REMSA has received a $20,000 grant from the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), to educate the public about pedestrian safety in order to decrease injuries and deaths in Washoe County.
The grant will be implemented with many regional partners, including the Washoe County School District (WCSD), the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), and regional law enforcement agencies. Through collaborative efforts, the grant will enable REMSA to spread a unified message to residents of Washoe County about taking personal responsibility for improving pedestrian safety.
REMSA’s grant, titled “Rethink Your Step” will be used primarily for outreach efforts. There are three objectives in the grant: educational outreach, conspicuous disbursement of informational materials and spot checks at problem areas, and collaborative development of educational materials and programs with its partners.
For example, one of the efforts this grant will develop is outreach with the WCSD School Police to enrich their Safe Routes to School program. They will help students understand these issues through the distribution of a book on pedestrian safety featuring the popular Clifford the Big Red Dog character.
“The educational efforts and activities that the grant enables are part of REMSA’s commitment to our community for better health and safety,” said Francisco Ceballos, REMSA’s Community Programs Coordinator. “We look forward to working with our partners to impact this serious public health issue.”
The grant runs through September 30, 2018.