Wauseon, OH – Kim Cupp, Health Commissioner, announces the receipt of $35,000 to continue promoting safe driving in Fulton County.
“I am pleased to announce that we have been awarded these funds as the ‘Fulton County Safe Communities’, and the opportunity to do all we can to reduce the number of traffic fatalities on the roadways of our community”, stated Ms. Cupp.
Fulton County Sheriff, Roy Miller, is also encouraged by the money received, “It is imperative to not only enforce the laws regarding traffic safety, but to continue our efforts to improve visibility of my deputies and to add education to complete our vision of a safer Fulton County.”
The grant through the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Traffic Safety Office, is funded by monies provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Safe Communities approach is to create a community-based initiative where the expansion of resources and partnerships brings awareness for the need of traffic safety education and public awareness.
The mission of Fulton County Safe Communities is to create safety programs and provide enforcement serving all communities in the Fulton County area that will lend to reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities.
Some specific strategies that Safe Communities implements in Fulton County include seat belt surveys, Teen Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign and CarFit events focusing on safe driving for our senior population.
In 2020 there were nine fatalities related to vehicle crashes. That number is higher than the 2019 statistics where there were five fatalities. Many partners are working together to decrease those numbers including law enforcement, ODOT, emergency services, county engineers, county commissioners, health department, county extension office, local insurance businesses, community members and public safety because even one fatality is too many.
“The need to add awareness of traffic safety issues with enforcement is a great concern for our county, especially for our younger drivers,” noted Rachel Kinsman, Project Director. “Awareness and education are key to saving lives.”
“If through education, we can get people to realize how they can increase their safety by merely putting on a seat belt or not driving impaired, we have succeeded and used this grant well,” Kinsman said.
“The costs associated with the loss of life cannot be measured in dollars and cents, especially to those who lose someone they care about”.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office also has a grant through the Ohio Traffic Safety Office for High Visibility Enforcement during major holidays and National Mobilizations Blitzes such as “Click It Or Ticket and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”.
This grant will add to the efforts of the Sheriff’s Office to make traffic safety a priority of the office, and for the safety of citizens and visitors to the area.
Concerned about traffic safety in Fulton County? We would love for you to join us at our next FC Safe Communities meeting on Thursday, January 20, 2022.
Check us out on Facebook @FCsafecommunities or contact Rachel Kinsman / Karen Pennington at 419.337.0915 for more details.