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Public Education Resources for EMS Providers
I believe that, as EMS providers, we have an obligation to help our communities prevent injury, especially in children. Following are links to prevention articles and programs, organized by injury focus areas. The organizations that provide this information have done much of the work for you already by gathering statistics and creating materials you can use to develop injury prevention programs and educate the people you serve.
General injury prevention
- "Best Practices in Injury Prevention: National award highlights programs across the country," Journal of Emergency Medical Services
- Data Collection & Research, Emergency Medical Services for Children - Looking for statistics on pediatric trauma? There's enough here to make your mind spin—and to help build your case for injury prevention programs and grants.
- Injury Fact Book, 2001-2002 - if you need data for a grant proposal or report, use this great resource for injury statistics.
- Injury Prevention, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - a compendium of safety resources, including bicycles, cars, motorcycles and patient safety during transport.
- Injury Prevention: Have Fun and Be Safe, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
- The Injury Prevention Program, American Academy of Pediatrics - offers age-related safety sheets and other materials that help pediatricians counsel parents about safe behaviors.
- "Injury Prevention Supplement," Journal of Emergency Medical Services
- Injury Prevention, American Trauma Society
- KIDS COUNT!, Casey Foundation - this organization offers programs that benefit low-income working families and reports data on the well-being of children.
National Center for Injury Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Risk Watch®: Unintentional Injuries, National Fire Protection Agency - comprehensive injury prevention curriculum designed for use in the classroom.
- Subcommittee on Injury Prevention and Control, American College of Surgeons - offers a variety of education resources including presentations, position statements, selected articles and a quiz.
- ThinkFirst: National Injury Prevention Foundation - focused on the prevention of brain, spinal cord and other traumatic injuries.
Alcohol & drug abuse prevention
According to the CDC, alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 30 minutes and non-fatally injure someone every two minutes.
- Calling EMS, Brown University - a great resource for high school and college students; starts with "What should I do if my friend gets drunk?"
Every 15 Minutes - a powerful program that dramatically teaches teenagers about the potentially dangerous consequences of drinking alcohol.
- National Drugged and Drunk Driving (3D) Prevention Month Coalition - public awareness and enforcement campaigns to prevent impaired driving.
- Substance Abuse and Gun Violence Resource Center - tap into what states and organizations are doing.
Animal bites
According to the CDC, as many as 800,000 people, more than half of them children, require medical attention for dog bites each year and about a dozen people die each year from dog bite injuries.
- "Dog bite and injury prevention—analysis, critical review, and research agenda," Injury Prevention - lots of data, just skip to "Implications for prevention," including the key points table.
- Educational Resources for Dog Bite Prevention, American Veterinary Medical Association - includes a PDF of "A community approach to dog bite prevention."
Automobile safety
According to the CDC, nearly half of children under 5 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes were riding unrestrained. Child safety seats would have saved many of them. Child safety seats reduce the risk of death by about 70% for infants and by about 55% for toddlers ages 1 to 4.
- Boost America!, Ford Motor Co. - car seat safety information.
- Buckle Up America, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - the daddy of all passenger safety sites.
- Child Passenger Safety, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - check out recalls, laws and Child Passenger Safety Technician training ops.
Bicycle safety
According to the CDC, bicycle-related head injuries account for approx. 500 deaths and 17,000 hospitalizations per year, with the highest rate of injury in children aged 5 to 15 years.
- National Bike Safety Network, CDC - education and safety programs, statistics and interactive stuff for kids.
CPR education
- CPR Hula - an award-winning program designed to teach CPR to Hawaiians. This project serves as a GREAT example of effective public outreach!
Children's health
- Child Health Emergency Guides, Parents magazine - first-aid basics, when to call your doctor, when to call 9-1-1 and other home emergency information.
- Henry the Hand - hand-washing awareness resources for parents, teachers and kids.
