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Our Mission Our mission within our section is to create a forum and a movement to bring awareness and action to the issue of the public health problem of preventable injury mortality and morbidity. Injury continues to be the leading cause of death for Floridians ages 1 – 44 and is the 3rd leading cause of death for all ages. Yet, there are no categorical funds or recurring legislative revenue mechanisms to underwrite and sustain long-term primary injury prevention efforts for all Florida counties. Injuries are not accidents! Public health science shows that most injury events are predictable and preventable. The research irrefutably shows that a multi-faceted approach including injury prevention education, injury prevention policy/legislation, safety enforcement and injury control technologies applied to the populations at risk is not only effective in reducing the human and economic burden of injury death and disability but is also cost beneficial. As former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop said, “If a disease were killing our children at the rate unintentional injuries are, the public would be outraged and demand that this killer be stopped.” Please join our section and help us make a safer Florida. It wouldn’t hurt! New article Governor Crist Signs
Bill Requiring Safety Belt Use in Motor Vehicles May 6, 2009 Governor’s Press Release TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today signed Senate Bill 344, the Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti Safety Belt Law. The legislation mandates the use of seatbelts in motor vehicles, effective June 30, 2009. “Today I am proud to sign legislation that will help save lives in Florida and prevent serious injuries that otherwise could have been prevented,” said Governor Crist. “Nothing is of greater importance than keeping Florida’s citizens and visitors safe.” Violation of the Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti Safety Belt Law is a primary enforceable action and will result in a citation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates primary enforcement will prevent 142 fatalities in Florida annually. Florida joins 26 states that already have laws for primary enforcement of safety belts. In 2007, Florida ranked 35th in seat belt usage with a usage rate of 79.1 percent. Sponsored by Senator Nan Rich and Representative Rich Glorioso, the legislation modifies and renames the current safety belt law. The new law also removes an exemption for passengers of a pickup truck. The families of Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti attended the bill signing ceremony. Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti both lost their lives as a result of car crashes that occurred while they were not wearing safety belts. Dori Slosberg died at age 14 in 1996. Katie Marchetti died at age 16 in 2006. Archive
Spring 2009 Please come to our breakout
session at the upcoming FPHA Annual Education Conference on Thursday August 6, 2009 from 3 – 5 pm. Our topic is, “Prescription
Drug Overdose Mortality and Morbidity in Florida; an Emerging Public Health Epidemic.” * We will have two speakers, JoAnn Chambers-Emerson, RN, BSN, CSPI, Certified Specialist in Poison Information, Educator, FL Poison Information Center and Dianne L. Clarke MPA, CAP, Chief Operating Officer, Operation PAR, Inc. * We will be having door prizes and refreshments. * This will be a combined breakout session sponsored by our section and the Public Health Social Workers Section. * We know that this issue crosses all disciplines and Florida families so ALL ARE WELCOMEJ We hope to see you there! * Below is a recent article about the prescription drug issue: RESEARCH
UPDATE: Patterns of Abuse Among Unintentional Pharmaceutical Overdose Fatalities Use and abuse of prescription narcotic analgesics has increased dramatically in the United States since 1990. Drug overdoses are now the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. The effects of this epidemic have been most pronounced in rural states, such as West Virginia, which experienced the nation’s largest increase in drug overdose mortality during 1999-2004. The full article, “Patterns of Abuse Among Unintentional Pharmaceutical Overdose Fatalities” can be found in the December 10th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 300, No.2. View the article here: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/300/22/2613. Minimum Legal Drinking Age: Should it be Lowered? Over the past several months, the news has been chock full of debate about the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) and whether it should be lowered from 21 to 18 years of age. Learn what Dr. Ileana Arias, Director of the Injury Center, thinks about the issue by reading her current blog post on MLDA. CSN is a resource center for maternal and child health and injury prevention professionals in state health departments who are committed to reducing injuries and violence among children and adolescents. CSN staff offer expertise, resources, and contacts on any injury topic and can help you develop, implement, and evaluate injury and violence prevention activities. Visit www.childrenssafetynetwork.org National Center for Injury Prevention & Control is soliciting investigator-initiated research in the following 7 requests for applications. (Please note that the informational conference call dates of some of the following previously announced funding opportunities have been changed. Changes may be found in the listings below.) Adaptations of Evidence-Based Parenting Programs to Engage Fathers in Child Maltreatment Prevention (U01) (CE-09-002) This funding announcement can be accessed at: http://grants.gov/ The purpose of this solicitation is to announce the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2009 funds for (U01) research applications that will help advance our knowledge of effective strategies for engaging the participation of fathers and male caregivers in evidence-based parenting programs that may prevent child maltreatment. Approximately $400,000 is expected to be available. ~Reducing the risk of contagion~ The Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention, within the Executive Office of the Governor, would like to provide you with guidelines for enhancing reporting of suicide as a phenomenon and suicide events in your community Protocols can be found at http://www.sprc.org/library/at_a_glance.pdf The primary seat belt proposal is HB 0001 * Youth Violence in the Community Safe Start E-Newsletter: A Safe Start Center publication http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/injury_news/shownews.asp?newsID=769
Fall 2008
Making a Family Plan for Disasters and Emergencies & Health Officials Warn Of Carbon Monoxide Dangers Making a Family Plan
for Disasters and Emergencies A disaster supply kit for your home or an evacuation should include items in six basic areas: (1) water, (2) food, (3) first aid supplies and medications, (4) clothing and bedding, (5) tools and emergency supplies, and (6) important family documents. You will need a supply kit if you are confined to your home. It is also valuable if you evacuate to a place other than a well-stocked shelter or if you’re unsure of the shelter’s supplies. Tips for Making Your Kit
The Florida Emergency Information Line: 1-800-342-3557 Public Information Emergency Support Function: 850-921-0384 Health Officials Warn Of Carbon Monoxide Dangers (Carbon Monoxide Poster) --Generator safety precautions can help prevent poisoning-- TALLAHASSEE – As residents begin the task of preparing for tropical storm Fay, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) is urging the public to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) exposure by taking precautions with gas-powered appliances and charcoal or gas grills. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas, and is highly poisonous. Depending on the level of exposure, CO may cause fatigue, weakness, chest pains for those with heart disease, shortness of breath upon exertion, nausea, vomiting, headaches, confusion, lack of coordination, impaired vision, loss of consciousness, and in severe cases, death. DOH recommends the following precautions to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:
For further information, contact a local
county health department or visit www.doh.state.fl.us or www.FloridaDisaster.org. The Florida Emergency Information Line: 1-800-342-3557 Public Information Emergency Support Function: 850-921-0384 Stephen M. McCloskey, CPST Community Injury Prevention & Control Section Chair Links: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Injury/ http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/bikesafe/case_studies/casestudy.cfm?CM_NUM=41&CS_NUM=804 http://www2.edc.org/buildingsafecommunities/buildbridges/bb2.1/cost.html Section Leadership Information Stephen M. McCloskey, BS |
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