How to donate used car seats to save lives in Mexico

Through a program launched by the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Phoenix Fire Department takes used car seats to Mexico. Members of the Volunteer Fire Department of Nogales, Sonora, pick up the seats in Rio Rico. Mexican firefighters, along with hospitals in Nogales and Hermosillo, have provided the seats to hundreds of families across northern Mexico, training each of them in how to put in the seats and use them properly.

If you’d like to donate a used child car seat or booster seat that might help save a child’s life in Mexico, you can bring any seat that meets the following criteria:

• Seats must be less than 10 years old. The date of manufacture is usually either molded into the plastic on the back of the seat, or noted on a sticker attached to the seat.

• Seats must be in good, clean condition, with all parts intact.

• Please, no seats that have been in accidents or that were bought at yard sales. Phoenix Fire Fighter Jeffrey Steinbeck said that fire departments ask people to verify that they know the history of the seat and know whether it has been in an accident.

Through Oct, 2, people can donate used car seats at the following locations between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday:

In Phoenix, at the Fire Department station at 120 South 12th Street.

In Goodyear, either at the Fire Department’s administrative offices, 14455 West Van Buren, Suite E-102, or at Fire Station 183, at 3075 North Litchfield Road.

In Surprise, at the Fire Department’s administrative offices at 14250 West Statler Plaza Suite 101.

Neither Mesa nor Chandler participates in the donation program, fire department officers said. By law, used car seats can't be resold or redistributed for use in Arizona. But seats can be reused in Mexico.

Steinbeck said that in the spring, near or on Earth Day, April 22, fire departments around the valley will collect for recycling seats that are too old or in too poor condition to be donated for reuse. Those seats will be broken down at that time; but fire departments are asking people please not to bring in seats for recycling at this time.

The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com and La Voz are participating in a car-seat safety coalition with other community organizations, including the Phoenix Fire Department, the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and Univision.