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75 Martine Avenue, Fanwood, NJ 07023 - 908/322-7773 FAX - 908-322-2200 or 908-889-6359 Safety Wings | Tony Parenti , Editor MEETING NOTICES: Next Regular Business Meeting: WEDNESDAY, April 4, 2007, 10:00 AM, at the Somerville Elks Club, Route 28 (Union Avenue) Bridgewater, NJ. Coffee-and is being paid for by Jack Laughlin of ICOP who will demonstrate an in-car video camera. Board Of Directors: The next meeting is at the call of the President.  PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: NJ Safety Council President Bill Margaretta announced the Council is awarding NJPTOA Past President Tony Parenti the Lifetime Distinguished Service Award at their Expo in Atlantic City on April 17, 2007 and urged as many members as possible to attend. I also urge our members to attend and show our appreciation to Tony, the founder of our Association and it's President for 31 years. Contact me at 201-664-1141or the Safety Council at 908-272-7712 for details. You'll see elsewhere in this newsletter there will be meetings on making changes on the Crash Report. If you have any suggestions call your regional representatives or me. I want to thank the members who battled the snow and made it to our March meeting. I know it was tough going - I had to do it too. I understand the membership dues collection for 2007 is behind expectations. If you haven't already done so, please process payment as soon as possible. Like any other organization we have expenses and we depend on dues collection to meet these obligations. Many thanks. STAY SAFE, Bill. MEMBERSHIP DUES: The 2007 membership dues remain at $35.00 per department. If you have not already done so, please process payment as soon as possible. Thanks. A copy of the NJPTOA "Business Registration Certificate" was included with the January 2005 newsletter. Anyone still needing a certificate or bill may contact Ginny at 908-322-7773. FORD CROWN VIC RECALL: Ford Motor Co. will begin recalling as many as 109,664 Crown Victoria police cars because cracks can develop in their steel wheels that could cause rapid air loss in tires during high-speed pursuits. The recall affects certain 2003-2005 models, but the cracks have been reported in only a small percentage of the wheels. A Ford spokesman said police departments reported two crashes attributed to the wheel problem. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17501420/from/ET/  PUBLIC INPUT ON LEASING TOLL ROADS: According to the State Treasurer, NJ will not lease toll roads without public input. Only two legislators support leasing toll roads and there is much public opposition to any such plan. Published reports indicate as soon as Governor Corzine receives a proposal for leasing the roads he will conduct a statewide public campaign aimed at convincing residents that leasing the roads will help pay down the state's debt. G.S. PARKWAY WIDENING TO BEGIN THIS YEAR: A project to widen the Garden State Parkway by one lane in each direction from Exit 80 south of Toms River to mile post 30 in Cape May County. The first phase will be widening a 17-mile stretch from Exit 80 to the Long Beach Island exit at a cost of about $150 million. Environmentalists are hollering foul because the state is rushing the project without considering what impact it will have on the Pinelands and other ecologically sensitive areas. ACTIVE SHOOTER COURSE: There still are some openings for the Active Shooter Course being sponsored by the Union County Police Chiefs Association. The course, a comprehensive two-day session, is for first responders to an Active Shooter and is taught by personnel from the Union County Emergency Response Team/SWAT. The course will be held at the John Stamler Police Academy, Union County, Scotch Plains, 8:00am to 4:30pm, April 10-11/12-13, and June 26-27/28-29. The course is limited to 50 students per session at $150 per person. For further information or an application, please contact Chief Domanoski, 908-322-5000 ext. 116. Enrollment is limited so call to register as soon as possible. 
As of Week 11 there were 124 fatalities recorded on NJ roads compared to 126 during the same period in 2006, A DECREASE OF 2 BODIES.
There were 75 Driver deaths, 21 Passengers, 27 Pedestrians, 01 Motorcycle Drivers, 00 Motorcycle Passengers, and 00 Pedalcyclists. There were 124 fatalities in 115 crashes. REQUEST FROM BRAIN INJURY ASSOC: The Brain Injury Association of NJ is developing a manual that will be distributed to all police departments throughout the State to help develop a Helmet Safety Rewards Program in local towns. They are currently seeking press releases, news media, etc. related to the Best Buy Program last year. They would like to include news clippings and pictures in the manual. If you have any copies please e-mail or send them to Wendy Berk at Fax: 732-738-1132 or Email: wberk@bianj.org 
SOME STUFF YOU MISSED IF YOU DIDN'T ATTEND THE LAST MEETING: A calendar of events sponsored by NHTSA was distributed. The first event is for St. Patrick's Day, March 11 - 17 with emphasis on impaired driving. Sgt. Brunson displayed a clear plastic board with various NJ Inspection decals mounted so both sides were visible. The decals are available free of charge by contacting Mr. Green at the Motor Vehicle Commission. Mr. Larry Cullari spoke about the Work Zone Safety Conference on April 4, 2007 at Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ. Contact 732-445-3632, ext 109. NJ had 13 work zone deaths in 2001, 16 in 2002, 12 in 2003, 19 in 2005, and 4 in 2006. Bill Margaretta, President of the NJ State Safety Council, spoke about the Train the Trainer course for the 'Alive at 25' program in Randolph, NJ on May 8 & 9. Contact the NJ Safety Council for more details 908-272-7712. Al Tindal reported there would be meetings on improving the crash report. He reminded the members 12 bicyclists died in crashes in 2006, and of the law requiring bicyclists age 17 and under must wear approved helmets. This also includes people on roller blades and skateboards. The '101 Days of Summer' is scheduled for May 22, 2007 in Atlantic City. This is subject to change because it conflicts with the NJ Law Enforcement Memorial Service in Ocean Grove. COPS CAN SUE FOR INJURIES: The NJ Supreme Court unanimously decided police and firefighters who get hurt handling an emergency can sue and win compensation if negligence contributed to the injury. The decision upholds a NJ law passed in 1993 abolishing the "firefighters rule" that excluded emergency personnel from winning damages from a negligent property owner. The case involved a police officer in Morris County who was hurt while attempting to break up a fight outside a tavern in Dover in 2001. He sued the bar owner for failing to provide sufficient security as required by Dover ordinance. A lower court dismissed his lawsuit but an appellate panel ordered reinstatement. The bar appealed thus bringing the case to the Supreme Court. They decided that ordinary citizens, as well as other public employees, have the right to sue negligent parties and said the 1993 law gave emergency responders the right to collect if their injury was the direct or indirect result of neglect or a deliberate omission. NEW NAME FOR SPEED BUMPS? ? Indonesian police threatened to sue a cigarette company for an advertising campaign showing officers "sleeping" on the job. The ad features a sign warning motorists of speed bumps, and reads "Be careful, the police are snoozing." "Sleeping Policemen" is an Indonesian term used for speed bumps. 
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT AND BULLETPROOF VEST SALUTE OUR WAR HEROES – NEVER FORGET THE DEPARTED Next Meeting April 4th – Somerville Elks Club |