Town Hall Meeting

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition will be holding a spring town hall meeting on underage drinking.
The coalition is currently seeking idea's and suggestions for this event. If you have a suggestion for a speaker, incentives, meals, or anything to make this event successful the coalition would love to hear from you. You may call at 319-293-6412 or email at info@vbsafecoalition.com
The coalition is also looking for suggestions for dates that are "good" for the community.
Please feel free to contact us with any ideas and suggestions.
-VB SAFE Coalition!

No Smoking Week Jan 18- 23

What have you got to lose?
Besides being terrible for your health, did you know smoking is the No. 1 cause of preventable home fire deaths?

National Non-Smoking Week was started about 30 years ago in Canada by the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control. The goals of National Non-Smoking Week are:

* To educate people about the dangers of smoking.
* To prevent non-smokers from picking up the habit.
* To help people quit smoking.
* To promote the right of every individual to breath clean, unpolluted air.
* To help make our society smoke-free.


Why is smoking so bad?

Tobacco use is the main cause of preventable disease, disability and premature death in North America. If you’re exposed to second-hand smoke (smoke from a smoker’s cigarettes), you may also have risks to your health, including a greater chance of getting bronchitis, penumonia, ear infections and asthma.

How to help someone quit smoking

If someone you know needs to quit smoking, there are things you can do to help them:

* Tell them how much you love them and how proud of them you’ll be if they stop smoking.
* Tell them about some of the ingredients in a cigarette – acetone (found in nail polish remover), ammonia (found in cleaning products), rat poison – and ask them if they would drink those poisonous things on their own.
* Whenever they are smoking, ask them to stop and, if they won’t, move to another room or go outside.
* Tell them about Quitline Iowa- a free service to help those interested in quitting smoking.
www.quitlineiowa.org or 1-800-quitnow (1-800-784-8669)

The Van Buren Middle School JEL will have a tobacco display at the Van Buren High School during the home basketball game on Tuesday, January 19th in honor of National No smoking week. Come check it out.

SAFE Volunteers

Are you interested in Making Van Buren County a SAFE Place to live?

We encourage you to join the SAFE Coalition! Maybe one of your New Years Resolutions was to make a difference in your community or to volunteer more of your time. If this is true the SAFE Coalition is for you!

The SAFE Coalition is always in need of new members, especially parents of teens! We want your input on our activities and projects. Are we making a difference in the community and the lives of teens? We need your help to be sure that we are.

The SAFE Coalition is designed to unite the communities of Van Buren County and provide information and various resources to aid in the fight against substance abuse.

By becoming a member, you will be informed of Coalition activities; have the chance to contribute ideas, suggestions, and feedback; and have opportunities to offer your own abilities to help make Van Buren County a safe place to live. Becoming a member is free and the time commitment can be as minimal as reading email updates or as much as heading up a committee or event, depending on your own preferences.

We encourage you to check out our website at www.vbsafecoalition or contact us at 319-293-6412 for more information how you can get involved with the coalition.

Join us for our next coalition meeting:
January 12th
2:00pm
Van Buren High School Library

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving this Holiday Season

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Impaired driving by women is becoming a national safety issue. According to NHTSA research, in 2008 there was an increasing trend among women driving under the influence of alcohol. These increases occurred in certain parts of the nation and highlighted the number of alcohol-impaired female drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2008 compared to 2007. We know that the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s can be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times on America’s roadways due to an increase in drunk driving.

That is why during the month of December, The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is joining with hundreds of other state and local law enforcement and highway safety officials to get impaired drivers off of the roads, and remind motorists this holiday season that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.

Impaired driving is an issue that cuts across all segments of society and, sadly, the number of arrests of women driving under the influence is on the rise. Whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk of killing yourself or someone else. Don’t ever get behind a wheel of a vehicle when you are impaired.

