Public Safety/Armed Forces Committee

Chariman: Philip J Vicknair

Information from Supreme for this committee:

• Host a Blue Mass to honor law enforcement officials, firefighters and paramedics. The event should include a time for fellowship with the “blue knights” and programs explaining to them the spiritual and material benefits that come from membership in our Order. Use this Mass as an opportunity to present your council’s “Firefighter of the Year” and “Police Officer of the Year” honor to deserving individuals. Be sure to consult their chaplains and pastors when plan- ning this event.
• Sponsor a poster campaign in schools on public safety. The Supreme Office annually conducts a drug and alcohol abuse awareness poster contest. For more information call us at (203) 752-4270.
• Invite the local police chief and/or officers to your meetings to tell you their views of the problems they meet and of the support they get, or fail to get, from the public. Strive to improve working conditions for police officers.
• Set an example for others by obeying all laws‚ individually and collectively.
• Honor local law enforcement officials, firefighters and paramedics. “Certificates of Merit” (#1454, E, F, S, 25¢ each), for presentation to community servants, are available from the Supreme Council Supply Department.
• Take a stand against drunk driving — the number one killer on highways — and work toward getting the drunk driver off the road. To find out more about what your council can do, contact your local or state police department or the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 22 Cortlandt St., Suite 801, New York, NY 10007-3128, (212) 269-7797/www.ncadd.org. In Canada contact: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, #300, 75 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5E7, (613) 235-4048 or www.ccsa.ca/ccsa.
• Knowing the proper way to ride escalators, elevators and moving walks can help prevent serious accidents and injury. The Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to educating the general public on this issue. The group’s two main education programs are Safe-T Rider for second-grade children and A Safe Ride ® for adults with special emphasis on seniors. According to the foundation, both of these groups are the most at risk for injuries — young children because they may not know any better and seniors who may not be as physically adept as when they were younger. To obtain these free materials contact the foundation at 1-(888) RIDE-SAFE (1-800-949-6442 in Canada). Their Web site is www.eesf.org.