Who We Are - Overview

21 May 2002
San Diegans Unite For National Beach Safety Week
SDPD Announces Measures to Make San Diego Beaches Safer;
Local Residents and Officials Seek Tougher Policies for Alcohol Incidents in Beach Area

What:
Local residents, youth, elected officials and law enforcement rally in support of National Beach Safety Week and launch Operation Safe Summer. SDPD announces summer enforcement operations for beach area. San Diegans ask for tougher policies to deal with alcohol related problems on beach communities.

When:
Thursday, May 23, 2002, 10:30 AM

Where:
Crown Point Shores Parking Lot
(From Ingraham Street, go east on Crown Point Drive, 1st parking lot on your right)

Route:

	Byron Wear, District 2 San Diego City Council (619) 236-7025
	Casey Gwinn, San Diego City Attorney (619) 533-5844
	Jim Gildea, Mission Beach Community Resident (858) 272-8118
	Suzy Shimasaki and Karen Lorang, San Diego County Youth Council (contact adult ally Jill Galante 619-890-6941)
	Assistant San Diego Police Chief George Saldamando (619) 531-2700
	San Diego Lifeguard
	Bonnie Helander, San Diego County President of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (619) 760-746-6233

Background:
As summer approaches, the United States Lifesaving Association sponsors National Beach Safety Week in an effort to remind beachgoers to use caution when enjoying summer activities. One of their primary recommendations is to swim sober. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5,000 people in the United States drown each year when they drink too much while having fun in the water. Teenagers are believed to make up 50 percent of the victims. National Beach Safety Week begins Monday May 20th and ends on Memorial Day. The beach communities of San Luis Obispo and San Diego are both kicking off Safe Summer campaigns this week in an effort to reduce the devastating effects of binge and underage drinking on our beaches during the summer.