By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Benigno R. Fitial yesterday signed proclamations for CNMI Police Week, Emergency Medical Service Week, Emergency Medical Services for Children Day, the Click It or Ticket Mobilization and CNMI Safe Boating Week.
These Department of Public Safety programs are chaired by Sgt. Jose Saures, Firefighter II Nadia Saralu, PO1 Regino M. Celis and PO2 David Rabauliman.
May 13 to 19 is CNMI Police Week; May 20-26 is Emergency Medical Services Week; May 23 is Emergency Medical Services for Children Day; May 21 to June 3 is Click It or Ticket Mobilization; and May 28 to June 1 is CNMI Safe Boating Week.
May 15 is Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of law enforcement officers who, through their courageous deeds, have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community or have become disabled in the performance of their duty.
DPS Commissioner Rebecca Warfield said all the sections of her department are working together to educate the public about boating safety, fire safety, emergency medical services and the use of seat belts.
“We want the public to participate in these programs and be aware of their responsibility for their own safety,” the commissioner said in an interview yesterday during the proclamation signing.
Fitial urged the public to observe CNMI Police Week and the other programs with appropriate ceremonies.
All flags in the commonwealth will be flown at half-staff during CNMI Police Week, he stated.
The CNMI Police Week proclamation stated that it is important that all citizens know and understand the duties, responsibilities, hazards and sacrifices of police officers.
DPS personnel, for their part, recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property, by protecting them against violence and disorder and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression.
Emergency Medical Services Week recognizes the emergency medical services provided to the community by the members of emergency medical services team.
According to the proclamation, there were 4,304 emergency medical related responses in the CNMI in 2006, a significant decrease from 5,307 in 2005.
In 2006, there were 678 emergency medical related responses for pediatric and adolescent children — a decrease from 765 in 2005 — who were transported to the hospital by emergency medical technicians.
The Click It or Ticket Mobilization proclamation stated that in 2005, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 15,294 traffic fatalities between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.
Fifty-nine percent of those fatalities were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.
Seventy-seven percent of passengers who were in a fatal crash and who were buckled up survived the crash.
A seat belt survey as of Nov. 2006 revealed that 91 percent of the travelers on the highways and bi-ways of the CNMI wore seatbelts.
The Boating Safety proclamation stated that each year, between 700 and 800 people die in boating-related accidents in the US.
In 2006, local boating safety officers responded to seven jetski accidents, three sunken vessels, three banana boat accidents and two parasailing accidents.
Boating safety officers also responded to four drowning cases, seven near drowning cases and two stranded fishermen, one stranded swimmer and one overdue fisherman.