GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Fire Department (GRFD) will soon be recognized by the state health department for their efforts to protect infants.
GRFD says they responded to 14 baby deaths in the past two years, more than half of which were linked to unsafe sleep situations.
With this knowledge, the department says it revived the Infant Safe Sleep initiative alongside multiple departments in Kent County.
We’re told GRFD trains all personnel on how to identify when an infant is inside a residence and how to tell if infants’ sleep environments are unsafe; that knowledge, in turn, is shared with parents and caregivers.
Similar strategies are employed by the Kent County Health Department, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and others, GRFD says.
The fire department says they will be the first in Michigan to receive an Infant Safe Sleep Certification from the state this Thursday at 10 a.m.
RELATED: MDHHS reminds parents of safe sleep practices for infants under 1
