For Students
88% of Fresno State students used as least 3 or more protective behaviors the last time they partied/socialized. This is based on a survey of 848 randomly selected Fresno State Students in Spring 2008.
Protective behaviors include:
• Keeping track of the number of drinks
• Determining in advance not to exceed a set number of drinks
• Pacing drinks to 1 or fewer per hour
• Avoiding drinking games
• Alternating non-alcoholic with alcoholic drinks
• Drinking alcohol look-alike beverages
• Choosing not to drink
• Eating before and/or during drinking
• Using a designated driver
Do you know the signs of alcohol poisoning?
Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing, the heartbeat and the gag reflex that prevents choking. A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions. After the victim stops drinking, the heart keeps beating, and the alcohol in the stomach continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the system. The victim may experience the following:
- Mental confusion, stupor, coma, unable to rouse the person
- No response to pinching the skin
- Vomiting while sleeping or unresponsive
- Seizures
- Slowed breathing (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
- Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
- Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness
Alcohol Poisoning Requires Immediate Medical Attention!!
Drinking black coffee, taking a cold bath or shower, or sleeping or walking it off cannot reverse alcohol poisoning. The victim must have immediate medical attention.
Call 911, stay with the victim to prevent him choking on vomit, and tell emergency personnel how much alcohol the victim drank.
(Source: Emergency Medical Services Authority, www.emsaonline.com/aboutemsa.html)