”Don’t Let Alcohol Force You Out of the Game Be sure to include a designated driver in your starting lineup this weekend!”

While we encourage everyone to have fun cheering for their favorite team – or watching for their favorite commercial ad – please do so in a safe and responsible way. This is why the law enforcement and EMS agencies, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming with the National Football League (NFL) and Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition to help endorse the very important safety message of not drinking and driving to all NFL fans.

If you are preparing to consume alcohol while you watch the game, we suggest that you do it sensibly, by handing over your keys to a “sober” designated driver. Anyone drinking during the games should make sure they have a designated driver plan to make sure they get home safe. Their plan may mean calling a friend, or calling a cab for a ride home.

In 2010, over 10,000 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.   The average cost for a DUI ticket is $8,000 to $10,000 or more!  A cab ride is much cheaper!

We are also asking all party hosts to discourage their guests from drinking and driving. Take the keys from guests who plan on drinking. Make that extra effort to be sure that everyone who will be drinking has assigned a sober designated driver. That you are serving more food than booze, and have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages available as well. Remember – coffee does not sober people up.

We want everyone to make the right decision for this weekend – don’t let a day of fun end in tragedy. Expect extra law enforcement to be patrolling our roadways. If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement by calling 9-1-1!   NFL Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

Desert lightning

When stormy conditions hit - will you be prepared?

• Visit this website – http://www.prepare.org and see all the things you can do to be prepared if there’s flooding, or if you lose power.  Conserve energy – avoid doing laundry, turn off lights etc.
• Also visit www.readySanDiego.org for more information in preparing for a disaster.
• Making a plan – go to: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/make_a_plan/ – now is the time to prepare – before a problem or disaster occurs.
• Don’t forget the number to call for emergency-evacuation shelters “2-1-1″!  Also have a battery operated radio for emergency information during a power outage.
• SANDBAGS – Visit the County website for information on sandbags – www.sdcounty.ca.gov or visit places like Home Depot or RCP for sandbags.  You can easily make your own sand bags by using small plastic trash bags filled with sand or dirt.   As of November 18, 2010 – here is the County’s information on obtaining sandbags.
• During daylight hours, if it’s safe to travel, consider going to an indoor mall or library. When driving – “never” go through a barricaded area.  Your vehicle can easily be swept away.  If you go through barricades and you have to be rescued – you may be charged with the cost of that rescue. But most important – you are risking your life!  During heavy rains/storm conditions – don’t travel. But if you do drive – make sure you and your passengers are buckled-up and reduce your “speed” please – and do not tailgate.  Keep a safe distance from the car ahead of you…and be patient.   Speed is the number cause of collisions during rainy weather.
• American Red Cross website – http://www.redcross.org/en/ for excellent information.
• Power outage checklist (PDF file)
• San Diego Gas & Electric
• What to do and who to call
• If you see a downed power line “DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TOUCH IT!” Call 9-1-1!
• Avoid danger – do not allow your children to play in or near storm drains, storm channels etc.  They can easily be carried away by the fast moving water and drown.  Camping is not a good idea due to flooding and the possibilty of flash floods – especially in the desert areas.   Retreat to higher ground.  Be safe and exercise common sense during these storm conditions.

Just the Facts:

• AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 41 percent of drivers admit to having fallen asleep behind the wheel.
• Drowsy driving is responsible for about 17 percent of all crashes.
• The results are based on a phone survey of about 2,000 U.S. residents.

WASHINGTON — In a scary new study that should make Starbucks happy, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 41 percent of drivers admit to having fallen asleep behind the wheel. The study results indicate that drowsy driving is a bigger factor in crashes than previously thought, according to researchers. Drowsy driving is responsible for about 17 percent of all crashes, said the study — making it as serious a risk factor for traffic fatalities as speeding, drunk driving and distracted driving.

The results are based on a phone survey of about 2,000 U.S. residents. More than one in four adults admits to having driven when they were “so sleepy that [they] had a hard time keeping [their] eyes open within the past month.”

