BEYOND JUST BUCKLED INC
SANTA ROSA BEACH, FLORIDA

Shortly before giving birth in 2006 to my first biological daughter, I was told that I had to take a class for an epidural. An epidural being a very important and somewhat scary situation but it substantially confirms the necessity of the class. Along with my epidural class came the rush of information about other "must take" classes for new parents. Classes such as Lamaze & Yoga. All geared to help me through the remainder of my pregnancy & eventual delivery.This information was readily & easily accessible. It was everywhere ..."common knowledge". Yet when it came time to purchase & install my very first car seat (it had been 12 years since my husband or I had installed a car seat), I had no idea where to start. I felt confused... lost... & overwhelmed. I had to have a car seat in order for the hospital to release the baby but I also wanted to make sure her first ride home was as safe as possible....this being a skill I would surely need beyond a trip home from the hospital; even beyond infancy. After searching online & making some calls, I eventually gave up, convincing myself I could do it on my own. Luckily, my installation was never tested. , held an event focusing on child car & road safety. Their annual safety week helped inspire me to make child passenger safety for our community a priority. There was a dramatic need for resources in this field. I didn't want other parents/caregivers to question their child's safety in their vehicle and I didn't want to leave them without options, knowledge, and confidence. After more research online, I decided to obtain my CPS certification. This would eventually allow me to spread awareness throughout the area and help other parents/caregivers. Since becoming certified in 2008 I have participated in car seat checks in the community as much as possible...confirming that SO many parents that were in the same situation I was about care seat safety. Three out of four seats are installed incorrectly. There is an overwhelming need & an interest from parents & caregivers in our community for a more extensive learning experience when it comes to child passenger safety. My goal is to provide a hands-on approach that allows the parents & caregivers the knowledge & confidence they need to install their car seats correctly. Forming a non-profit agency only made sense as the next step in my new venture. In February of 2010, Beyond Just Buckled, Inc. was formed. The company was my dream come true. Since then, we have helped hundreds of parents and children with car seat safety and have met some amazing colleagues along the way. 2011 has been a very busy and successful year for the agency! Early in the year, Beyond Just Buckled teamed up to volunteer with the Okaloosa Sheriff's Office. This provides even more opportunities to reach out to the community while supporting the Sheriff's Office. In July, I completed the requirements needed to become an instructor. I look forward to helping more dedicated professionals become certified technicians. I can't begin to describe how amazing it is to work with & meet people so passionate about child passenger safety! September was also an exciting time. The Emerald Coast Exchange Club helped organize and promote our 2nd Annual Seat Check Saturday Event. It was a huge success! Together, I hope to work on many more projects! ur mission is to educate parents & caregivers about the importance of child passenger safety and to provide them with the resources they need to correctly & confidently buckle their children in for a safe ride, every ride. Jan. 28, 2011~ Beyond Just Buckled, Inc. has been added to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website as an official seat check station!!