Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Car Seat Program

The Ohio Department of Health’s child passenger safety (CPS) program, Ohio Buckles Buckeyes (OBB), provides child safety seats and booster seats to eligible low income families in all Ohio counties. The overall goal of this program is to increase the availability of child safety seats for families who could not otherwise afford them and to increase correct installation and proper use of child safety seats.

Through the Ohio Buckles Buckeyes (OBB) Car Seat Program, Wyandot County Public Health provides child safety seats and booster seats to eligible low-income families for a nominal fee. Wyandot County Public Health's trained Child Passenger Safety Technicians also assist families with free child passenger safety checks which assists families with ensuring their children are riding in properly installed seats meeting the child's height, weight, and development level requirements.

OBB Program Requirements

To be eligible for car seats families must meet the following requirements:

Family income within WIC guidelines.
- Verified with one of the following:
  - Paystubs for the last 30 days
  - WIC card
  - Medicaid card
  - W2s/most recent tax transcript
  - Benefits/award letter for unemployment
Resident of Wyandot County.
- Residents of other counties will be referred to their local OBB provider.
Parent or Legal Guardian of a child within the age, weight, and height requirements for a safety seat offered by the OBB program. (See the safety seat section below)
Attendance at an educational appointment at the health department with a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.
- Appointments teach proper installation and use of the seat. Caregivers must stay for the duration of the appointment which takes around 30-45 minutes.
- The parent or caregiver is expected to complete a car seat installation for each seat received with review by the Child Passenger Safety Technician.
- Can't make your appointment? If you find that you are unable to make your appointment, please call us at 419-294-3852 before your missed appointment to reschedule. Seat availability is not guaranteed for no shows.

Schedule your OBB appointment

To schedule your OBB appointment, please contact Wyandot County Public Health at 419-294-3852 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, excluding federal holidays. Appointments are required to ensure Certified Car Seat Technician availability.

Appointments may also be requested by filling out a Car Seat Request Form . Forms completed online should be emailed to it to OBB program coordinator Callan McMillion.

OBB appointment cost

Wyandot County Public Health asks for a donation of $20 per car seat. This donation covers staff time spent in this program that is not otherwise covered by grant funds ensuring the program remains available to Wyandot County families. Qualified families will receive a seat regardless of ability to make a donation to support the program.

OBB Safety Seats

The OBB program currently offers the Evenflo SureRide/Titan 65 convertible seat (rear-facing and forward-facing capable), the Evenflo Maestro Sport combination seat (forward-facing and booster seat capable) and the Evenflo GoTime Sport/LX booster seat.

SureRide/Titan 65 convertible car seat requirements:

Rear-facing use with a 5-point harness: 5-40 pounds, and 19-43 inches tall.
- For information about how to install this seat click here.
Forward-facing use with a 5-point harness: Child must be at least 2 years old; 30-65 pounds; 35-49 inches tall.
- For information about how to install this seat click here.

Maestro Sport combination seat requirements:

Forward-facing use with a 5-point harness: Child must be at least 2 years old; 30-50 pounds.; and 35-49 inches tall
High back booster using vehicle belt: Child must be at least 5 years old; 40-100 pounds.; and 44-57 inches tall

GoTime Sport/LX booster requirements:

High back booster using vehicle belt: Child must be at least 4 years old; 40-120 pounds; and 44-57 inches tall.
No back booster using vehicle belt: Child must be at least 4 years old; 40-120 pounds; and 44-57 inches tall.

Car seat checks

Wyandot County Public Health offers free car seat checks for any family that wants to ensure their child's safety seats are in good working order, the proper size and fit for the child, and properly installed.

Who qualifies: Anyone with children who are under 4 foot, 9 inches in height can receive a free child passenger safety seat check. Families are not required to live in Wyandot County or to meet income requirements to qualify for a seat check.

What does it cost: Car seat and booster seat checks are completely free. Donations are accepted but not requested. Donations received are used to cover staff time not otherwise covered by grants.

What to expect: These free seat checks are sure to be educational no matter if you're installing your first car seat for your first child or if you're a grandparent who has been using child passenger safety seats for years. Appointments take around 30 minutes for one child safety seat and include:

Examination of seat and installation method used upon arrival.
Uninstalling the seat to check for expiration dates and wear and tear.
Education regarding current child passenger safety installation practices and tips.
Review of car seat/booster seat manual and vehicle owner's manual (please bring both to your appointment).
Reinstallation of the child seat by the parent/guardian with review by the Child Passenger Safety Technician.

Seat check appointments are available by calling 419-294-3852. Wyandot County Public Health also offers car seat check events throughout the year. Visit @WyandotHealth on Facebook to check for upcoming car seat check events.

Additional Resources

CPS Car Seat Safety (website)

Ohio's Child Passenger Safety Laws (website)

Don't Risk Your Child's Life (video)

Children in Hot Cars (National Safety Council training)