News & Events
Magnetic Maze Boards Recalled August 31st, 2010
Magnetic Maze Boards Recalled by Lakeshore Learning Materials Due to Choking, Intestinal and Aspiration Hazards
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Magnetic maze boards
Units: About 18,500
Manufacturer: Lakeshore Learning Materials, of Carson, Calif.
Hazard: The magnetic maze board’s plastic wand can separate and expose a magnet that can be a choking hazard to children. Also, if a child has more than one of these toys and the magnets detach and are swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.
Incidents/Injuries: Lakeshore has received ten reports of wands separating and magnets detaching. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves wooden magnetic maze boards. The wooden boards have a clear plastic sheet that covers small wooden or plastic pieces located inside a maze. A plastic wand containing a magnet in its tip is attached to the board by a cord. The wand is used to move items inside the maze. The top of the board reads: “Who’s Hiding in the Garden?,” “Who’s Hiding in the Ocean?,” “Magnetic Counting Maze,” “Magnetic Alphabet Board” or “My Community Magnetic Board.”
Sold by: Lakeshore Learning Materials stores nationwide, its catalogs and online at www.lakeshorelearning.com from January 2009 through May 2010 singly or in sets for between $30 and $40.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take this toy away from children and contact Lakeshore to receive a free replacement product.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Lakeshore Learning Materials at (800) 428-4414 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the company’s website at www.lakeshorelearning.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to:
Farwell to First Candle’s Heather McGraw August 30th, 2010
It is with heavy hearts we announce that Heather Boyer McGraw has left her position as Development Manager for First Candle. Heather has been a wonderful supporter and advocate for our many bereaved families and we wish her well in her new endeavors.
Her dedication to helping families create memorial funds and special events in memory of their precious babies is a talent that will be truly missed.
We are, however, pleased to announce that beginning September 1, 2010, Erin Leatherwood will take over the position of Development Manager. While she has some big shoes to fill, we are confident that Erin has the compassionate nature and event experience needed to take on this important role on behalf of the families we serve.
Erin can be reached at erin@firstcandle.org or 1-800-221-7437.
Toys“R”Us launches Product Safety Vigilance Program to coincide with the third Great Trade-In Event August 26th, 2010
Educational program encourages parents to be vigilant about product safety and keep a record of purchases.
Great Trade-In Event provides incentive for families to remove potentially unsafe baby products from their home. Nearly 200,000 used baby products have been returned to “R”Us® stores nationwide in the past year.
WAYNE, NJ (August 25, 2010) – Toys“R”Us, Inc. today announced the launch of a new national Product Safety Vigilance Program to provide consumers with proactive steps they can take to become advocates for children’s safety. The program includes “Eight Steps to Keep Kids Safe,” a checklist to help parents stay informed about product recalls, and a Product Record List to assist parents in tracking purchases and gifts. These tools are designed to make relevant product information readily available in the event of a recall so parents and caregivers can act quickly to remove unsafe products from use.
This Product Safety Vigilance Program is launching in conjunction with the Friday, August 27 start of the company’s “Great Trade-In” event, which encourages parents to rid their homes of potentially unsafe items by providing savings on the purchase of a new item in exchange for the return of a used product. This is the third time the company has offered the program at its nearly 850 Toys“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us® stores in the United States within the past year.
Over the past ten years, more than 57 million cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards, high chairs and toddler beds have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to consumer advocacy organization Kids In Danger (KID), in general, less than 30% of affected items are returned when a baby product is recalled, meaning millions of unsafe products could still be in the marketplace.
“Unsafe products that remain in circulation after they’ve been recalled present dangerous risks that could be avoided. The ‘Great Trade-In’ event calls attention to this problem while encouraging parents to scour basements and attics for used products and bring them to our stores,” said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys“R”Us, Inc. “The Product Safety Vigilance Program builds upon this children’s safety effort by providing parents with ways they can monitor the products in their possession and act with urgency in the event of a recall or when changes to product safety standards render older models unsafe.”
The Product Safety Vigilance Program also will serve to remind parents that in addition to being watchful of the products in their possession, they should carefully monitor those in use at day care centers and friends’ and relatives’ homes, and quickly remove recalled products.
