WATERFORD — Members of the Amish community from Knox and Morrow counties were given the opportunity to meet representatives from several agencies from both counties at a safety fair Tuesday night held at the Owl Creek Produce Auction in Waterford.
Crowds watched demonstrations, heard presentations, and were able to ask questions at the second annual event which is a joint effort of the health departments from Knox and Morrow counties.
Louann Renwick of the Morrow County Health Department said the fair addresses several health and safety issues, some of which are unique to Amish communities. “We wanted to address the traffic safety, but it was ideal time to hit many areas of safety and health,” she said.
Renwick said she spoke with Amish bishops beforehand, to gain permission for the fair, and obtain their support. Some of those bishops were in attendance Tuesday night, and said they found the fair informative.
Hunting safety, buggy lights and traffic safety, health and wellness, fire safety, and stranger awareness and sexual predators were all discussed at the event.
Morrow County Sheriff Steve Brenneman spoke with members of the community, and Detective S. Hall from the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office gave a presentation about the dangers posed by sexual predators and strangers that mean children harm.
He showed the crowd printed fliers from the sheriff’s office Web site which named 10 sexual predators living near the Amish community near Waterford, and showed the faces of the men.
Emmanuel Schrock who lives just over the Morrow County line said he knows two of the men, and one lives just half a mile from his home. “I thought the stranger information was real good,” he said.
“It’s no less important in the Amish community than in the English community,” Hall said of sexual predator awareness. “It’s no less important for them to report. They live in our communities and they are no less important.”
A popular demonstration involved volunteers in the crowd trying to catch balls or play cornhole while wearing “fatal vision goggles,” which simulate the impairment of drugs and alcohol.
Illustrating the danger impaired drivers can pose to Amish buggies and pedestrians on country roads, the presentation impressed some of the young men.
“I thought the glasses were the most interesting,” said 19-year-old Raymond Schlabach of Morrow County. “The beer goggles, that’s what I would call them,” joked 20-year-old Urie Shetler of Richland County.
The Fredericktown Community Fire District and Fredericktown EMS were on hand with a fire engine and rescue squad for the crowd to see.
Firefighters talked about the importance of smoke detectors, giving several away to families. Fire extinguishers were demonstrated as well.
Assistant Fire Chief Larry Schunke and Firefighter Jason Bostic said several members of the Amish community asked questions about carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors.
Bostic said more community members at this year’s fair said they had smoke detectors in their homes, and asked questions about proper use.
Esther Mullet of the Morrow County Amish community, said she felt the fire safety and traffic safety demonstrations were very helpful.
“The buggy safety and the fire safety are most important to our people, but it was all good,” she said of the safety fair.
The traffic safety demonstration by Lt. Chad McGinty of the Ohio State Patrol showed the visibility difference amber flashing LED lights attached to the back of a buggy, and reflective tape worn by horses and pedestrians, can make at night.
A young boy walked in front of McGinty’s parked cruiser; the headlights barely making the child’s dark clothes visible.
Once reflective tape was put around the boy’s sleeves and pant legs, he was able to be seen more easily from several feet away.
The tape also made a dark horse in front of a buggy much easier to see, when it was applied to the horse’s legs and bridle.
The flashing battery operated LED lights made the buggy visible from far up the road. Some in the crowd said they have already begun using the lights, many said they have not.
McGinty described his personal experience leaving the Morrow County Fair recently, when he came upon an Amish buggy on the road equipped with the lights, that he believed he may not have seen well otherwise because of foggy conditions.
“It was amazing how those amber lights cut the fog,” he said. He urged the Amish drivers to equip their buggies with the lights as well as reflective tape and slow-moving-vehicle signs. “I believe it will keep you safer,” McGinty said. “I don’t want to come out to a buggy crash.”
Shrock said the traffic safety lessons were well received. “I thought the buggy demonstrations were real good.”
Project Coordinator Wayne Dellinger of the Ohio State Extension Agricultural Safety Office said the lighting system being demonstrated was developed cooperatively in recent years. “We developed the recommended lighting at the university with the help of the Amish in another area,” he explained.
Dellinger passed out the orange triangle slow-moving-vehicle signs seen on the back of Amish buggies, and reflective tape used for buggy wheels, wagons and horses. Arm and leg bands were also given away for use by pedestrians and bicycle riders.
Dellinger also was registering names of heads of households to print special tags that will be mailed from the state office, to be attached under buggy seats. In the event of an accident, the tags help emergency workers know who has been injured.
The Morrow County Farm Bureau was also at the fair stressing traffic and buggy safety. President Eddie Lou Meimer said a tragic buggy crash in the summer of 1991 on Ohio 314, which killed six members of the Amish community, is still remembered by many in the area, who believe traffic safety in Amish communities is paramount.
Knox Community Hospital provided blood glucose and blood pressure checks, and gave information about hypertension and diabetes. “It’s a nice way for us to interact with the community,” said KCH Chief Nursing Officer Sandy Beidelschies.
The Morrow and Knox County extension offices gave information about hunting safety courses, and poison safety.
ODNR Wildlife Officer Dirk Cochran gave children and adults archery safety demonstrations.
The health departments gave information about the prevention of the spread of flu, and had plenty of informational handouts for the crowd.
Caree Varughese of the Knox County Health Department said the event was very successful, and she hopes for even greater participation from the Amish community next year.
