Wyandot County gets $27K for public safety

UPPER SANDUSKY — The Wyandot County Public Health Department has received $27,000 of funding as part of the Safe Communities Grant provided through the Ohio Department of Public Safety's Traffic Safety Office. According to Callan McMillion, Wyandot County public health educator, the grant is focused on "conducting traffic safety education and awareness campaigns in county and local jurisdictions related to motorcycle safety, drinking and driving, seat belt usage and distracted driving," she said. The award is applied for by WCPH annually. "Ohio Safe Communities is a data-driven initiative to save lives and reduce injuries through collaboration among state, county and local partners… Each program has five primary goals: increasing seat belt usage, increasing seat belt and impaired driving awareness, increasing motorcycle safety awareness, coalition building and fatal data review," says an Ohio Traffic Safety Office webpage. McMillion reported the money has previously been used to host community events in and around Wyandot County including Click it or Ticket campaign that gives local students an opportunity to try their hand at filmmaking, drive sober event that reminds people hosting end of summer parties to keep sober guests and designated drivers in mind, Mario Kart distracted driving that gives people the opportunity to play Mario Kart while responding to distracted driving prompts or while experiencing drunk goggles. "We meet with local and state partners focused on traffic safety including law enforcement and first responders on a quarterly basis to discuss traffic safety activities in Wyandot County," McMillion said. "A fatality review is held in quarters where a traffic fatality occurred on Wyandot County roadways in order to identify opportunities for education, enforcement and improvement of our roadways." The grant affords the county the opportunity "to offer activities and education surrounding traffic safety in Wyandot County and aids in coalition building with traffic safety-focused partners," McMillion reported. "We are thankful to have received the grant for the past several years."