These ADHS car seat stickers can help your child during holiday travel

Holiday travel season is underway! At the Arizona Department of Health Services, we want to make sure families are prepared in case the unexpected happens. To help during your holiday travels, or any other time you’re on the road, The Arizona Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program is providing families with free car seat stickers that have their children’s vital health and contact information.

According to data from Arizona’s Child Fatality Review Program Report, in 2023, the leading cause of preventable deaths was motor vehicle crash deaths. Last year, 81 Arizona children died from injuries sustained from a motor vehicle crash.

“Every second counts when responding to an emergency. By adding the Emergency Pediatric Information Card (EPIC) Car Seat Stickers to a child’s car seats, parents can provide first responders with essential details about their child, which can make all the difference in an emergency,” said Rachel Zenuk Garcia, Bureau Chief for the ADHS Bureau of EMS and Trauma System.

The simple, easy-to-apply car seat stickers feature space for important details such as the child’s name, date of birth, emergency contact numbers, and any relevant medical conditions or allergies. They are designed to be affixed securely to the side of the car seat facing the door, so it is the first thing an EMS responder sees when triaging a child.

In situations in which parents are unable to provide critical information directly, this is especially important. Having this critical information on a child’s car seat allows first responders to prioritize care based on the child’s needs.

The EPIC Car seat Stickers can also help during a busy accident scene, where first responders may need to quickly identify which patients require the most urgent care. The pediatric information allows EMS to prioritize treatments, allocate resources, and ensure the best possible outcome for a child.

Thanks to our many partners statewide, the car seat stickers are available free of charge to families throughout Arizona. They can be obtained from participating hospitals, fire-rescue agencies, EMS agencies, and state law enforcement offices.

For more information on where to get a sticker or to inquire about distribution partnerships, individuals can visit the EMS for Children website or contact Abriana Smith at [email protected].

The car seat sticker initiative reflects the EMSC program’s commitment to improving child safety with efficiency and ease. By empowering first responders with essential information, the program aims to make a significant difference in the lives of Arizona’s children.

About the Author: Rachel Garcia

Rachel Garcia, MPH, MCHES is the Deputy Assistant Director of Preparedness, Chief of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and Trauma, and Principal Investigator for the CDC Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Program at the Arizona Department of Health Services. Rachel is an Arizona native and humble public servant who has served in various public health leadership roles in state and local government for more than 15 years. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing several programs including the ADHS Bureau of EMS and Trauma System, which coordinates, establishes, and administers Arizona’s statewide system of emergency medical services, trauma care, and registry systems. She previously served as the Deputy Chief of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response and has assisted with multiple Health Emergency Operations Center responses at ADHS. Before joining the ADHS team, she was an Assistant Director of Public Health in Pinal county, where she oversaw Community and Correctional Health programs. She also served in multiple public health research and community outreach positions at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she earned her Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Science degrees and completed Susan G. Komen and National Science Foundation fellowships. Rachel is a proud wife and mother of three, who is passionate about education and data-driven public health policies that can improve health for the next generations of Arizonans.