IN THENEWS

Media Release

Contact: Reta Adler, radler@jpmacares.org
DiLenny Roca, dr146@columbia.edu

(New York) The color green is often a color associated with safety, growth, and prosperity – all things we want for our communities. For the fourth year in a row, the nation’s top prevention advocates have joined forces on National Injury Prevention Day (NIPD) to bring about the changes necessary to reduce these staggering statistics through a variety of outlets including community-based programs and outreach, internal staff education, proclamations from policymakers, social media campaigns and other media campaign.

The combined strength of injury and violence prevention (IVP) organizations across the country coming together on November 18th sends a solid unified message: it’s time for change and time to shine green to raise awareness about the burden of injuries and violence, the number one killers of people 1-44 years.

JPMA Cares joins the Injury Free Coalition for Kids® and other leading injury and violence prevention (IVP) organizations, such as, the Safe States Alliance (SSA), Safe Kids Worldwide, American Trauma Society (ATS), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Be SMART — a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR), Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA), I’m Safe, Giffords and Gun Owners for Safety -Giffords to empower and equip communities to make a difference. Access the full list of organizations signing onto the NIPD letter of support here.

The National Injury Prevention partners envision a nation free from injury and violence for all people. A nation that prioritizes everyone’s life and safety, no matter who they are, where they live, work, travel, and play. In addition to working to reduce the risk of injuries and violence through research-based policies and programs, NIPD calls on communities to foster resiliency and address inequities leading to injury and violence so that all people have safe and nurturing relationships, are connected to family, peers, and community, and have access to the basic resources necessary to thrive.

Barbara Barlow, MD, Professor Emerita of Surgery in Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York, Founder and Executive Director of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids® is firm in the belief that “It takes a village to create safer communities for all.”  She knows that National Injury Prevention Day brings attention to the importance of working together to make communities safer for children and their families and is excited for the outcomes of the partnerships that have been evolved to focus on the shared goal of preventing injuries and violence.

NIPD celebrations will officially kick-off on Friday, November 17

Twitter/X Chat, 1 PM EST

At 1:00 p.m. EST, the public is invited to take part in a live national conversation about the country’s top injury and violence concerns on Twitter/X using the hashtag #BeInjuryFree.

On this evening, sites across the country will shine a green light at the burden of injuries and the need for prevention through scheduled lighting of iconic buildings, monuments and bridges in cities across America.   While, throughout the weekend, IVP professionals from coast to coast will lead activities and distribute injury prevention supplies in needy communities in an effort to create safer environments. To learn more about National Injury Prevention Day activities visit https://injuryfree.org/nationalinjurypreventionday/2023.

“National Injury Prevention Day provides an opportunity to shine a light on the impact of injuries and violence and the fact that most are indeed preventable.  While we dedicate this particular day, it is critically important to promote injury and violence prevention 365 days a year,” Safe States Executive Director, Richard Hamburg adds.

For more information about National Injury Prevention Day or to arrange an interview in advance, please contact DiLenny Roca at dr146@columbia.edu.