On August 17, all eyes were on the sky as an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter landed in Middlefield to participate in a special day in Geauga County.

The Ohio Department of Transportation 12th District and the Geauga County Safety Communities Coalition hosted their first Safety Day and Touch-A-Truck event at 14520 Tare Creek Parkway.

“We hope the community will support our efforts to raise awareness about driving, biking and walking safety, the impacts of distracted driving, driving under the influence, speeding and the importance of seatbelt use and obeying traffic laws,” said event organizer Emily Landis, a Geauga public health educator and coordinator of the Geauga County Safe Communities Coalition. “We hope we can continue to build good relationships with the communities in Geauga County and engage adults and children enough to think before they drive, walk or bike.”

Other event organizers included Izzy Ciptak, ODOT District 12 traffic safety planner, and Charity Armstrong, safety consultant, who assisted Landis in welcoming families to the new building after meeting with OSHP Sergeant Andrew Edinger to learn more about the patrol helicopter and take photos.

“She likes all the equipment,” Jim Kovacs of Burton said of his 2-year-old daughter Elza as she slowly approached to carefully touch the helicopter. “This is a great event and we have a great sheriff. We love living in Geauga County.”

Event participants included AAA East Central, Drug-Free Communities, Family First Council, Geauga County Amish Safety Board, Geauga County Engineer’s Office, Geauga County Sheriff’s Office and K9 Unit, GPH, Safety Communities Coalition, OSHP and SWAT Team, Middlefield Police and Fire Departments, ODOT, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ravenwood Health, University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center and more.

“The GCSCC wants the community to know who they are, where residents can learn about various safety concerns, and where they can go to voice their concerns,” Landis said.

Ciptak walked over to thank the Amish Safety Committee for their efforts in the county and for participating in the day.

GPH has partnered with the UH Rainbow Injury Prevention Center in Cleveland to conduct car seat screening and distribution to income-eligible families so they can register to receive a free car seat or booster seat.

“According to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), while most parents and caregivers are confident they installed the car seat correctly, nearly half (46%) installed it incorrectly,” said Landis. “As child car safety technicians, our goal is to provide the resources and education to ensure children are securely restrained in vehicles to prevent injuries. We are happy to help families in our community select the right car seat, install the seat correctly, and use the seat correctly every time.”

The event also included a Quick Click Challenge to demonstrate how easy it is to put on and take off a seat belt.

“We decided to have a vehicle at our event that will provide local authorities and Safety Day attendees the opportunity to participate in this fun challenge to promote seat belt safety and awareness,” said Landis. “We want to remind our community that wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to protect yourself on the road.”

The new event was planned in coordination with the children’s return to school.

“It’s a good time to remind people in the community to slow down when children are walking or biking to school and to watch for school buses picking up and returning students home,” Landis said. “As schools begin to reopen in the next few weeks, we can all use the reminders to stop for buses picking up and returning students home and to obey the law when driving through school zones.”

GCSO Vice President Thomas Rowan urged drivers to be cautious in school zones.

“Officials will increase their enforcement efforts in the county’s school zones and keep an eye on our children to ensure they are safe as the school year begins,” Rowan said.

August is also the month of “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled campaign runs through September 2nd and includes Labor Day weekend, when there will be increased police enforcement and nationwide education about the dangers of driving while under the influence.

“The goal is to prevent drunk driving and avoid the tragedies we see on Labor Day weekends in our community,” Landis said. “We hope to bridge any gaps between these agencies and residents and bring the community together while making it a safer place to live and travel.”

“None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the numerous agencies and those who serve the communities of Geauga County,” he added. “We want to thank each agency and their representatives for their dedication to Geauga County and the safety of its residents.”