Safe Kids Oregon 2012 State Report Dear Child Safety Advocates, Injury prevention efforts continue to make a difference to Oregon’s children. Between 2005-2007 and 2009-2011 deaths to children ages 0 – 14 from unintentional injuries decreased by 18.9% (from 148 to 120) and hospitalizations decreased by 17.3% (from 3,539 to 3,214). The important injury prevention messages and events hosted by Safe Kids Coalitions and partners throughout communities in 2012 continue to help families make safe INSIDE THIS REPORT: choices. This report details the extensive work of Safe Kids Oregon and the eight coalitions and three chapters in Introduction 1-3 Oregon. Please take a moment to read about our efforts. Prevention Activity Statewide 4-6 2012 was a year of transition for Safe Kids Oregon. I wish Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety to thank Adrienne Greene for her support as she moved Pedestrian Safety into her role as CDC Grant Manager and Tam Peterson for Bicycle and Wheeled Sports Safety her valuable training in website maintenance and Suffocation Prevention and Safe newsletter design. Additionally, the Safe Kids Oregon Sleep Advisory Board has been very active and involved in Fire and Burn Prevention providing guidance to Safe Kids Oregon. Fall Prevention Water Safety Sports Safety Ruth Harshfield Safe Kids Oregon Director Chapters & Coalitions 7 - 18 Safe Kids Oregon Safe Kids Central Oregon Safe Kids Columbia County Safe Kid Columbia Gorge Safe Kids Harney County Safe Kids Malheur County A MESSAGE FROM Safe Kids Portland Metro Safe Kids Rogue Valley KAREN GUNSON, MD ~ Safe Kids Umatilla/Morrow Counties HONORARY CHAIR Safe Kids Union County Safe Kids Washington County The work of Safe Kids Oregon continues to be important. Safe Kids Willamette Valley Between 2005-2007 and 2009-2011, motor vehicle deaths to children ages 0 – 14 decreased by 54% (from 33 to 15). However, suffocation deaths increased by 34% (from 25 to 38), becoming the leading cause of unintentional childhood Safe Kids Oregon death in 2011. The top four causes of deaths were 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 730 suffocation, motor vehicle traffic, drowning and fire/burns. Portland, OR 97232 An additional 3,214 children ages 0-14 were hospitalized Phone: (971) 673-1028 from unintentional injuries. Falls remain the leading cause www.safekidsoregon.org of hospitalization from unintentional childhood injury (36% of all hospitalizations) followed by poisoning (11.6% of all hospitalizations). I am pleased that Safe Kids coalitions and chapters are active partners in efforts to decrease childhood injuries and deaths. 1 A MESSAGE FROM TAMMY FRANKS ~ ADVISORY BOARD PRESIDENT 2012 was an active year for the Safe Kids Advisory Board and I am proud to share this report highlighting our accomplishments. Our efforts were directed at ensuring the stability of the state office, strengthening our network through collaboration with partner agencies, and leading statewide injury prevention advocacy efforts. Our key accomplishments included: . Welcoming Ruth Harshfield as the Safe Kids Oregon Director . Establishing a fiscal sponsorship contract with Impact Northwest and developing corresponding operating processes and policies . Enhancing the roles and responsibilities of the Advisory Board Committees . Transforming the Public Policy & Education Committee into the Injury Community Planning Group (ICPG) Policy Subcommittee. ICPG is working with Adrienne Greene and over 30 stakeholders to develop a strategic policy plan for pedestrian safety INTRODUCTION The important thing to remember about preventable injuries is that they are preventable. Preventable injuries take an enormous financial, emotional, and social toll not just on the injured children and their families but also on society as a whole. WHY OUR WORK IS IMPORTANT Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death and disability among children ages 14 and under in the United States. In 2010, 8,684 children ages 19 and under died from unintentional injury. In 2011, more than 9 million children ages 19 and under were seen in emergency 1 departments for nonfatal unintentional injuries. The total annual cost of unintentional injuries among children ages 2 14 and under was over $5 billion in 2005. In Oregon, between 2009-2011, unintentional injuries to children ages 0-14 years resulted in 120 fatalities and 3,214 hospitalizations.3 2 1 Overview of Childhood Injury Morbidity and Mortality in the U.S. Fact Sheet (2013) Safe Kids Worldwide 2 National Action Plan for Child Injury Prevention, page 22 3 Data Source: Death Certificate Data, Hospital Discharge Index Data, Injury and Violence Prevention Program, Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority 2013 Efforts to reduce unintentional injuries to children are described under