January 11, 2016
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DRIVERS NEED TO ADJUST TO THE WINTER WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS
(HURON COUNTY, ON) – Huron County OPP officers are once again reminding motorists to always drive according to weather and road conditions. Over the past 24 hours, officers have responded to several collisions throughout the county.
Monday morning, Jan. 11, Huron OPP responded to three separate collisions on Bluewater Veterans Highway (Highway 21) between Kingsbridge and Amberley. Nobody was injured in these collisions. This section of highway was experiencing intermittent white-out conditions throughout the day.
Also, Monday morning, the driver of a Jeep Wrangler attempted to overtake a transport truck on an icy section of Amberley Road near Molesworth. The driver of the oncoming vehicle tried to escape the collision but her vehicle collided with the transport truck. She sustained minor injuries from the collision. The driver of the Jeep, a 48-year-old Listowel man, was charged with Careless Driving.
The Huron OPP encourages all motorists to check the weather and road conditions prior to leaving home. If the conditions are unsuitable for travel, postpone any unnecessary travel until conditions improve.
If you must travel, do so safely by adjusting your driving habits:
Allow extra time to travel to and from your destination
Slow down and adjust your driving to the current road and weather conditions
Leave extra space when following vehicles as the stopping distances will be more than double on snow-covered and icy roads
Activate your full set of headlights during winter travel - remember, daytime running lights do not engage your rear tail lights, making it difficult for drivers behind you to see your vehicle
Stay alert, focus on the road and avoid any sudden braking, accelerating or steering
The leading cause of collisions that occur during winter months, is poor driving, not poor driving conditions. Slow down, stay alert and stay in control. Following these three simple steps will go a long way in reducing the number of winter-related collisions on Huron County roads.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HURON-PERTH SITUATION TABLE
A collaborative approach to early intervention
(HURON COUNTY, ON) – A pilot project, known as the Huron-Perth “Situation Table,” was formed and early results indicate the it is well on its way to improving the outcomes for those who find themselves at a vulnerable point in their life.
A multi-discipline partnership, the Situation Table is an innovative approach to supporting those individuals and families in the community who are at the highest level of risk for harm and/or victimization. At the mid-way point of the six-month pilot project, it has identified and supported 18 individuals/families.
This Situation Table model is a relatively-new concept to this area; therefore, the following is an overview that may answer some questions the public may have.
Who is sitting at the Situation Table? The Situation Table is comprised of a wide range of Huron and Perth community partners. Currently, there are 21 partners at the table with many areas of expertise and knowledge, including but not limited to: housing, social services, addiction counselling, mental health, family counselling, justice services, and education. All of the local police services, Huron and Perth County OPP, Stratford Police Service and Wingham Police Service have representation at the table.
What happens at the Situation Table? On a weekly basis, the community partners meet in an effort to develop a comprehensive strategy to support those individuals and/or families with multiple risk factors who have been identified at an acutely-elevated risk of being further victimized and/or engaging in further criminal activity. Quite simply, if nothing is done, there is a reasonable expectation that the individuals or families will either cause harm to themselves or their community. It is also important to know, the agency that has identified the individual or family has done everything under its own mandate to support the person(s); however, without the support of the other agencies at the table, the person in need may be left in a state of crisis.
What are the benefits of having a Situation Table? – The Situation Table model is an opportunity for community mobilization to deliver services in a proactive and targeted manner. This evidence-based model operates on the simple principle that if something bad is predictable, it is also preventable. The Situation Table connects people at risk to the services that can help them, when they need them the most. In some cases, this means saving lives. In other cases, it means preventing a crime before it happens. This helps to build a stronger and safer community. Further, this collaborative approach can often produce better long-term outcomes at a lower cost to each organization.
Where did this Situation Table model come from? The Huron-Perth Situation Table and many other Situation Tables in Ontario are modelled after a highly-successful program that was implemented in the City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, known as the Prince Albert Hub Model. In 2012, the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services began work on expanding the “Hub” model into Ontario. Currently, there are 10 established Situation Tables in Ontario with more than 20 emerging at different stages of development.
“The Situation Table response model allows us to identify those at an elevated risk of harm or victimization and from there, we can rapidly mobilize and provide the proper resources to support those who are most vulnerable," says inspector Jason Younan, Huron OPP detachment commander. "Improving the well-being of those who are in a crisis or about to fall into a crisis, is absolutely critical to building a stronger and safer community. We embrace this opportunity and we look forward to the many positive outcomes that will be achieved through the Huron-Perth Situation Table.”
“Community and safety stakeholder structures, such as the Huron-Perth Situation Table, are a vital part of the community safety web that ensures individuals in our communities are receiving the best care from all safety and social agencies," says acting chief of police Mike Bellai, Stratford Police Service. "The individuals and families who have been helped to date, during this pilot project, are a testament to just how vital this collaborative approach is to each community.”
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