National Public Health Week April 4-10
This year, Evanston will be participating in National Public Health week, which is April 4 to 10! The theme is “Safety is NO Accident: Live Injury-Free.” The goal of the week is to promote the prevention of injuries and violence that affect our community.
Preventable injuries are among the top 10 causes of death for people of all ages. In the United States, about 150,000 people die from these injuries and about 30 million people end up in the emergency room each year. The most common preventable injuries include those sustained from falls, burns, poisonings, drowning, sports-related accidents, and car and bike accidents.
The Evanston Health Department would like to remind residents that they can reduce the risk of injuries at home, work, play, on the move, and in the community just by doing a few simple things, such as:
- Buckle up when in a moving vehicle. Seatbelt use lowers serious injures and deaths in car crashes by 50%.
- Install smoke detectors in your home. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the risk of death from a house fire by 50%.
- Wear a helmet when riding a bike. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85%.
- Warm-up before engaging in physical activity. Up to 50% of sports-related injuries are preventable by taking precautions.
- Join a Neighborhood Watch program. These programs have shown to reduce crime by up to 16% in the community.
Learn more at www.nphw.org.