RE: Drive Safely - warning graphic violence

June 4, 2010

You are exactly right. We donâ€™t do a good job of modeling proper behavior, not

only as parents to our own children but as a society and truly I think one of

the big problems is that there are too many lawyers (sorry, Wes and Gene). We

know without a doubt that drunk driving is an epidemic in this country, but how

many times have you heard this: â€œdonâ€™t drink and drive but if you do call

(insert lawyerâ€™s name here) I will get you offâ€. We try to establish

sobriety check points and get shot down because we may violate someoneâ€™s

rights, we hold â€œno refusal weekendsâ€ and the lawyers gripe that we are

violating the drunk drivers rights to not self incriminate or submit to

unreasonable search and seizure. I think it is sad that we have gotten to the

point in this country that we are more concerned with not violating the rights

of criminals and not protecting the rights of you and me and our loved ones to

not be hit and killed by a drunk driver.

Apologies for the negativity.

Rick

From: texasems-l [mailto:texasems-l ] On Behalf

Of marilyn

Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2010 2:55 PM

To: texasems-l

Subject: Re: Drive Safely - warning graphic violence

I usually don't say anything on here, but do listen to all going on. This time I

noticed something Rick said that shook my senses. He wrote: It is just hard to

convince a 10 foot tall and bullet proof teenager " how right you are Rick! BUT,

also my husband complains non-stop about the women that txt or talk while

driving, then stop at the light and reach for make-up and brushes, lights turn

and here they go applying lipstick and brushing their hair while talking on the

phone. Then they speed in and out of two semi's because they don't like driving

behind them. All the time having kids in the car.

Think there could be a good video for that one too? Some might not be massive

effective, but if just one single accident/injury/death could be avoided? Just

one is very much worth it. All we have seen about DWI and DUI's causing injury

and death, has it saved one - probably, has it stopped it, never. But, is it a

good thing to show this to teenagers, They need to see it, they need to hear

about, they need to hopefully prevent it from involving them.

EMS folks are the ones that have to go when called and see what should never

have happened, EMS folks live with what they see that most never will. It sinks

in to the EMS folks, it needs to sink into everyone and be available to seen by

everyone.

Thank you for letting my two cents worth of thoughts out.

Marilyn Ollarzabal, Director

CCAT, CPAT, CMRS, RMC

CLAIMS ACTION

Re: Drive Safely - warning graphic violence

I'm not so sure these have affect or at least the wholesale affect that we

tend to think they do.

Sadly the target audience is so use to graphic blood and gore on TV, in

movies and such they see through these or at least I sense that they do.

Are there any empirical studies showing these work in one way or another?

I'd love to think they do have some affect but I just think that the kids

of at least the past two generations are so use to seeing these things and

the news too that they get numb in a way.

Louis N. Molino, Sr., CET

FF/NREMT-B/FSI/EMSI

Freelance Consultant/Trainer/Author/Journalist/Fire Protection Consultant

LNMolino@...

(Cell Phone)

" A Texan with a Jersey Attitude "

" Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds

discuss people " Eleanor Roosevelt - US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

In a message dated 6/3/2010 9:53:52 A.M. Central Daylight Time,

PRECEPTER@...

writes:

No Joke,,,,,,,, wow excellent for young drivers

Eddie

June 4, 2010

Don, I apologize if I came off sounding like I was trying to blast any

programs. My point is that we need to take the time to do our homework

to see if what we are doing is evidence based. As mentioned in a

different post on this topic, CDC as well as SAMSHA (and I believe NIH)

having information on programs that are evidence based as being

effective or promising. I'm sure there is also research into other

commonly done programs that can tell if they are or aren't effective.

This is the standard that I know our program has used for the past

decade when deciding on new programs, activities, curriculums, etc. Is

there evidence there to support doing it and is it the right program to

accomplish " X " goal with " Y " population?

The " feel good " aspect is to respect that there are times when the

" politics " and " public relations " value requires us to do things that

are basically a " feel good " activity. For example, the research has

shown that for changing health behaviors the act of passing out

brochures and talking to people at health fairs is pretty much useless.

Those brief interventions are not enough to create a behavior change.

However, there are times when it's expedient to do a health fair because

it's a pet project of those who approve your budgets or because it's a

tool to build the relationships you need to get your foot in the door.

Therefore, while the health fair is not evidence based for the overall

outcome, it is a useful tool that will get you towards that outcome.

The key is to what outcome you are trying to accomplish and does that

outcome warrant the investment of time, money, etc.

Barry Sharp, MSHP, CHES

Tobacco Prevention & Control Program Coordinator

Substance Abuse Services Unit

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division

________________________________

From: texasems-l [mailto:texasems-l ] On

Behalf Of Don Elbert

Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2010 3:35 PM

To: texasems-l

Subject: Re: Drive Safely - warning graphic violence

Sounds good Lou....What proof? Are you or Rick or Barry saying there is

true proof that DWI programs for high-schoolers have no value? Just

wondering. Maybe there is - I'd like to know actually...... I ONLY

offered my thought that there is skepticism but see no reason to

discontinue these programs and 3 guys jump on it with one asking if I

believe in evidence-based medicine and another with a comparison to

doing things only because they " feel-good " . What?

There's a big difference between skepticism and evidence.

Do you guys sit at your desks all day just waiting on someone to post a

comment/opinion so you can shoot holes in it? Do you know what

presumptuous means? Argumentative?

It's why a lot of good folks say they stay away from this listserve. I

see what they mean.

>>> lnmolino@... > 6/3/2010 3:08 PM >>>

In a message dated 6/3/2010 2:52:01 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

barry.sharp@...

writes:

Maybe they are only good as a public relations activity that promotes

the agency as " good guys " . Then you have to decide if the " good guy "

feeling is worth the costs of doing the activity.

Yet even in the face of PROOF where things do or likely do (forget the

MAY

word) we see things done in the name of " it feels good " and that just

isn't

right!