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    Preventing Firearm Injuries is Focus of National Trauma Awareness Month 2019

    Deaconess Trauma Services 05/21/2019
    Since 1988, May of each year is designated as National Trauma Awareness Month. The American Trauma Society works with its partners to choose a new focus for injury and violence prevention and awareness. This year’s focus is Firearm Injury Prevention. Deaths and injuries caused by firearms can happen in any community, to anyone, and at any time. According to the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO):
    • Firearm injury and death claims the lives of 8 children and 75 adults each day in the U.S.
    • Over 39,773 people died as a result of firearm violence in 2017 – that’s 1 person every 13 minutes.
    • That same year, almost 2/3 of all firearm-related deaths were suicides.
    • Interpersonal violence accounts for approximately 1/8 of medical care spending on injury in the United States.
    Resource guides for key areas of concern are available on the American Trauma Society website to help communities address the type of firearm injuries and deaths that impact their specific community. Categories include: Deaconess Trauma Services also provides training for Stop The Bleed, so members of the public know how to give care while waiting for first responders to arrive. This training is offered at no charge to groups and organizations; schedule a training at deaconess.com/speakers

    Preventing death and disability from traumatic injuries is our goal in May and every other month of the year. Please take time to educate yourself on firearm injuries common in your community and learn a new skill that could potentially save a life. As we say in the trauma field, the only thing more tragic than a death is a death that could have been prevented.
     
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