Area Briefing

STATE TRAFFIC DEATHS RISE IN 2012

State officials remind motorists to drive safely after Nevada traffic deaths rose slightly in 2012 over the previous year.

Preliminary numbers show that 258 traffic fatalities occurred on Nevada roads in 2012, an increase of 12 deaths compared to the previous year, according to the Nevada departments of Public Safety and Transportation.

Though the numbers rose in 2012, annual Nevada traffic fatalities have trended down after reaching an all-time high of 432 in 2006.

Serious traffic injuries were down in 2012, with a preliminary number of more than 725 in 2012 compared to 1,222 in 2011.

The Nevada Strategic Highway Safety Plan, with participation from Nevada traffic and safety advocates, seeks to implement enforcement, engineering, emergency medical and educational strategies to cut the yearly traffic fatality average in half by 2030, with the ultimate goal of zero on Nevada roads.

State officials said motorists should follow these safe driving tips:

---Buckle up - Roughly 50 percent of fatal crashes that Nevada law enforcement agencies investigate involve unbuckled vehicle occupants.

---Don't drive impaired - On average, more than 50 people are arrested for driving under the influence every day in Nevada. A first DUI arrest is likely to result in a 90-day loss of driving privileges, an impounded vehicle, legal and court fees, two days in jail and attendance at a victim impact panel, with harsher penalties for subsequent offenses.

---Be pedestrian-safe - In 2012, there were 58 pedestrian deaths on Nevada roads, compared to 46 in 2011. In Clark County, pedestrian deaths rose from 30 in 2011 to 42 in 2012. Pedestrians should cross safely, making eye contact with drivers, and drivers should always look for and yield to pedestrians.

---Focus on the road - Distracted and/or sleepy driving can lead motorists to leave their lane unintentionally. Also, handheld cellphone use is illegal while driving in Nevada.

---Stop on red - In a recent five-year span, 467 people died in Nevada intersection crashes. Whether at a traffic signal or stop sign, motorists should always stop on red.

For more information on Nevada traffic safety, visit zerofatalitiesnv.com.

ELECTRONICS AND DOCUMENTS TO BE ACCEPTED FOR SAFE RECYCLING

The second annual Super Saturday recycling event is set for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Attendees can recycle their electronics and documents safely. Televisions, monitors and hard drives cost $15 each to recycle. All other items are free. For more information, visit thomasmack.center lasvegas.com.

EPA APPROVES COUNTY'S AIR-QUALITY PLAN FOR OZONE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Clark County's plans for maintaining the agency's air- quality standard for ozone.

The county met five criteria to receive the OK, including improvement in air quality due to permanent and enforceable reductions in emissions and having an approved ozone maintenance plan.

The EPA approval is set to remain in effect through 2022. While county officials said it is significant, even stricter ground-level ozone standards are being proposed. In 2008, the EPA adopted a more stringent standard for ozone of 75 parts per billion. Air-quality officials said the county meets the new standard.

Officials determined that improvement in air quality was the result of various factors, including cleaner fuel, federal requirements for low-emission vehicles, local improvements in public transportation and road construction and greater understanding about the public's role in fighting ground-level ozone.

Unhealthy doses of ground-level ozone can reduce lung function and worsen respiratory illnesses, such as asthma or bronchitis. Exposure to ozone also can induce coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, even in healthy people.

To help reduce ground-level ozone:

---Fill up your gas tank after sunset.

---Plan errands so they can be done in one trip.

---Try not to spill gasoline when filling up gas tanks, and don't top them off.

---Keep your car well-maintained.

---Use mass transit or carpool.

---Don't idle your car engine unnecessarily.

---Walk or ride your bike whenever practical and safe.

---Turn off lights and electronics when not in use.

---Consider low-maintenance landscaping that uses less water and doesn't require gas-powered lawn tools.

Residents can sign up for free text and email advisories and air-quality forecasts through the EnviroFlash service at enviroflash.org.

COMPRESSION-ONLY CPR CLASS PLANNED AT CENTENNIAL HILLS ACTIVE ADULT CENTER

A free compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation class is scheduled at 9 a.m. Jan. 30 at the Centennial Hills Active Adult Center, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive.

The session will be led by Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. For more information or to register, call 702-229-1702.

CLARK COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANS OPEN HOUSE AT STATION 23

The Clark County Fire Department plans to host an open house from noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 2 at Station 23, 4250 E. Alexander Road, near Lamb Boulevard.

The department hosts open houses with community partners throughout the year at different fire stations.