Following these easy steps, a driver can enjoy a safe and festive holiday without jeopardizing their life and the lives of the others who may be on the road:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
• Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and give that person your keys;

• If you’re impaired, call a sober friend or family member so you are sure to get home safely;
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;
• And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

During the month of December 2008, 888 people were killed in crashes that involved a driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. The consumption of alcohol, drugs and driving just don’t mix. This holiday season; don’t let your year end in an arrest—or even worse, death. The results from drinking and driving can end up deadly no matter how many drinks you’ve had.

For more information, please visit www.StopImpairedDriving.com or the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

Suggestions for Parents- Part 2

(Continued from last week)

When you’re away from home or out of town

• Set and communicate rules and standards to be followed in your absence.
• Do not allow underage youth to have unsupervised parties or gatherings.
• Remind them of their responsibilities and the consequences of their actions.
• Have a relative or responsible adult stay at your home during your absence, have your teenager stay with a responsible adult or ask a neighbor to watch the house and stop in while you are gone.
• If you are concerned that your child might have a party anyway, you can call your local police and ask them to drive by at some point over the time you are gone. Make it a point to tell your child that you have asked the police to do this.

If your teen is attending a party

• Know where your child will be. Call the parent in charge to verify the occasion and location of the party and ensure there will be adult supervision.

• Ask how many teens are expected at the party and offer to help supervise or provide refreshments.

• Make certain that the host will not be serving or allowing alcohol. Ask how they plan to handle the situation if a teen shows up with alcohol or has been drinking.

• Indicate your expectations to your child and the parent hosting the party that if the teens leave and go somewhere else, you will want to know.

• Set a curfew for your teen to be home and when they arrive home, have them check in with you.

• Know how your child is getting to and from the party. Reinforce the message to your teenager that they should never allow someone who has been drinking or using other drugs to drive them anywhere.

• Assure your child that they can telephone you to be picked up whenever needed.

• If the activity seems inappropriate, express concern and keep your child home.

Other ideas

• Get to know your children’s friends and their parents.
• Find out their policy on alcohol, drug and tobacco use.
• Remember, it is illegal to serve minors, or to knowingly allow a minor to have alcohol on your property.
• Encourage alcohol-free and drug-free parties and activities for underage youth.

Tips for Parents- Part1

If your teen is giving a party

· Help your teenager plan the party. Make a guest list and invite only a specific number of people.

Have your child pass out or send invitations and try to avoid the “open party” situation.

Don’t send e-mail invitations. They can be forwarded to a large number of people quickly and you lose control of who has this information.

Put your phone number on the invitation and welcome calls from parents.

Set rules ahead of time such as no alcohol, drugs or tobacco. Set a start and end time for the party.

Let attendees know that if they leave, they can’t come back.

Have plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Plan some activities such as music, games, movies, etc.

Let your neighbors know in advance there will be a party and that you will be there to supervise. Familiarize yourself with the noise ordinance in your area.

Limit the party access to a certain area of the house/property.

Have a plan for dealing with vehicles. Include parking information on your party invitation.

Call parents of any teen who arrives in possession of alcohol or under the influence. If you can’t get in touch with the parents, keep the teen there or call the police if necessary. You can be civilly liable if you know they have been drinking and you let them leave.

Secure all forms of alcohol, firearms and other potentially hazardous items in your home in a safe place.

Familiarize yourself with you community’s noise ordinances.

Make regular and unobtrusive visits to the party area with sensitivity to teens’ needs for privacy and independence.

Invite some other parents to help chaperone if there will be a large number of teenagers.

December is Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

This December, during National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month (3D Month), consider what you can do to make injuries and deaths from impaired driving less of a threat.
* According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.
* Every day, 36 people in the United States die, and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.
* Alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion a year.

During the holiday season, and year-round, take steps to make sure that you and everyone you celebrate with avoids driving under the influence of alcohol. Following these tips from NHTSA can help you stay safe:
· Plan ahead. Always designate a non-drinking driver before any holiday party or celebration begins.

· Take the keys. Do not let a friend drive if they are impaired.

· Be a helpful host. If you’re hosting a party this holiday season, remind your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver, always offer alcohol-free beverages, and make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

Information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)