Prevention Activity Statewide. Additional prevention materials are available on the Safe Kids Oregon website. http://www.safekidsoregon.org/safety-for- parents/ GEOGRAPHY Since 1995, Safe Kids Oregon has been raising awareness about unintentional childhood injuries and deaths in Oregon by supporting public awareness campaigns, providing education and training, distributing safety items and educational materials, and supporting child safety policies and laws. MAP OF COALITIONS AND CHAPTERS IN OREGON. Safe Kids Oregon Safe Kids Central Oregon Safe Kids Columbia County Safe Kids Columbia Gorge Safe Kids Harney County Chapter Safe Kids Malheur County Safe Kids Portland Metro Safe Kids Rogue Valley Safe Kids Umatilla/Morrow Co. Chapter Safe Kids Union County Chapter Safe Kids Washington County Safe Kids Willamette Valley SAFE KIDS OREGON Vision: Injury prevention as every Oregonian’s approach to life. Mission: Working together to reduce unintentional injuries in Oregon’s children age 0-14. 3 PREVENTION ACTIVITY STATEWIDE To highlight the importance of each activity, data regarding fatalities and hospitalizations from 2009-2011 is included. Data Source :Death Certificate Data, Hospital Discharge Index Data, Injury and Violence Prevention Section, Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority, 2013. MOTOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT SAFETY Motor vehicle occupant crashes resulted in fatalities to 15 children and the hospitalization of 146 children. The Safe Kids Buckle Up program works through local coalitions to ensure children are fully protected in and around vehicles. Coalitions provide education on the proper use of child safety seats; provide reduced cost child safety seats and booster seats to eligible families; and sponsor/volunteer at free child safety seat check-up events throughout Oregon. They also share information on Never Leave a Child Alone in a Car (heatstroke prevention), driveway safety and trunk entrapment. In 2012 Safe Kids Coalitions reported: . 1164 child safety seats were distributed to eligible families. 5960 child safety seats were checked for correct use. PEDESTRIAN SAFETY Pedestrian crashes resulted in fatalities to 13 children and the hospitalization of 89 children. The Safe Kids Walk This Way program teaches children and adults how to share the responsibility of safety on the road. The program includes sponsoring schools to participate in International Walk to School Day, encouraging pedestrian visibility during Halloween, and developing school and community task forces to improve safe routes for children to take to school. BICYCLE AND WHEELED SPORTS SAFETY Bicycle crashes resulted in 1 fatality and 211 hospitalizations for children. Safe Kids coalitions around the state worked with partner organizations to provide classroom education and bicycle helmets when possible (through discounts or donations) to schools and community members. Bicycle rodeos were held featuring bike safety clinics and bike inspections. Additionally, many safety presentations about rules of the road were made. 4 FIRE AND BURN PREVENTION Fire and burn injuries resulted in 9 fatalities and 99 hospitalizations for children. In Oregon, Safe Kids coalitions are either led by fire departments or have strong partnerships with local fire districts. They partner to provide smoke detectors, safety presentations and education on fire and burn prevention. The Safe Start Fire Prevention program was hosted by some of the coalitions with Head Start and the Office of the State Fire Marshal. SUFFOCATION PREVENTION AND SAFE SLEEP Suffocation was the cause of 38 deaths and 36 hospitalizations for children. Suffocation injuries and deaths usually occur in the home – 85% were children under the age of four. Leading causes of suffocation are unsafe sleep environments, choking on food and small objects, and strangulation by products such as window blind cords and clothing drawstrings. Safe Kids provides information to families and caregivers about suffocation prevention including: . Informing about safe sleep environments based on the Oregon Public Health Division Babies First! program materials - http://public.health.oregon.gov/HealthyPeopleFamilie s/Babies/Pages/sids.aspx . Encouraging prevention of choking on food by offering cooked and softer foods when it is age- appropriate and preventing choking on small objects by taking an empty toilet paper roll and putting the small object in it. If it fits completely into the roll, don’t let children under 3 play with it. Preventing strangulation by using cordless window coverings and being sure there are no drawstrings in clothing. FALL PREVENTION Falls resulted in 3 fatalities and 1,354 hospitalizations to children. Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization to children under the age of 14 in Oregon.