurance? Especially if you don't work for a fire dept. or another organization?

wendytthomas · Jan 11, 2009

I don't have any. I'm covered under the good samaritan law, unless I accept money, then I become a professional and I'd need insurance. Besides, the last person's hands to touch that seat weren't mine, they were the parent's.

Wendy

firemomof3 · Jan 11, 2009

wendytthomas said:
I don't have any. I'm covered under the good samaritan law, unless I accept money, then I become a professional and I'd need insurance. Besides, the last person's hands to touch that seat weren't mine, they were the parent's.

Wendy

Thanks Wendy. I really want to become certified, but only to do volunteer work, never to accept money.

LISmama810 · Jan 11, 2009

"Good samaritan" laws vary by state and might not cover you. There's a difference between someone knowingly offering expert services and a bystander pulling someone from a burning building. (Not saying that Wendy's state's law wouldn't cover her, just that someone else's state might not.)

Also, just because there's a good samaritan law doesn't mean that someone can't sue you. Even if you win, you'll probably have lawyer's costs, etc.

I guess what I'm saying is that no matter how good your intentions are, there's always the possibility that anyone can sue you for anything.

There have been ways for technicians to get insurance, but it seems that the insurance isn't always available. I don't know if that depends on the state, or if it's just something that is sometimes offered and sometimes not.

firemomof3 · Jan 11, 2009

LISmama810 said:
"Good samaritan" laws vary by state and might not cover you. There's a difference between someone knowingly offering expert services and a bystander pulling someone from a burning building. (Not saying that Wendy's state's law wouldn't cover her, just that someone else's state might not.)

Also, just because there's a good samaritan law doesn't mean that someone can't sue you. Even if you win, you'll probably have lawyer's costs, etc.

I guess what I'm saying is that no matter how good your intentions are, there's always the possibility that anyone can sue you for anything.

There have been ways for technicians to get insurance, but it seems that the insurance isn't always available. I don't know if that depends on the state, or if it's just something that is sometimes offered and sometimes not.

That sucks

This is what my dh has been telling me. Since I'm not a paramedic anymore and not affiliated with an organization its risky...and possibly not worth it

wendytthomas · Jan 11, 2009

I can get insurance, but $1500 a year is a bit pricey for me. It's available through my homeowner's.

Between the paperwork stating that the parent was the last to install, me marking any findings that I had that were corrected, and most importantly the parent's signature on the document (they often sign it before I fill it out, but I tell them what I'm going to write, plus they were there) there's really nothing they can come back to me with. They were the last to touch it and they acknowledged that they were in writing with the date on a legal form.

Moral of this story is document document document document document. Insurance is a lot less important if you have something with the parent's signature. They can still sue you, yes, the form doesn't protect you, but the parent would look like a bit of a fool trying to get something out of you when there's no receipt of payment and their signature is there stating they accepted your help and they were the last to do anything.

Wendy

NannyMom · Jan 11, 2009

skiersnowboarder3 said:
That's not completely true. I had to pay an extra fee ($100? maybe?) because I lived outside of the county that was hosting it. They said they could have waved that fee if I agreed to drive down there for checks once a month but at over an hour each way, I (well the daycare ) paid the extra fee.

What county did you take it in? I took it in Carroll COunty and live in Baltimore County. They also had people from Fredrick Co and someone from.... somewhere really west

She told me the course was closed to make sure enough from Carroll and Fred. Cos got certified, but no extra fees.

ketchupqueen · Jan 12, 2009

I'm thinking that if I certify, I'm going to need insurance, now that our Good Samaritan law only applies to emergency medical care.

And if I need insurance, I might as well start a business. I don't think I'd charge everyone, I might ask for a donation to cover my gas. But I would offer my business services to companies-- like, my idea of consulting for movies and tv shows. I'd really like that, and I'm perfectly placed for it, midway between Burbank, Hollywood, and Downtown L.A. And my husband knows some producers and directors through his work... I even have a friend who used to work as a personal assistant on several tv shows and knows the ins and outs of getting permission for products to be used in shows. That would be like my dream job. Get paid for being a car seat geek, AND getting movies, tv shows, and possibly commercials to model proper car seat use. :thumbsup:

bethng · Jan 12, 2009

tinyactsofcharity said:
Is it possible to make ANY money as a tech? I know that they volunteer for the seat checks... I just wonder if I can even recoup the expense of the class?

So, what do you think?

When I do a safe kids check event we get $100. We have to be there 1/2 hour early to set up and stay half hour after its over to clean up. So 5 hours total. I paid a flat $60 for the class that was 4 -ten hour days. There is talk of budget issues (this sucky economy!) so we may get our pay cut or taken away all together. Which is fine with me. When I signed up I assumed it was volunteer work. So it's no biggie. I don't do many private checks but I don't charge for private checks if I do. But if parents insist on wanting to pay I give them an envelope with safe kids address on it and ask them to make a donation.

skiersnowboarder3 · Jan 12, 2009

NannyMom said:
What county did you take it in? I took it in Carroll COunty and live in Baltimore County. They also had people from Fredrick Co and someone from.... somewhere really west She told me the course was closed to make sure enough from Carroll and Fred. Cos got certified, but no extra fees.

Montgomery County

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