Safe Communities America – Working Together for Safety

On June 8, 2010 the Village of New Lenox was officially designated as the 9th “Safe Community” in the United States. This prestigious designation is bestowed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Safety Council (NSC). The NSC serves as the International Safe Communities Affiliate Support and Certifying Center for the United States.

The International Safe Communities movement started over twenty years ago in Sweden. Two hundred communities in 24 countries are currently part of the Safe Communities International Network. To firmly establish and foster a culture of safety throughout the United States, the NSC launched the Safe Communities America initiative in 2007. Based on the WHO International Safe Communities model, this program promotes community-based injury prevention and seeks to engage a broad range of individuals and organizations to work together in a coordinated and collaborative fashion.

How Does a Community Become a Designated Safe Community?

The key to effective community-based injury prevention is the Safe Communities America’s multi-disciplinary approach where active community engagement encourages local stewardship, thus increasing the potential for community behavioral change. The leading role is played by the community itself in determining what areas of safety are in greatest need of prevention, intervention, and control.

Safe Community Designation is a rigorous process. A community must demonstrate its commitment to its residents’ safety by documenting its work in injury prevention and community safety promotion in a written application. This is followed by a site visit by internationally trained reviewers. When all requirements are satisfied, a community is formally designated in a public ceremony.

Often one agency in a community takes the lead and is the catalyst for forming a Safe Communities Coalition. The coalition first does a community audit to assess its current safety programs which provides the groundwork for future initiatives. In many communities in the United States, such as New Lenox, the community police department has taken the lead.

It will generally take a community twelve to eighteen months to complete the process. All sectors of the community must be represented in the coalition – municipal government, schools, law enforcement, emergency services, hospitals/healthcare, park districts, local media, chamber of commerce/business community, safety advocates, and service agencies. A community will qualify by having:

• An infrastructure based on partnership and collaborations, governed by a cross- sectional group responsible for safety promotion;

• Long-term, sustainable programs covering both genders and all ages, environments and situations;

• Programs that target high-risk groups and environments, and programs that promote safety for vulnerable groups;

• Programs that document the frequency and causes of injuries;

• Evaluation measures to assess their programs, processes and the effects of change; and

• Ongoing participation in National and International Safe Communities Networks.

Why now?

• In 2008 in US homes and communities, there were 76,700 deaths and 20.5 million disabling injuries.

• One out of every 15 Americans experienced an unintentional injury in their home or community. The costs of unintentional injuries in the United States are immense – $702 billion in 2008.

• Medical expenses, wages, productivity losses, and motor vehicle damage all contribute to this staggering number. Add to this the enormous toll that pain and suffering from unintentional injuries inflicts on the individual, their family, and the community they live in.

• Whether the injury occurred on the job or at home, was the result of fire, a fall, poisoning, drowning, a motor vehicle accident, or a bicycle accident, the data shows us that unintentional injuries are the fifth leading cause of death overall and, in fact, first among persons in age groups from 1-44 in this country.

• Suicides and violence in our homes, schools, and communities also significantly add to the burden communities are facing around the United States. Local law enforcement has done an excellent job in initiating programs to keep their citizens safe and secure, but these programs will work only if the community supports them.

The New Lenox Safe Communities America Coalition

The Village of New Lenox is proud to work with our community partners through the New Lenox Safe Communities America Coalition (NLSCAC). Through a collaborative process, the NLSCAC will improve the health, safety and quality of life for residents and visitors through injury analysis and the implementation of programs designed to increase safety and prevent injuries. For additional information regarding Safe Communities America or the New Lenox Safe Communities America Coalition, please contact Dan Martin at (815) 462-6100 or via email at dmartin@newlenox.net