Community partners include Safe Kids Clark County, the Southern Nevada Child Drowning Prevention Coalition, the Clark County Water Reclamation District, the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada, Nevada Child Seekers and the Trauma Intervention Program of Southern Nevada.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/clarkcountyfire or call 702-455-3500.

CITY OF LAS VEGAS TO OFFER LIFEGUARD AND WATER SAFETY TRAINING

The city of Las Vegas plans to offer a new lifeguard training course for $125 from January through May at the Las Vegas Municipal Pool, 431 E. Bonanza Road, and the Pavilion Center Pool, 101 S. Pavilion Center Drive. Course sessions also are planned from June through August at the outdoor Baker Pool, 1100 E. St. Louis Ave.

Advance registration is required. The course is required for those who wish to be employed as lifeguards. Those who successfully complete the program will receive an American Red Cross universal certificate for lifeguarding/first aid/CPR/AED, which is valid for two years. The city said it will offer an employment opportunity to qualified course graduates.

The course lasts about 25½ hours. Participants must be at least age 15, attend all sessions and successfully complete the requirements to receive certification.

There is a minimum of six registrants required for each course. A pocket mask must be purchased before the first class meeting. Participants must download and print the lifeguarding manual before the first class. The manual can be purchased or printed at shopstaywell.com or redcrossstore.org.

Prerequisite skills include:

---Swimming 300 yards (12 lengths of a pool) in combination of front crawl and breaststroke.

---Treading water for two minutes using only the legs, with the hands under the armpits.

---Swimming 20 yards, surface diving seven to 10 feet, retrieving a 10-pound brick and exiting the water without a ladder, within 1 minute and 40 seconds.

For those who are unsure of passing the lifeguarding prerequisites, several sessions of a two-week pre-lifeguarding skills course are planned beginning this month.

Classes for American Red Cross lifeguard training instructor, water safety instructor and CPR/AED for professional rescuers and health care providers also are available.

Details on class dates, times, locations, costs and registration are available at lasvegasnevada.gov/files/splash_for_cash_2013.pdf or by calling 702-229-6309.

POSTER CONTEST OPEN TO FIFTH-GRADERS

Nevada Child Seekers and the U.S. Department of Justice are sponsoring a Missing Children's Day poster contest open to all fifth-graders.

The winner will receive a trip to Washington, D.C., for an award ceremony. The contest's theme is, "Bring Our Missing Children Home." The deadline for entries is Monday .

For more information, email carole@ nevadachildseekers.org.

FREE HELMETS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO YOUTHS AT SKI RESORT DURING LIDS ON KIDS EVENT

The Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort and Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center plan to distribute free helmets to youths during the seventh annual Lids on Kids safety education campaign from 9:30 to 11 a.m. through Feb. 2.

Trained Lids on Kids volunteers will fit toddlers through preteens for a helmet. Children and their parents will participate in a short education program presented by members of National Ski Patrol to learn and understand the skier/snowboarder code of safety and responsibility.

The free program coincides with National Ski Area Association Safety Week, Jan. 14-22, and Learn to Ski/Snow Month in January. The program launched in 2006 after a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report that said wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding could prevent or reduce the severity of 53 percent of head injuries for those younger than 15.

To date, the ski resort has provided more than 1,000 free helmets to local youths, with more than 300 given out in the 2011-12 season. Last year the resort received the National Ski Areas Association's National Ski Area Safety Award for the program.

WINTER PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT ON MOUNT CHARLESTON

The Nevada Department of Transportation has implemented parking restrictions during the winter travel season from December through March on Mount Charleston.

Due to the number of visitors in the area on the weekends and holidays, motorists are not be allowed to park or walk on the roadways. "No parking" signs will be placed throughout Kyle and Lee canyons. The Metropolitan Police Department and the Nevada Highway Patrol will enforce the restrictions.

Parking will be eliminated on the transportation department's right-of-way on state Route 157 from state Route 158 to the Mount Charleston Lodge and on state Route 156 from the Meadows to the Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort and by the fire station in Lee Canyon.

In areas where parking is allowed - the Resort on Mount Charleston, the U.S. Forest Service parking lots/land and east of state Route 158 - vehicles must park in spaces or off the road. Wheels must be to the right of the white lines to prevent damage to vehicles and to allow medical, police and fire personnel to respond to emergencies. Vehicles parked over the white lines, in no-parking zones or that otherwise impede the flow of traffic will be ticketed and towed. Fines begin at $190. Visitors should also must refrain from playing or parking on private property, residential areas or sites marked as closed. Trespassing fines begin at $150.

Motorists who stop in travel lanes to put snow chains on their tires will be cited.

The restrictions are part of the transportation department's public safety outreach efforts.

For more information about the restrictions, visit nevadadot.com.