San Diego – Today, Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) held a toy safety demonstration to share information and resources with parents and families during the holiday season, when toy purchases increase. Rep. Peters was joined by consumer and parent advocates, medical professionals and a city firefighter, who all presented ways to reduce risk of injury.

“As a former environmental attorney, I know the harm toxins can cause, especially the ones found in items children touch and use every day. As a parent, I know the constant worry about whether you’re doing the right thing to keep your kids safe. Especially when kids are small, you have to be constantly aware of what they can get their hands on and whether it’s a choking or toxic danger,” said Rep. Peters. “We can increase awareness of toy hazards and share resources to prevent injury if we engage all levels of government and our community.”

In 2015, there were over 250,000 toy-related injuries treated by emergency rooms in the United States, while the number of toy recalls has decreased.  During the demonstration, Rep. Peters highlighted safety information and resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Consumer Product Safety Commission that can help parents prevent toy hazards that might harm young children.

“Our message is that if you think your child is in danger, call 911. There is nothing more important than our children – to keep them safe,” said San Diego Fire Department Deputy Chief Douglas Perry.

“Toys that violate U.S. standards or are dangerous are stopped here at the ports before they get into a store or into the hands of children,” said Mark Long, a Product Safety Investigator for the U.S. Consumer Project Safety Commission. “We use state-of-the-art shipment targeting to stay proactive in preventing dangerous products from reaching store shelves.”

Mary Beth Moran, Injury Prevention Program Manager at Rady Children’s Hospital added, “This holiday season, we really want people to check that recall list and make sure the product you are buying has not been recalled. And if you have children of multiple ages, you want to make sure you keep their toys separate.”