It’s not hard to imagine that a parent would do anything to help an infant escape a dangerous situation, such as an apartment fire where egress through the front door and stairs isn’t an option. But according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, any rescue plans should not include these BabyRescue bags from a company called Safety International.
Designed as a way to safely lower infants and children weighing less than 34 kg. to first responders from the higher floors of a multi-story building during an emergency, the BabyRescue bags are made from “the same materials used in US emergency response equipment,” with a “water resistant outer layer” and a mesh panel ensuring a child can still breath while inside. They fold up into a compact pouch so they can be kept with other emergency supplies, and include a 18.29 m long line that’s easy to grip while the bag is being lowered from a height of up to five stories.
However, according to a warning released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today after an evaluation of the product, it has determined that the “bag could detach from the grip-line while in use, posing a fall hazard to the child inside the bag.” Thankfully, the CPSC has not documented any incidents involving the BabyRescue device as of yet. While its creators, Safety International, have already agreed to stop selling the BabyRescue back in December of 2021, the CPSC claims “the firm has not agreed to an acceptable recall” yet.
You can read more about the BabyRescue warning on the CPSC website, which includes a detailed description of the product for identification purposes. The CPSC is also “contacting known sellers and urges secondhand sellers not to sell the products” but recommends those who’ve already purchased a BabyRescue bag, which have been available since 2010, to immediately dispose of it and report any incidents involving the device or similar type products.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.