West Shore Safe Communities Coalition

Phone: (231) 845-9198

E-mail: alway@t-one.net

Mission

To improve the quality of life for all community members by reducing the incidence of personal injuries through the implementation of model injury prevention programs, educational activities and multi-agency cooperation.

Vision

West Shore Safe Communities is a non-profit organization specializing in the reduction of injuries among all populations. West Shore Safe Communities will build healthy communities by including local partners, using local data to identify assets and deficits, working with existing local resources, and implementing model injury prevention programs.

Coalition Background

The coalition formed in 2000 and worked hard to complete the ACTS in all three counties by the summer of 2001. Coalition membership includes representatives from area law enforcement, fire departments, health departments, government agencies and boards, emergency medical services, schools, community members, businesses and industry. The coalition meets the third Wednesday each month, rotating meeting locations between the three counties to accommodate local needs.

In 2001 the coalition partnered with the Mason Lake Oceana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (MLOCRUD), which is a coalition of youth and adults working to create community change with the goal of reducing underage drinking. The partners hold general meetings together, and then MLOCRUD meets separately to discuss their particular business. Creating the partnership seemed a logical fit and accommodated the schedules of many people who attended the same meetings.

West Shore Safe Communities was designated as a non-profit agency early 2002, and is licensed through the Michigan Consumer and Industry Services to provide substance abuse prevention services.

ACTS Information

The coalition completed the ACTS process in Summer 2001. According to the ACTS, top deficits in each of the three counties surveyed include safety belt nonuse, low rate of drunk driving arrests, attitudes supporting substance abuse, and drinking and driving.

Crash profile data from 1995-1999 reveal the counties each have different traffic crash issues. Mason County ranks 8^th in the state for excessive numbers of crashes involving older drivers. They rank 27^th in the state on the motorcycle crash profile, while Oceana County ranks 3^rd. Oceana County ranks 5^th for excessive alcohol-related crashes. Muskegon County ranks 2^nd in the state for the violated traffic controls crash profile, 5^th for crashes involving older drivers, 6^th for excessive 18-20 year old crash profile, and 12^th for excessive 15-17 year old crashes.

Traffic safety asset scores differed in each county. Mason County results are higher in the areas of standard alcohol enforcement, enforcement technologies, and repeat offender education, but are lower in areas like parental teaching and involvement, and local policies and ordinances. According to Ocean County’s results, community members perceive there is ready access to adult problem identification, however they may not perceive a strong law enforcement presence or coordination, or local policies and ordinances.

On the other hand, Muskegon County results reflect a strong community perception of quality rehabilitation programs, sharing of emergency room data, access to adult problem identification, and parental teaching and involvement. Asset scores are lower in Muskegon County for perceptions of law enforcement campaigns and coordination.

Challenges

Obtaining current crash statistics, and securing funding for activities.