On Feb. 26, bar, restaurant and convenience store owners and staff received training that provided them with tools to help reduce underage drinking and drunk driving. The Responsible Beverage Server Training was taught by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Rand Maker and Sgt. Mark Bridgham at the Penalty Box in Damariscotta.

There were 23 attendees from seven local establishments who successfully completed the training, which covered Maine’s liquor laws and best practices for managing an establishment that serves or sells alcohol. Additional topics included handling an intoxicated patron, spotting fake ID’s, business liabilities, proper serving sizes and amounts, and much more. Certification is provided from the Bureau of Alcohol Beverages and Lottery Operations and is good for three years.

"Most sellers, servers, and bar tenders rarely get a chance to communicate with local law enforcement about the best way to handle intoxicated patrons, or what to do if the person being carded does not appear like their picture. In this training, they talk with law enforcement about real life situations, and they get to share ideas and tips with other sellers and servers," says Jess Breithaupt, project coordinator at Healthy Lincoln County.

On behalf of Healthy Lincoln County and the Lincoln County Sherriff’s Office, we want to thank the following businesses for taking this important step toward prevention: Boothbay Village Market, The Footbridge Brewery, The Harbor Room, Main Street Grocery, The Penalty Box, Shaw’s Wharf, and Wiscasset Quikstop.

There are also steps that residents of Lincoln County can take to reduce underage drinking and drunk driving. Next time you are carded at a store, thank the clerk or server for checking your ID to prevent underage drinking. At home, secure and monitor your alcohol by keeping it locked in a cabinet, especially if you have kids at home. If your family or friends are going out make sure they know who to call for a safe ride home.

Any business that is interested in hosting or attending a future Responsible Beverage Server Training can contact Jess by phone at 563-1330 or email jbreithaupt@healthylincolncounty.org