If St. Patrick’s Day landing on a weekend day doesn’t scream ‘binge drinker’s amateur hour,” nothing does.

Helen Jones-Kelley, executive director of Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, knows far too well that some set a goal of getting trashed on the holiday that lands on Sunday this year, although it will be celebrated by some all weekend long.

She also knows that sloppy drunk is not a “good look” and over-indulging can have life altering consequences.

“People look forward to it for the green beer, so you are not going to be able to tell them not to do it, but we do say do it safely,” Jones-Kelley said. “Build in safeguards where you do not find yourself in a falling down drunk situation.”

About 10,000 people are expected to hit the Oregon District alone.

Kelley said many will set out to put five or more drinks in their bodies in a as little as two hours.

“That’s not the fun goal, that binge drinking,” she said. “It can lead to alcohol poisoning. It can lead to death.”

Even if the worse doesn’t happen, there can be broken bones, memory loss and a whole lot of avoidable drama.

Generally speaking, women should not drink more than one or two drinks every two hours, Jones-Kelley said.

Likewise, men should not consume more than three in that time period.

“People need to pay attention to their own body, their own physiology and when their brain becomes fogged,” she said. “(Consequence can be as ) simple as your purse being taken away from you to you waking up and not knowing where you are.”

Jones-Kelley recommends taking a friend along who will not drink. This person can be both the designated driver and voice of reason when things are on the verge of getting out of hand.

Give your (car) keys to that friend and be responsible,” she said. Those who have had too much can also call

(937)449-9999 between 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday for a safe ride through a Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office program. The cost is $50.

She encouraged those who do not plan to imbibe to watch out for their friends and to intervene long before things go too far south.

Here are five signs from Jones-Kelley that your friend maybe in serious danger:

1) Incomprehensible - Conversation go from fun to disjointed.

2) Trembling - Your friend is shaking uncontrollably.

3) Frequent trips to the restroom - vomiting is not a normal.

4) Going blue - Jones-Kelley said changes to the skin color may be a sign of alcohol poising and should be taken seriously.

5) Falling - Your friend keeps losing his or her balance or actually falls.