Itasca, IL – On Feb. 12, the National
Safety Council will designate Fort Worth, Texas as a Safe Community
through its Safe Communities America program. With this designation, Fort Worth
will become the 300th international Safe Community, the 23rd in the United
States and the second in Texas.
“It was really heartening to
see how our city came together to work towards achieving this goal,” Dr.
Terence McCarthy, medical director for the Fort Worth Emergency Services
Collaborative said. “The eagerness to participate that people from all walks of
life in Fort Worth showed was truly amazing. We had leaders from the private,
the nonprofit and the civic segments of society donating their time and effort
towards this very worthwhile designation. It really reinforced my idea of Fort
Worth as a caring, involved community with a can-do attitude.”
The application process was completed
in November 2012 when accredited Safe Community reviewers visited Fort Worth
for a two-day tour, exploring safety initiatives and positive steps the
community has taken. The Fort Worth coalition looked at its community injury
data and made the decision to create a task force for each of the following
topics: sports injury, domestic violence, child injury, motor vehicle
crashes, drug overdose, falls, suicide and disaster preparedness.
“We have been very impressed with the way all
stakeholders in Fort Worth are working together to stay safe. Fort Worth has
done an extraordinary job meeting all the criteria to become a designated Safe
Communities and should serve as a role model for future communities that follow
their path to designation,” said Donna Stein-Harris, senior director of Safe
Communities America for the National Safety Council. “They are better positioned to prevent injuries and
deaths through this collaborative approach.”
The international Safe Community designation is based on six
criteria:
- A cross-sectional partnership responsible for the promotion of community safety
- Long-term sustainable programs for all genders, ages, environments and situations
- Programs targeting high-risk groups and environments
- Programs documenting the frequency and causes of injuries
- Evaluation measures to assess programs and the effects of change
- Ongoing participation in national and international Safe Communities networks
Under the auspices of the World Health Organization
Collaborating Center for Community Safety Promotion, NSC is the International
Certifying Center for the U.S. through its Safe Communities America program.
Safe Communities America guides community stakeholders to reduce injuries and
promote safety for the residents of their community. NSC will present the Safe Community designation to Fort Worth,
Texas on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. during a city council meeting.
About the National Safety Council
Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety
Council (nsc.org) is a nonprofit organization
whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in
homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education
and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses,
government agencies, elected officials and the public in areas where we can
make the most impact -- distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety and
safety beyond the workplace.