Every 44 hours a college aged person dies of alcohol poisoning.
The Indiana Lifeline Law states that even if a person under the age of 21 is intoxicated and calls 911 regarding the safety of another individual, as long as they are are cooperative, they will have immunity to underage drinking and many related offenses due to the law.
The object of this law is encourage individuals who may be in a dangerous situation to call for help.
By calling for assistance, the health and well being of the individual will be taken care of and medical personnel will be fully able to assess a person’s situation before it becomes too late. As reported by The Indiana Youth Services Organization, up to every one in three college students are binge drinking.
Norm and Dawn Finbloom lost their son, Brett, when he was 18 and drank too much at a party. The Finbloom’s have committed themselves to making sure no other family must go through what they went through. They have teamed up with the Indiana Youth Services Association to help promote the Indiana Lifeline Law. Brett’s story has been used to spread awareness and save live across the state.
“Teenage alcohol and drug deaths are 100 percent preventable with awareness, that's why we are here,” said Dawn Finbloom. “It's an awareness campaign encouraging teens and young adults to make good decisions.”
The Finbloom’s have created a set of three sayings for when someone is in trouble and needs assistance due to alcohol:
“I will do my best to make good decisions. If someone needs help I will make the call. If I need help, I give you permission to make the call.”
DePauw has their own version of the Lifeline Law that has been in place for a few years now, with the goal of gettingt people to make the call. And to never assume a friend is okay to sleep it off or ride it out.
DePauw students have noticed a change on campus as people have become more aware of the policy.
“It’s a system that ensures that people will get the help that they need,” said sophomore and first-year RA, Sean Carrol, “Nobody wants to get a friend in trouble, but you have to remember that it’d be nothing compared to losing a friend.”