Central to the Product Safety Vigilance Program is “Eight Steps to Keep Kids Safe,” a checklist available on the company’s dedicated Safety website, Toysrus.com/Safety, and in-store at the Baby Registry desk. Through the “Eight Steps to Keep Kids Safe,” parents are encouraged to:
- Register products with the manufacturer so they can be contacted in the event of a recall;
- Track new and past purchases so that they have a quick reference guide of the products in use in their home in the event of a recall;
- Sign-up to receive recall notifications from agencies like the CPSC and NHTSA;
- Be mindful of using secondhand products;
- Encourage family members and friends to keep their own record of the juvenile products they use;
- Make sure they know that anyone caring for their children has a process in place for regularly confirming the safety of the children’s products they use;
- Report any concerns with the safety of a product to the proper government agency; and
- Remove any recalled or unsafe products from use immediately.
Members of the company’s Rewards“R”Us loyalty program who have an active e-mail address on file automatically receive notices if a product they purchased with their membership at an “R”Us store or online has been recalled. Customers can also sign up to receive recall notices by visiting Toysrus.com/Safety.
To help parents gather and track relevant information, a “Product Record List” is available for download on Toysrus.com/Safety, and printed copies are available at the Baby Registry desk in “R”Us® stores nationwide.
“It’s crucial that parents have the most current information available about the products in use in their homes, so they can react quickly and appropriately in the event of a recall,” said Nancy A. Cowles, Executive Director, Kids In Danger. “By providing parents with the tools and resources needed to track important product information and heightening awareness of product recalls, the Toys“R”Us Product Safety Vigilance Program, coupled with the ‘Great Trade-In’ event, are valuable assets to parents and caregivers in their efforts to keep children safe.”
After Nearly 200,000 Used Products Returned to Stores, Company Launches Third ‘Great Trade-In’ Event
The Toys“R”Us, Inc. Product Safety Vigilance Program is being launched in conjunction with the company’s third “Great Trade-In” event, which begins Friday, August 27 and concludes Sunday, September 19. Designed to encourage parents to rid their homes of used and potentially unsafe baby products, this national safety program draws attention to the fact that certain used baby products can carry potential hazards, but are still in circulation and are not the best candidates to be handed down or resold.
The popular “Great Trade-In” events have resulted in nearly 200,000 used and potentially unsafe products being returned to “R”Us stores across the country over the past year. During the two previous events, car seats were the most-returned item, as well as the number one item customers purchased with the savings they received in exchange for their trade-in. This unique trade-in event was also held in Toys“R”Us stores in Canada this year, with thousands of used products returned to stores throughout the program.
During the upcoming three-week “Great Trade-In” event, parents will once again have the opportunity to trade-in used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards, high chairs and toddler beds in exchange for a 25% savings on the purchase of any new baby item, in any of these product categories, from select manufacturers.
The CPSC advocates not purchasing used items that have a history of safety problems, including cribs, play yards and bassinets. Furthermore, used products may have been recalled or recent enhancements in federal and voluntary standards and regulations for safety testing could have rendered older models unsafe or non-compliant with current standards.
Brands participating in the “Great Trade-In” event include Babi Italia®, Baby Cache®, Baby Trend®, Bergamo®, Britax®, Carter’s®, Chicco®, Contours by Kolcraft®, Cosco®, Delta™, Eddie Bauer®, Evenflo®, Graco®, Jeep®, Little Tikes®, Safety 1st®, Sorelle™ and Step2®. Customers can save 25% on a new purchase, from any of the specified product categories and from any of the aforementioned manufacturers, in Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us stores nationwide on the day they trade in their used item.
There are no restrictions on the number or brand of used items in these product categories customers can exchange. Day care centers or other organizations who wish to exchange items in bulk are encouraged to contact their local Babies“R”Us or Toys“R”Us store prior to returning their used items to ensure adequate availability of new merchandise.
For the latest information about product safety and to sign up to receive e-mail notifications about product recalls, customers can visit the company’s dedicated Safety website, Toysrus.com/Safety.
About Toys“R”Us, Inc.
Toys“R”Us, Inc. is the world’s leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. It currently sells merchandise in more than 1,560 stores, including 848 Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores in the United States, and more than 510 international stores and 200 licensed stores in 33 countries and jurisdictions. In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz brand and sells extraordinary toys in the brand’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com, FAO.com and babyuniverse.com, it provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys“R”Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 associates worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need.
Circus World Recalls Wireless Video Baby Monitors August 25th, 2010
Circus World Recalls Wireless Video Baby Monitors Due to Overheating Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Levana Wireless Video Baby Monitors
Units: About 800
Distributor: Circus World Displays Limited (CWD), of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
Hazard: Wiring in the baby monitor camera can overheat and emit smoke, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Circus World Displays has received two reports of the camera portion of the monitors overheating and smoking. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves Levana wireless baby monitors with model number LV-TW300. The receiver front is white and green with six round buttons and the printed word “Levana”. It is 7 inches tall and includes a stand/base. The camera is all white, about 5 inches tall and is attached to a 3 1/2 inch long white base. The camera can rotate and swivel in various directions. The camera and receiver each has its own A/C adapter.
