Police Encouraging Youth To Call/Text 911 When Someone Needs Medical Attention

Last updated on Tuesday, October 17, 2017

(UNDATED) - Indiana’s Lifeline Law provides legal amnesty from prosecution for underage drinking, and many related drinking offenses, for a person who calls or texts, or for persons assisting, to report a medical emergency, sexual assault or other crime.

Police are encouraging youth to call/text 911 if they see someone needing medication attention due to alcohol use.

2016 Make Good Decisions Annual Report

Every 44 hours a college-aged person dies from alcohol poisoning.
Most teen-drinking deaths aren't traffic related. They are from other alcohol infused accidents such as falls, homicides, suicides, and alcohol poisoning.
9% of the teen alcohol deaths are from simply drinking too much, too fast.

Know the signs

It is impossible to accurately tell on the scene if someone is passed out or dying. Even doctors need medical equipment to fully assess. Any one of these signs or combination of these signs, and you need to call 911 immediately:

Acting unusually confused
Repetitively throwing up
Breathing is different than normal
Skin looks pale or bluish
Loss of bodily functions
Snoring unusually or loudly
Passed Out (meaning you can't wake the person up to an alert state)

Indiana Youth Services Association's Make Good Decisions Initiative and Senator Jim Merritt, author of Indiana's Lifeline Law, have partnered with Indiana's Text-to-911 services to increase public awareness about the ability to TEXT-to-911 in an emergency. The purpose of the partnership is to encourage young people to contact 911 for help when they find themselves or a friend in an emergency, especially those situations that may involved alcohol or a sexual assault, or if they witness another crime.

The statewide public education campaign will focus on high school and college students with digital messages delivered on mobile devices (cell phones, tablets, iPads, etc) with videos and graphics that contain information about Indiana's Lifeline Law, alcohol awareness and signs of alcohol poisoning, and to encourage young people to contact 911 - by phone call or text. The messages will show information about how Indiana's Lifeline Law works.

How It Works

Indiana's Lifeline Law provides legal amnesty from prosecution for underage drinking, and many alcohol-related offenses for minors, for a person who TEXTS or calls 911, and for the person(s) assisting, to report a medical emergency, sexual assault or other crime.

Those who contact 911 via text-to-911 or calling must demonstrate that they are acting in good faith by completing ALL of the following three steps:

Call and provide full name and other relevant information requested by law enforcement officers and emergency medical responders.
Stay at the scene with the 'victim' until law enforcement and emergency medical assistance arrives.
Cooperate with authorities on the scene.

Indiana is leading the nation with innovative technology to better serve Hoosiers, and make it easier and safer for the public to contact 911 in an emergency.

Make Good Decisions Pledge

I will do my best to make good decisions.
If someone needs help I will make the call.
If I need help, I give you permission to Make The Call for me.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

Click here to go back to previous page