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Emergency Expo to kick off seat belt campaign,
raise safety awareness

Law enforcement officers and safety experts will gather for an Emergency Expo this weekend to raise awareness about safety issues and emergency resources. The Expo will be Saturday and Sunday (May 22 and 23) at the Caldwell Wal-Mart, 5108 E. Cleveland Blvd.

The Expo is sponsored by the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Office of Highway Safety, Bud Fesler of Fesler Safety and Wal-Mart. The event coincides with the ITD “Click It, Don’t Risk It!” campaign to increase seat belt use. As part of the campaign, law enforcement officials will increase patrols for seat belt violators through June 6.

“The Expo will serve as a reminder about the importance of wearing seat belts, safety awareness and knowing what resources are available to help keep our families safe in emergency situations,” said Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas.

Event highlights include:

At 11 a.m. Saturday, Mayor Nancolas will lead a ceremony to present the Community Support Award to Wal-Mart representatives; kick off the “Click It, Don’t Risk It!” seat belt campaign; present the flag; and pay tribute to the armed services.
On Saturday, an Apache helicopter (similar to those used in the war with Iraq) from the Idaho National Guard will be on display. The helicopter will land at 8 a.m. and take off at 3 p.m.
Darlene Root, who can testify to the fact that seat belts save lives, will be on hand. Through radio and television ads, Root shares the story of how she and her family walked away from a rollover crash because they wore seat belts.
Helicopters used for rapid air transport in medical emergencies will be on display. On Saturday, the Saint Alphonsus Life Flight helicopter will be displayed; and on Sunday, the St. Luke’s Air helicopter will be featured.
Operation Lifesaver will share information on railroad crossing safety.