Sold at: BB Buggy and Health and Safety stores nationwide and on the Internet between February 2010 and May 2010 for about $200.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using and return the baby monitor directly to CWD for a refund or replacement with a different model. When returning, please include the entire product, your complete name, mailing address and phone number in the package and mail to Circus World Displays Ltd, Attention: Adam Crysler, Dealer Returns Specialist, 60 Industrial Parkway Suite Z64, Cheektowaga, NY 14227
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Circus World Displays toll-free at (866) 946-7828 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, by e-mail at support@svat.com or on the firm’s website at www.mylevana.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10318.html
Williams-Sonoma Recalls Baby Bottle Warmers Due to Burn Hazard August 25th, 2010
Williams-Sonoma Recalls Baby Bottle Warmers Due to Burn Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Beaba Express Steam Bottle Warmers
Units: About 11,000
Importer: Williams-Sonoma Inc., of San Francisco, Calif.
Hazard: The bottle warmers can overheat liquids and baby food, posing a burn hazard to adults and babies.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 10 reports of the bottles overheating, including one report of an adult who received a finger burn from touching a hot bottle.
Description: This recall involves the Beaba Express Steam Bottle Warmer which uses steam to heat baby bottles or baby food. The bottle warmer is green with an orange temperature dial. “Beaba” is printed on the base and model number 9602 is printed on the underside of the warmer.
Sold at: Williams-Sonoma stores nationwide, online at www.williams-sonoma.com and through Williams-Sonoma catalogs from June 2010 through July 2010 for about $65.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bottle warmers and call Williams-Sonoma for instructions on how to return the product for a full refund. Additionally, consumers who return the bottle warmers will receive a $25 Williams-Sonoma merchandise card.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Williams-Sonoma toll-free at (877) 548-0850 between 4 a.m. and 9 p.m. PT seven days a week or visit the firm’s website at www.williams-sonoma.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including a picture of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10323.html
P. Graham Dunn Recalls Toy Rattles Due to Choking Hazard August 25th, 2010
P. Graham Dunn Recalls Toy Rattles Due to Choking Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Wooden Toy Rattles
Units: About 500
Distributor: P. Graham Dunn, of Dalton, Ohio
Hazard: The wooden dowels can be installed at an angle, allowing the metal rattle inside to become exposed. This poses a serious choking hazard to young children.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm is aware of four incidents of the metal rattle becoming exposed. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves a wooden toy rattle with light brown stain, eight wooden dowels and a gold-colored metal rattle inside. The toy rattle is circular in shape, measuring 2 3/4 inches by 2 inches.
Sold by: Gift stores and book retailers nationwide from June 2010 through July 2010 for about $6.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and contact P. Graham Dunn to receive a full refund.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact P. Graham Dunn at (800) 828-5260 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.pgrahamdunn.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10317.html
Lan Enterprises Recalls Zooper Tango Double Strollers August 25th, 2010
Lan Enterprises Recalls Zooper Tango Double Strollers Due to Collapse Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Double stroller
Units: About 3,700
Distributor: Lan Enterprises LLC of Hillsboro, Ore., and formerly of Beaverton, Ore.
Hazard: The stroller’s frame latch above the front wheels can fail when the stroller hits an object, causing the stroller to unexpectedly collapse. This can result in minor scrapes, cuts and bruises.
Incidents/Injuries: The company has received 185 reports of frame latch failures. In one incident a 13-month-old boy and a 3-year-old boy received scrapes and bruises when their stroller hit a sidewalk and the stroller collapsed.
Description: This recall involves 2007 and 2008 Zooper Tango double strollers with a model number of SL808B and SL808F. The model numbers were printed on the original packaging. The strollers have production dates ranging from January 1, 2007, through April 30, 2008. The production dates are printed on the warning labels attached to the seats. The word “Zooper” is printed on the stroller canopies and grab bars. The Web address www.zooper.com is printed on the basket under the stroller seats.
