LIMA, OH (WLIO) – Promoting safety in Allen County is a community effort, and officials say they are seeing results.
The Allen County Safe Community Coalition held its Summer Partners Meeting Friday morning. The coalition organizes safety programs for children, offers driver’s education for teens, and promotes fire safety as well as the importance of using a designated driver when drinking.
The coalition is made up of first responders, nonprofit agencies, and representatives from Lima Memorial Health System and Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center.
Allen County has seen a reduction in fatal crashes over the past three years, which directly impacts the amount of state funding the coalition receives for its programs.
“We're provided money through the Ohio Transportation and Safety organization, and so that money, when it reduces, that's a good thing. That means that your county is doing better at just keeping people safe on the road. And so, we're proud of that. We're happy about that. We're happy that people are doing a lot to stay safe,” said Megan Kinnear of the Allen County Safe Community Coalition.
“You know, both Lima hospitals and several entities make up this Allen County Safe Community Coalition, and also the Allen County fatal review and we are looking at ways to improve the safety of not only our patients, but our community, our moms, dads, brothers and sisters,” said Doug LaRue, Lima Memorial EMS Manager.
The coalition’s next major effort will be promoting the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign in August.
