On their safety blog, On Safety, Consumer Reports reports consumers are finding that fixing their deadly, recalled Simplicity cribs is not so simple [you still with me?]:
The CPSC press release urges consumers who have the crib to call Simplicity for a repair kit. But it turns out there is no repair kit ready to send to consumers. Instead, callers are told they will receive a kit within three to four weeks.That's 3-4 week wait time was reported October 9th, two weeks after the recall itself [which was almost two weeks ago.]
The CPSC spokeswoman interviewed by CR insists that the taking the "unusual step" of suddenly issuing a recall before an actual remedy is in place had nothing to do with the Chicago Tribune's investigative report into crib-related deaths.
It's just that the Tribune folks happened to call the very week that the CPSC started looking into the two years worth of accumulated death and injury reports, and “the hazard and possible outcomes were such a concern that the agency felt it couldn’t wait to alert the public.”
While parents who don't mind a crib with a bit of danger can just check to see that the side rail is installed right side up, the CPSC is actually recommending parents "explore the alternative of using other sleep environments." On the bright side, only a tiny fraction of people ever actually follow through on recalls, so only a very tiny number of people are actively waiting for the repair kit. Which I'm sure will be ready very, very soon.
The not so simple Simplicity crib recall [consumerreports.org via dt reader will]
Previously:
9/21: This Week In Deadly Crib News: 1mm Cribs Recalled
9/25: CPSC As Busted And Dangerous As A Simplicity Crib