Drivers aged 16-24 were the most likely to report having fallen asleep at the wheel within the past year. Men were much more likely than women to have fallen asleep, and 56 percent of respondents said their last instance of falling asleep behind the wheel occurred on a multilane divided highway.

The federal government has been waging a high-profile war against distracted driving. The U.S. Department of Transportation has held two distracted-driving summits in the past two years. No word on whether the feds will tackle the problem of drowsy driving.

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pyfff/escapes.html

Living proof having a “home escape plan” saves lives!  It saved the lives of a well known country singer’s family.   Click on the following link:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/06/05/trace.adkins.fire/index.html?iref=allsearch

On average, 436 children die in home fires every year.  Working smoke alarms are an essential piece of safety equipment which should be in every home. If your family lives in a home with working smoke alarms the likelihood of dying in a fire is half that compared to a home without working alarms. Use the tips below to learn how to keep your family safe from fire.

Top tips for smoke alarms:
*Put a smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area, and in every bedroom.
*Smoke alarms can be battery-operated or electrically hardwired in your home and are available at a variety of price points.

*If you have hearing problems, use alarms with flashing strobe lights and vibration.
Test smoke alarms every month. Replace batteries once a year, even if alarms are hardwired.

*Test your smoke alarms at night to see if your child will wake up and respond to the alarm. Children sleep more deeply and may not wake up. If your child does not wake up to the alarm, try an alarm where you can program your voice to alert him or her.

*Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings since smoke rises. Ceiling-mounted alarms should be installed at least 4 inches away from the nearest wall. Wall-mounted alarms should be installed 4 to 12 inches away from the ceiling.

*Replace all smoke alarms every 10 years.

*Consider installing both ionization alarms, which are better at sensing flaming fires, and photoelectric alarms, which are better at sensing slow, smoky fires, or dual sensor alarms. 

For more life saving tips – please check this fire website and the following website links:

www.firepreventionweek.org

http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-spotlight/fire-prevention-week/fire-prevention-week-october.html

http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=2019&URL=Safety%20Information/Fire%20Prevention%20Week%202010/For%20kids%20and%20families

For lectures contact Monica Zech at (619) 441-1737.

Be informed – be safe!

http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/hhsa/programs/ais/documents/coolzones.pdf

For tips on heat safety, here’s some great information from the American Red Cross:
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.1a019a978f421296e81ec89e43181aa0/?vgnextoid=a69ff6c5fd47b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

When driving, running errands - NEVER leave your baby/child, the elderly, or your dog in your vehicle – not even for a moment - that could easily turn into a FATAL mistake.  Temperatures in a vehicle can rise in a matter of seconds.  If you see that someone has left a baby/child, an elderly person or a pet alone in a vehicle – call 9-1-1! 

Stay hydrated – drink plenty of WATER – stay away from caffeine like tea and coffee drinks, and most of all alcohol, these drinks “dehyrate” the body and can be dangerous.  Take cool showers if you are at home to cool down.  Make sure your pets have cool shade areas and plenty of water as well.  Be safe!

Thank you!

If someone is seriously hurt folowing a traffic collision, fall, having trouble breathing, heart attack or stroke – call 9-1-1!   If someone is breaking into a home, there’s a fire, or explosion – call 9-1-1!

Some people think they can avoid waiting in the lobby of the emergency room by calling 9-1-1…wrong.  If you’re situation is discovered not to be life threatening – you’ll be sent to the lobby area to wait your turn. 

Here’s a website to fully understand the proper use of 9-1-1:

http://www.whentocall911.com/

A child is injured in a bike-related incident almost every two minutes. Whether your child uses a small bicycle with training wheels or a big kid’s bike, make sure he or she wears a helmet correctly on every ride. It’s the single most effective way to prevent a serious head injury from bike crashes.

Please click on the following website for information and a special video on how to properly fit a safety helmet on your child.

http://www.safekids.org/stages/