University efforts to educate students on the prevention of binge drinking has spread across the country, from a new death prevention program at Stony Brook University to training programs here at Binghamton University.
Stony Brook University has created their new program, Red Watch Band, to teach students how to watch out for their peers in a binge-drinking-related emergency.
According to Jenny Hwang, the associate dean and director of the Center for Prevention and Outreach at Stony Brook University, the voluntary program consists of a four-hour training session where participants learn how to recognize and react to alcohol-related emergencies. In addition to the RWB training, they are certified in CPR and automated external defibrillator use. This course is available to students throughout the course of the semester with two training sessions offered each month.
RWB was created at Stony Brook University on March 15, 2009 after a faculty member lost his son to an alcohol overdose, Hwang said. The faculty member wanted to create a program that would be designed to recognize this medical emergency and take active steps to help an intoxicated individual.
“The program is designed to encourage students to look out for one another because it’s the right thing to do,” Hwang said.
Stony Brook has had six training sessions since the program’s creation in March and has trained over 130 students.
The creation of this program has sparked the interest of many universities across the country.
Binghamton University has made similar endeavors in training its students in the prevention of alcohol-related emergencies as well.
“The University does offer many educational opportunities for students to recognize alcohol emergencies, including programs that are mandatory for all new students such as Alcohol-Wise,” Johann Fiore-Conte, director of Health and Counseling Services at BU, said.
According to Fiore-Conte, BU also keeps programs such as REACH √É¢’ Real Education About College Health, √É¢’ peer groups, Alcohol-Wise and resident assistant programs as educational opportunities to enable students to recognize an alcohol-related medical emergency with similar components as the Red Watch Band.
BU depends on the trained students that offer their services as part of Harpur’s Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Service, the on-campus system to respond to medical emergencies.
“Of course, it is always beneficial to the community to offer training in CPR and AED use to as many of its members as possible,” Fiore-Conte said. “At Binghamton, these opportunities are available but separate from our Alcohol & Other Drug Program educational efforts.”
According to the Binghamton University Web site for Campus Recreational Services, Red Cross CPR/AED Professional Rescuer certification and recertification is available to students, faculty, staff and members of the community.