- KidsHealthInfo.org
- Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule (PDF), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- A freeware immunization schedule for your PalmOS handheld also is available from ImmunizationEd.org: Shots 2003
Fire safety and burn prevention
According to the CDC, fire departments responded to 401,000 home fires in the United States, which claimed the lives of an estimated 2,670 people (not including firefighters) and injured another 14,050 in 2002.
- Fire Safety for Kids, NYS Dept. of State
- Kids Page, U.S. Fire Administration
- Smokey Bear - working hard for over 60 years to remind Americans of the importance of outdoor fire safety and wildfire prevention.
- The Survive Alive Program, Allstate Insurance - includes an instructional guide for parents and teachers.
Fireworks safety
According to the CDC, emergency departments treated 9,300 people for fireworks-related injuries in the United States, and 4 people died from their injuries in 2003.
- Fireworks-Related Injuries, National Center for Injury Prevention - an analysis of the problem.
- Fireworks Safety, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - includes safety promotion ideas.
- NFPA Consumer Fireworks Fact Sheet - lots of data plus a model fireworks law suggested by the NFPA.
Gun violence prevention
According to the CDC, most young homicide victims are killed with guns. In 1999, 82% of homicide victims 15 to 19 years old were killed with firearms.
- Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
- "Gun Safety Programs for Children and Teens Not Effective," Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health - press release summarizing study results saying parents and policymakers should focus on keeping guns away from unsupervised children rather than trying to teach children not to play with guns when they are found.
- In a Flash, National Emergency Medicine Association - a short but powerful educational video-based program that addresses the irreversible consequences of gun violence among youth.
- Student Pledge Against Gun Violence
- Substance Abuse and Gun Violence Resource Center - tap into what states and organizations are doing.
Playground safety
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 45% of playground-related injuries are severe (fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, and amputations) and approx. 75% of non-fatal injuries occur at schools and daycare centers.
- Kidd Safety, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - includes playground safety, bike helmets, scooters and more.
Poisoning
According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposures Surveillance System, poison control centers in 2001 reported approximately 2.2 million poison exposures, with more than 90% of them occurring in the home and 52.7% occurring in children younger than age six.
- Houseboat-Associated Carbon Monoxide Poisonings on Lake Powell - Arizona and Utah, 2000, CDC
- See also, "Water safety" above for more information about open-air CO poisoning related to boating.
- National Poison Prevention Week Council
- Poisoning Prevention Tips, CDC
Suicide prevention
- Coming next!
Water safety
According to the Washington State Drowning Prevention Network, over 1,500 children and teens die every year in the U.S. from drowning. Another water hazard recently discovered involves carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning while teak surfing or swimming near boats.
- Boaters Urged To Understand Hazard, Oregon State Marine Board - explains the danger of houseboat CO exhaust.
- "Deadly Summer Fun: A Little Known Problem Linked to Recreational Boating," ABCnews.com
- Drowning Prevention Strategies, National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
- Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Information, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center and Washington State Drowning Prevention Network - this informative site includes a coupon for 25% off life jackets at Big 5 sporting goods stores in Washington state (a great idea for Idaho EMS providers).
- North American Safe Boating Council
- Office of Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard
- "The 'Silent Killer,' Carbon Monoxide, Is Killing Teak Surfers and Boaters," California Dept. of Boating and Waterways - provides information about the recently discovered risks of open-air CO poisoning related to boating.
Safety activities for students
- The Further Adventures of Kidd Safety - provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, this site offers games and activities to help children reduce injuries.
- McGruff the Crime Dog® - ideas for kids to stay safe from the National Crime Prevention Council.
- The Otto Club - activities and learning about safety from the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Suggested books
- Handbook of Common Poisonings in Children
- Injury Prevention: An International Perspective - Epidemiology, Surveillance, and Policy
- Injury Prevention and Public Health: Practical Knowledge, Skills, and Strategies
- It Only Takes a Second: Preventing Childhood Traumatic Injuries
- No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (And Dragons)
- Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (And Parents Sane)
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Updated 03.21.05
"The price of power is responsibility for the public good."
—Winthrop W. Aldrich
