HCC gives public the opportunity to check airbags for safety
Jan 11, 2017
As students head back to school for the spring semester, Houston Community College (HCC) encourages students, as well as the general public, to make sure automobile airbags are working properly. HCC District VII Trustee Neeta Sane is teaming up with Airbag Recall: Houston to host a series of “Airbag Awareness” campus events where students can learn if their vehicles are affected by the ongoing Takata airbag recall, the largest safety recall in U.S. history. According to Airbag Recall: Houston, Hundreds of thousands of Houston residents are driving recalled vehicles with defective airbag inflators that could explode during deployment, potentially killing or seriously injuring passengers and drivers.
“As vehicle owners, we are all responsible for the safety of ourselves as well as others in our car and on the road,” says Sane. “I urge anyone who has received a recall notification or who learns their vehicle is affected by the airbag inflator recall at one of our HCC events to take action to replace the defective airbags immediately. It could be the difference between life and death. I am proud to be instrumental in bringing forward an opportunity for HCC to collaborate with Airbag Recall: Houston to increase awareness about this crucial safety recall.”
Airbag Recall: Houston launched in July 2016, comprised of dozens of community organizations, public interest groups, private companies, elected officials, faith communities and other concerned parties, in response to the airbag inflator recall. It’s a community mobilization effort that empowers area residents to take action and HCC is partnering with the coalition to shed light on a dangerous subject.
HCC Airbag Awareness events kick off this month at the HCC Southwest College West Loop and Stafford campuses.
Monday, Jan. 23 from 9 - 11 a.m.
West Loop Campus - Student Services Reception Area
5601 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77081
Tuesday, Jan. 24 from 9 - 11 a.m.
Stafford Campus - Learning Hub Building (Main Hallway, Student Lounge Area)
10041 Cash Road
Stafford, TX 77477
During these campus events, representatives from Airbag Recall: Houston will check airbags to see if they are on the recall list. Participants must know their vehicle identification number (VIN) which is often found on auto insurance cards. Coalition members will run the VINs, identify vehicle owners risk and make appointment for any higher-risk vehicle owners to get free repairs.
January HCC Airbag Awareness events will be held in conjunction with HCC “Welcome Back Week” festivities. Members from the HCC Southwest Student Government Association (SGA), will be on-hand to encourage folks to “check before you wreck” and HCC Southwest College Student Life will provide light refreshments for participants.
HCC will host larger safety events centered on HCC Safety Week during the week of March 6-10 at both Southwest and Northwest College campuses. The goal is to educate students, staff and the community about driver safety before they travel for spring break. The week-long list of activities will focus on various forms of safety, such as texting and driving, and will include a community awareness event with Airbag Recall: Houston. The dates for the Airbag Awareness events are as follows:
Monday, March 6 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
West Loop Campus Auditorium
5601 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77081
Tuesday, March 7 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Stafford Campus - Learning Hub Building, Room 139/140
10041 Cash Road
Stafford, TX 77477
Wednesday, March 8 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Alief-Bissonnet Campus - Front Lobby
13803 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77083
“The HCC safety events planned for the spring semester aim to increase student and community awareness regarding the recent national defective airbag recall,” says HCC Southwest President Madeline Burillo, Ed.D. “Given the serious nature of this recall, we feel it is important to host these educational awareness events on campuses to inform our students and surrounding communities about checking their vehicles for the recall and how to proceed with repairs. Partnering with Airbag Recall allows us to bring this important life-saving information and resources to our community.”
All HCC Airbag Awareness events are free and open to the public. Students, faculty and community members can check to see if their vehicle is at risk by visiting AirbagRecall.com.