'It’s Time for Change!' Safe States and Partners Unify Their Voices to Prevent Injuries and Violence

ATLANTA, November 16, 2023 (Newswire.com) - The color green is often associated with safety, growth, and prosperity – all things we want for our communities. This weekend, monuments, buildings, bridges, and homes across the country will shine green to raise awareness about the burden of injuries and violence, the number one killer of people 1-44 years. For the fourth year, Safe States and the nation’s top prevention advocates have joined forces to celebrate National Injury Prevention Day (NIPD) - a day to work collectively to reduce these staggering statistics. 

The combined strength of injury and violence prevention (IVP) organizations coming together November 17-18 sends a solid unified message: it's time for change! Safe States joins the Injury Free Coalition for Kids®, and other leading organizations, including Safe Kids Worldwide, American Trauma Society, American Academy of Pediatrics, Be SMART - program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research, Trauma Center Association of America, Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association, I’m Safe, and Gun Owners for Safety - Giffords, to empower and equip communities to make a difference. The full list of supporting organizations is here: https://bit.ly/NIPD2023Letter

Collectively, partners envision a nation that prioritizes all people, no matter who they are, where they live, work, travel, and play to be safe and healthy. In addition to reducing the risk of injuries and violence through research-based policies and programs, NIPD calls on communities to foster resiliency and address inequities that lead to harm.

Barbara Barlow, MD, Professor Emerita of Surgery in Epidemiology at Columbia and Executive Director of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids®, firmly believes “it takes a village to create safer communities.” She is excited about the evolving partnerships that focus on creating safe communities. 

NIPD begins Friday, November 17.

The country’s top IVP organizations will address the need and promise of prevention with a “Unifying Voices” webinar at 10:00 a.m. EST. Featured presenters include Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, American Academy of Pediatrics; Dr. Sam Posner, CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; and Dr. Kyran Quinlan, Illinois Department of Health. Register: https://columbiacuimc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y6tH9Xc2TpmtwJtiYGulPw#/registration 

At 1:00 p.m. EST, join the live national conversation on Twitter/X with hashtag #BeInjuryFree. That evening, iconic buildings, monuments, and bridges in cities across America will shine green to highlight the burden of injuries and the need for prevention. Throughout the weekend, IVP professionals will lead activities and distribute tools to create safer communities. Learn more https://injuryfree.org/nationalinjurypreventionday/2023.

"National Injury Prevention Day provides a unique opportunity to highlight the significant impact of injuries and violence and the fact that most are preventable. While we dedicate this day, it is critical to promote IVP all year," Safe States Executive Director, Richard Hamburg adds.

For more information about NIPD or to arrange an interview, please contact DiLenny Roca at dr146@columbia.edu.

Source: Safe States Alliance