By NICK BUDD
Hays Post
With Oktoberfest activities underway, various agencies around the city are preparing to “double-down” on their duties this weekend. The SafeRide service began running on Wednesday night and will continue through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday. Three vehicles also will be staffed throughout the weekend in anticipation as FHSU homecoming activities continue.
SafeRide is a smart move for those who have been imbibing, a university official said.
“As long as somebody doesn’t pose a threat to the driver or doesn’t have any health concerns, then (SafeRide) isn’t going to get the police involved,” said Bob Duffy, Coordinator of FHSU’s Drug and Alcohol Wellness network. “If you call (SafeRide), they’ll come pick you up and bring you to wherever you need to be within the city limits without any police interference.”
SafeRide can be reached at (785) 628-2580.
Duffy and Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler both said that residents, students, and visitors can expect an increase of law enforcement officials throughout the city due to the festivities. Duffy said there will be “a lot of enforcement” of alcohol laws in town.
“This weekend is a big celebration for our community,” Scheibler said. “From the events on Thursday night to the soccer game on Sunday, we’re going to have extra patrols on hand in order to keep everybody safe.”
Duffy also said there will be Alcoholic Beverage Control officers in town to lend a hand.
The best way to avoid trouble is to be smart, he said.
Throughout his visits with campus and community groups, Duffy has reminded those who will be participating in the activities to simply be safe.
“The first thing I tell them is because we know there is going to be more alcohol, there is going to be more enforcement, so they have to make decisions carefully just because of the legal situation,” Duffy said. “Make sure you give yourself time between drinks so your body can process, and make sure you reach out to your friends before you go out so they know where you’re at if anything bad happens.”
According to Duffy, it takes the body at least an hour to process a normal drink and the time to process a drink increases as more alcohol is consumed.
Duffy also said his office sees an increase of students seeking services in the week following the Oktoberfest activities.