Sold at: Juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide and at www.babiesrus.com from January 2007 through August 2008 for between $400 and $430.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these recalled strollers and contact Zooper USA to receive a free repair kit.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Zooper USA toll-free at (888) 966-7379 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.zooper.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including a picture of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10321.html
Baby Hammocks Recalled by MamaLittleHelper Due to Suffocation Hazard August 25th, 2010
Baby Hammocks Recalled by MamaLittleHelper Due to Suffocation Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Infant and Toddler Hammocks
Units: About 500
Manufacturer: MamaLittleHelper LLC, of Frisco, Texas
Hazard: The side-to-side shifting or tilting of the hammock can cause the infant to roll and become entrapped or wedged against the hammock’s fabric and/or mattress pad, resulting in a suffocation hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three reports of the hammock becoming unbalanced, including one report of a two-month old who rolled to the side corner of the hammock and was found crying face down. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall includes MamaLittleHelper Hammocks with model numbers 1010, 1020 and BL222. They have a steel frame and a fabric hammock with a mattress which are connected by a large spring, safety rope and a metal hanger. Model BL222 has a computerized rocker device. “MamaLittleHelper” is printed on a label sewn onto the hammock models 1010 and 1020. Model BL222 does not have a label.
Sold exclusively: Online at www.mamalittlehelper.com from May 2008 through February 2010 for between $100 and $230.
Manufactured in: Malaysia
Remedy: Parents and caregivers should immediately stop using the hammocks and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Contact MamaLittleHelper to receive a free repair kit for hammock models 1010 and 1020. Consumers who own model BL222 should return the hammock to MamaLittleHelper in exchange for a new hammock. There is no repair available for model BL222. Repair kits can also be ordered online at www.mamalittlehelper.com/recall.htm
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact MamaLittleHelper toll-free at (866) 612-9986 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, visit the firm’s website www.mamalittlehelper.com/recall.htm or email the firm at recall@mamalittlehelper.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10324.html
Advocacy Alert: Your Help is Needed August 18th, 2010
Dear Families and Friends,
First Candle is once again partnering with the CJ Foundation for SIDS to gain support for HR3212 and S1445 – we hope we can count on you!
On August 24th, Laura Crandall, the program director of the CJ Foundation’s SUDC (Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood) Program and the Foundation’s founders, Joel and Susan Hollander will be making another trip to Washington, DC to advocate for the United States’ Stillbirth and SUID Prevention Education and Awareness Act (S1445/HR3212).
As you recall, the bill would standardize investigations of stillbirth and sudden unexpected infant/childhood deaths up to age 4, create a national registry for these tragedies, track risk factors, fund public health messages and provide grief support services for families affected. We know all too well how each of these pieces is vital to progress.
We are focused this month on getting the support of the following Senators who all sit on the U.S. Senate Heath committee. These Senators will play a key role in helping to determine if the bill moves out of committee onto the next step to becoming law. We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to review the list below.
If you live in one of their states, PLEASE fill out our quick and easy Online Advocacy Form now. It will generate an immediate email to them requesting they co-sponsor S1445. Emails from their constituents prior to our meeting with them would greatly help pave the way for success.
Lisa Murkowski (AK) Judd Gregg (NH)
John McCain (AZ) Tom Coburn, M.D. (OK)
Johnny Isakson (GA) Lamar Alexander (TN)
Pat Roberts (KS) Orrin G. Hatch (UT)
Richard Burr (NC) Michael B. Enzi (WY)
Note: If you live in one of these states and are a SIDS parent who experienced issues with the Medical Examiner, Coroner, first responders or hospital and/or have been unable to find support services in your area please contact linda@cjsids.org with your story. We would like to provide concrete examples to these Senators.
In addition, please spread the link to our Online Advocacy Form far and wide to anyone you know in these states, as well as posting on your social networking sites. If you have any questions please feel free to email me, linda@cjsids.org
Thank you in advance!
Linda Tantawi, Executive Director, CJ Foundation for SIDS
Stillbirth Parents: Your Help is Needed August 17th, 2010
Dear parent,
First Candle is collaborating with the International Stillbirth Alliance as part of a global network to better understand how individuals and communities perceive stillbirths to help reduce the numbers of babies who are stillborn and families who suffer this tragic loss.
We would value your views through completing a short questionnaire. This is a “rapid response” questionnaire and will feed into a journal series and also to be disseminated via the ISA website to help with addressing the global challenges of stillbirth. Please note that the survey is multi-cultural in focus.
Please respond to the online questionnaire before August 21 – it will take about 10 minutes to respond.
Click here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2XLN3S7
If you find completing the survey upsetting, please contact us at info@firstcandle.org.
Please note that once you have opened the questionnaire, you will be able to navigate back and forth, but not to exit and return from the same computer. This is the second phase of recruitment to this survey, if you were contacted in the first phase, we thank you for your response and apologize for the repeat email.
Your contribution will be very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Marian Sokol, President
First Candle
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