PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in Illinois have long been advocates of injury prevention education. They are witnesses to the injuries and deaths caused by crashes involving motor vehicles, pedalcyclists, pedestrians, excessive speed and impaired driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also recognizes the importance of injury control education, and has developed eleven different curriculums to address this important issue. These programs, Safety Advice From EMS (SAFE): A Guide to Injury Prevention, target EMS personnel as important traffic safety advocates and instructors. In 1996, the Illinois Department of Public Health teamed with Piasa Health Care to bring the SAFE program to EMS providers in seven Illinois counties. These counties include Bond, Clinton, Washington, Madison, St. Clair, Monroe and Randolph. Piasa Health Care conducts "train the trainer" programs with EMS personnel, as well as educational campaign for the general public.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Piasa Health Care EMS program is to assist those currently involved in injury prevention and encourage others to help reduce the suffering caused by preventable injuries and deaths. Specific objectives related to the program include:

• Informing and educating the public that roadway trauma is a public health issue requiring preventative intervention
• Instruct the general public on the design, use and misuse of occupant restraint systems, including the relative protection provided by manual seat belts, automatic seat belts, air bags, air bag-seat belt combinations, child safety seats and motorcycle helmets
• Convince the public of the significant role that alcohol plays in traffic crashes
• Provide information about prevention strategies in traffic safety issues and the responsible and appropriate use of EMS

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
Piasa Health Care works with the County Health Departments in each of the seven participating counties to coordinate a variety of activities associated with the EMS program. These include:

• A workshop for EMS personnel, Promoting Traffic Safety-Public Health Collaboration for Injury Prevention
• Coordinating with the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide SAFE curriculum classes, Public Information, Education, and Relations in EMS (PIER) guidelines, and Make the Right Call materials
• Assisting in the development and presentation of materials relating to impaired driving and occupant protection to employees of local businesses
• Presenting safety-related literature on occupant protection, impaired driving, bicycle safety, helmet use and pedestrian safety at health fairs and other special events
• Providing program presentations on DUI and safety belt laws, responsible hosting of parties, crash dynamics, yielding to emergency vehicles, excessive speed and related issues to parents, civic groups, public and private schools and college groups

RESULTS The Piasa Health Care program was presented to 133 EMS personnel in fiscal year 1997. Piasa also conducted several injury prevention presentations in fiscal year 1997, reaching hundreds of students, parents and business employees. Program staff participated in and coordinated activities for Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month, Lights On for Life and Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week.

FUNDING   Section 402: $76,462 CONTACT     John Moulton Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Safety 3125 Executive Park Drive Springfield, IL 62794-9245 (217) 785-3038