Pokemon Go players urged to use caution when chasing critters

While people are trying to catch virtual creatures in the new mobile game Pokemon Go, safety officials warn of potential danger for those playing.

Pokemon Go is a new app for smartphones that allows people or "trainers" to catch the monsters. Players can use the phone's camera to show Pokemon characters digitally inserted in the real world. The characters are spread out in various locations and players walk around watching their screens to find them.

Minster Police Chief Dave Friend said players most importantly need to be aware of their surroundings.

"Thankfully we haven't had anyone get hit by cars playing the game," Friend said.

"We've had a few calls of people playing the game on private property or in enclosed property," Friend said.

Dayton Power & Light Co. officials warn players to stay away from substations, power lines and other electrical equipment.

Players may think an electric-type Pokemon would be near substations or transformers, but trespassing near the equipment is dangerous and illegal, a company news release says.

People should heed warning signs and not endanger themselves near the electrical equipment, the news release stated.

The app, which is GPS-enabled, will vibrate when a Pokemon is near.

"People don't have to be staring at their phone when walking," player Eric Lochtefeld of Celina said, adding that players should use common sense when walking on sidewalks trying to catch a Pokemon.

The characters randomly pop up on screen as players move from location to location.

The game designates landmarks and locations called PokeStops to receive in-game supplies. In Celina, the post office, fire department, library, courthouse and city parks are just a few PokeStops, Lochtefeld said.

Players have been gathering at Lakeshore Park. Lochtefeld was at the park on Wednesday night and said 30-40 people were playing the game after the storms passed.

Christopher Zobczak of Celina, a member of the yellow team, was at the park on Thursday afternoon, trying to add to his collection of about 30 characters.   The game places a strain on phones' battery packs and data plans, he said.
  The park has become a hotbed for trainers because several PokeStops are in or near the park and lighthouse, he said. Most city churches are also PokeStops.
Lindsey Wright, a huge Pokemon fan from Rossburg, was trying her luck at the park Thursday afternoon and added three unique characters within a matter of minutes making her total 40.

Players can have multiples of the same Pokemon, she said.

With a Pikachu case on her phone, she set off for Grand Lake's shore to catch water-type Pokemon and said the game puts certain types of characters near certain terrains through GPS.

She visits Celina often, and the park is a great place to play the game, she said.

Zobczak and Wright both said they enjoy playing.

Lochtefeld has caught about 74 unique Pokemon so far and enjoys playing after about a week since the free game's launch for Apple and Android phones.

He recently returned from New York City and said the number of players was outrageous.

Players were forced out of a park closing for the night but continued the game on the sidewalk, he said.

The game allows players to pick one of three teams to join and battle others for control of hot spots or "gyms" in towns, Lochtefeld said.

Some people might literally step over real-life boundaries depending on where the Pokestops and in-game gyms are.

People look after their property with a close eye, and Friend said he doesn't want aspiring Pokemon masters to get hurt while walking where they should not.

Parents of younger players should set boundaries on where to play to game or accompany them on their Pokemon journey, Friend said.

Drivers trying to play the game could be a safety concern, and playing the game while driving is just as dangerous as texting and driving, he added. He also warned about walking after dark.

"It's the nothing good happens after midnight mentality," he said.

Superintendents hope Pokemon Go does not become an issue during the rapidly approaching school year.

Celina City Schools Superintendent Dr. Ken Schmiesing said the district has policies in place against the student use of electronic devices during school hours.

He said students have done well following the policy. Schmiesing hopes no phones will need to be confiscated because of students trying to catch a Pokemon in the cafeteria or during biology class.

Coldwater Exempted Village Schools Superintendent Jason Wood said school officials plan to take a "wait-and-see" approach if the app becomes too disruptive once school starts.

The game could be automatically blocked to anyone who logs into the school district Wi-Fi if it's deemed too disruptive, he said.

St. Marys Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Abby Balster said chamber members have not complained about unwanted people standing outside businesses playing the game.

"There are a lot of people playing it in Memorial Park at all hours of the day. I think it's great to see," she said.