Participants credit the project for initiating activities that would not have taken place without its help. Sally McIntire, coordinator of the Coalition for a Drug-Free Tippecanoe County and its Task Force on Underage Drinking, reports, "Every year we have to create a comprehensive plan that is approved locally and by the Governor's Commission for a Drug-Free Indiana. We've had the reduction of underage drinking in our plan for several years, but, realistically, because of a shortage of money and personnel, we have not done much to address it. The problem seemed overwhelming, but the Rapid Response Team showed us how to break down the problem into smaller pieces and take action." These "small steps" include working with local judges, holding public awareness events during the "Red Ribbon" national alcohol and drug awareness week, and assisting liquor retailers in preventing underage youth from buying alcohol.

David Thompson, coordinator of the Youth Alcohol-Free Alliance (YAFA) of Hermantown, Minnesota, agreed that the Rapid Response Team was essential to his community's action. He says, "YAFA would not exist without the recommendations of the Rapid Response Team. Not just what to do about underage drinking, but how to organize-how to approach the community and get people involved." As in Tippecanoe County, the Hermantown effort involves representatives from the schools, law enforcement agencies, the faith community, and businesses, and has received positive press. One of YAFA's first initiatives was to develop a system for parents to register their intention to ban alcohol at parties hosted by their children. Other parents can access this database to ensure that the parties their children attend will be alcohol and drug free.

The experience of the Rapid Response Team project is being summarized into a series of manuals that will lead communities through the assessment, coalition-building, strategic planning, and evaluation activities necessary for effective prevention projects. NHTSA Youth DWI Program Coordinator Jim Wright points out, "While underage drinking is a problem in every community and a good issue to tackle, topics such as coalition building, self-sufficiency, and media advocacy are foundation elements for any Safe Community and can be applied to any traffic safety issue." These materials will be available from NHTSA sometime next year.