Health Education & Awareness for a Lifetime

May

2015

A newsletter from the Florida Department of Health in Wakulla County

48 Oak Street, Crawfordville, FL 32327

850-926-0400

“I only looked at the phone

for a second.”

It takes 4.6 seconds to read a

short text or look at a phone

number. At 55 mph you can

travel 300 feet.. The length of

a football field.

“I’ve been driving for years, I

can handle a phone call while

driving.”

The next highest group of

drivers (after the age group of

16-21) involved in fatal distract-

ed driving accidents are 30-49

years old.

“My car has Bluetooth so I’m safer

when talking on the phone .”

You are still distracted! Your brain has

to listen, process what you heard and

formulate an answer. Doing this

reduces the brain activity needed for

driving by 39%.

How do we stop distracted driving?

Talk: Talk to your teens, pre-teens, friends, neighbors, and

spouses. Tell them about the dangers of distracted driving.

Tell them they are more important to you than any text,

phone call or other distraction. Speak up when you are a

passenger and the driver is driving distracted.

Be A Role Model: Don’t drive distracted. Show that you are

focusing on driving and those that ride with you will learn to

do the same. Pull over to talk on the phone or read a text,

secure pets, eat and drink at stop lights only, put make up on

before you get in the car.

Conduct A Self-Check: Ask yourself how you are distracted while driving. Do you eat or drink, adjust air

and radio controls? Do you day dream or make mental lists? When you realize how easy it is to become

distracted, you’ll be able to avoid driving while not focused.

Challenge Your Family: Have driving members of your family

sign safe-driving contracts and post them in a visible area of your

home. This can serve as a reminder not to drive distracted. Include

younger non-driving children so that they can remind drivers to focus.

The “DRIVE IT. Distracted Driving Prevention Program” is available through the Florida Department

of Health in Wakulla County’s Health Education department. Please let us know if you would like to

have the program presented at your church, business, school PTO meeting or anywhere else! There

is no charge for this service. Reach us by phone at 850-926-0400, ext. 215 or email:

grace.keith@flhealth.gov.

When: Saturday, May 30, 9 a.m. - 12 noon Where: Wakulla Urgent Care, 41 Feli Way Who: Middle and High School students (including upcoming 6th Graders) who want to participate in Florida High School Athletic Association events during the summer & the next school year, Special Olympics athletes Schedule: 9:00 a.m. - Wakulla High Football players

10:00 a.m. - Riversprings & Wakulla Middle Schools 11:00 a.m. - Other Wakulla High students

Get a Pre-Participation Physical form your school athletic director and complete Page 1 before arrival. Forms must be signed by a parent/guardian for any student under 18 years. If students are over 18 years, parents must complete Page 1 but are not required to be present.

Families with siblings at different schools may choose the most convenient time and bring both students.

Upcoming 6th graders should call their middle school to be put on the list.

Required camp forms must be

provided by the student.

Classes offered by Florida Department of Health

in Wakulla County For more information or to reserve your space,

please call 850-926-0400, ext. 215 or

the Wakulla One Stop Community Center at 745-6042.

All classes meet at 48 Oak Street, Crawfordville, FL

The next Hands-only CPR class is on June 11, from 7-9 p.m., 2014 at the One Stop Community Center. The course is endorsed by the American Safety and Health Institute. Call 745-6042 for more information and to register. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED! The class costs $15.00 that will be refunded when you receive you certification. This class is for community members - not medical professionals. If you need CPR –PRO for medical professionals, please call Grace Keith at 926-0400, x. 215.

Basic First Aid... Please call for more information on the next class at the Health

department. The course is endorsed by the American Safety and Health Institute. Call

926-0400, ext. 215 for more information or to register for a class. The cost is $25.00

per person. The fee must be paid in advance and there is no refund.

Childbirth Preparation... The Healthy Start Program offers a 5-week Childbirth

Education class for pregnant moms and their partners. (We suggest that moms be at

least 7 months pregnant when they take this class.) Topics include: coping with labor

and delivery, comfort techniques, infant care - including Infant CPR, post-partum care,

breastfeeding and car seat safety. The next series of classes are scheduled for June 2–

30 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.. All classes are held at the Florida Department of Health in

Wakulla. For more information or to sign up for the class, call Mary Westbrook at 926-

0400, ext. 233, Amelia Morse at x. 228 or Grace Keith at x. 215. There is no charge for this class!

Health Education… Is there a health-related topic you need more information about?

Need information on diabetes care, meal planning, nutrition, etc.? Call Health Educator,

Grace Keith at 850-926-0400, ext. 215 or email: grace.keith@flhealth.gov

The Florida Department of Health in Wakulla County has a Service Provider Kiosk to help

you find who and what you are looking for. The kiosk is located in the lobby of the Health De-

partment, which is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p. m.

You can search sites such as 211Big Bend, Whole Child Leon, Florida Department of Children and Families and Wakulla County Coalition for Youth Resource Directory. Many providers are local and have sliding fee scales. You can find many types of services from daily needs to emergency assistance. This service is also very helpful in the event that you have just moved into the area. There is no charge to use the kiosk.

Prenatal Care and New Baby Care classes are available upon request. There is no charge for either of

these classes. CPR and First Aid Combination classes are also available upon request. This class is

$25.00 and it is non-refundable. All of these classes are held at the Florida Department of Health in

Wakulla County. Call 926-0400,.x. 215 for details.