Lions Club starts Yellow Dot program for drivers

A car decal like this one will help emergency responders know someone in the vehicle has a medical condition.

BY SARAH MOTTER

The Eudora Lions Club is introducing a program aimed at helping drivers with medical conditions.

The Yellow Dot program is offered to Kansas residents with a condition, such as diabetes or seizure disorders, that could impact their ability to drive, or that is important to know at the time of an accident.

The program ensures emergency personnel have medical information about the person, said Eric Strimple, president of the Eudora Lions.

“With the continued growth of Americans having diabetes, the Eudora Lions wanted to make sure that Eudora citizen with diabetes along [with] other medical conditions can still live an active life,” he said.

Those who apply for the Yellow Dot kit would get a yellow decal, a yellow envelope, an information sheet and an instruction sheet.

To use the kit, one fills out the information sheet provided, attaches a recent picture of the driver, places the envelope in the glove box and sticks the decal on the outside of the driver’s side rear window.

If more than one person with a condition operates the same vehicle, another information sheet should be filled out with a recent picture and placed in the same envelope with the other person's information.

The free program is also offered in other states across the country.

Kansas Lion Health Program Chairman Vern Failor said the program has been in Kansas since 2004 and emergency personnel statewide observe the protocols.

Each Lions Club participating in the program is required to fill out an information sheet that will be used to alert local emergency personnel to brief them on the program.

Strimple said the coronavirus has hindered getting the program implemented in the community, but the option is available and will be promoted at future Lions events.

Police Chief Wes Lovett said the coronavirus outbreak also interrupted further discussion with officers about the program.

For more information about the Yellow Dot program, visit the Eudora Lions Club Facebook page or contact Strimple at estrimp81@msn.com or (785) 331-7757.

Reach our reporters at eudoratimes@gmail.com.

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