As fall and football season descend upon central Pennsylvania, many will converge on the area to celebrate the Penn State Nittany Lions as they take on Big Ten and other rivals through November.
“Activity will increase based on the activity of the community,” says officer Kelly Aston of the State College Police Department. And on special event weekends, such as a home football game weekend, about 70 percent of incidents involve alcohol in some way.
According to Centre LifeLink reports, the number of calls and alcohol-related incidents and assaults increase from September to November.
Last year, about 37 percent of all of Centre LifeLink’s calls in State College Borough occurred during those three months. This percentage is consistent with numbers from 2007, when the EMS service began collecting the data.
Centre LifeLink data also shows that about 36 percent of assaults in the borough in 2013 took place between September and November.
Not all assaults during home football and other special event weekends are alcohol-related, but a good majority are, Aston notes.
And while most calls Centre LifeLink gets on busier weekends are alcohol-related, Centre LifeLink EMT and crew supervisor Kevin Duffy says he hopes that “assaults will continue to go down all around” in the future. Data shows a peak in 2008 and 2010 at 43 and 47 percent, respectively, of total annual assaults in the borough occurring during that same fall time period.
While arrests and ambulance calls are more frequent on any home Penn State football weekend than others during the year, night games and good weather usually result in more calls all around, Aston says.
If the team is doing well, she says, that could also lead to more police calls later in the season, whereas losses tend to slow people down.
Whether you’re a State College native, Penn State student or visitor, area officials recommend taking the following tips into consideration while celebrating.
■ Keep track: This is important, according to Duffy. “Sometimes people aren’t sure what they are consuming.” Jungle juice, a mixture of alcohol and juice for group consumption, is a big concern, he says, because it’s often unclear what the mixture contains.
■ Don’t leave drinks unattended: An unwatched drink may give someone the opportunity to put something in it or switch it with another, Aston says.
■ Moderation: Regularly eat and drink water while consuming alcohol, but don’t mix it with medication, recreational drugs or energy drinks. This could lead to a variety of health complications and overconsumption, Aston says. Keeping a clear head can also decrease the chances of alcohol-induced problems.
■ Don’t get behind the wheel: Whether you have been drinking or using recreational drugs, or doing a a combination of both, it’s not safe to drive. “Local police do a good job at cracking down on that,” says Centre LifeLink manager Mark Jermusky. While most fatal accidents occur outside their coverage area, he points out that it’s best to call for a ride if you’re unsure of whether or not you’re OK to drive.
■ Don’t go anywhere alone. Using the buddy system and sticking to populated and well-lit areas is recommended, Aston says.
