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The
Tooele County Health Department has an extensive Injury Prevention
Program. The focus of this program is to increase knowledge and
prevention efforts to reduce injury (both intentional and unintentional),
disability, death, and costs associated with injuries. The health
department believes injuries are not just random acts or perchance
happenings. They aren't just "bad luck", "fate",
or "destiny". Injuries are caused by something or someone
in the environment. Some of our injury prevention goals are:
 To
ensure all the residents of Tooele County live in a safe, healthy,
environment
To
help all the residents of Tooele County to choose healthy and safe
behaviors
To
help all Tooele County Children succeed in school and prepare for
the workforce by providing injury related presentations
and activities
To
increase safety awareness for seniors
Increase
the use of bike helmets
Ensure
that all infant car seats are
installed and used correctly
Help
prevent falls amoung the
elderly
Include
parents, church groups, law enforcement, community leaders, and
others in the Tooele County
Safe Kids Coalition Chapter
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| How are injuries prevented? Information! With information comes
knowledge, awareness, and caution. These are the keys necessary
to prevent injury. Information gives the options for prevention. |
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Injury is the leading cause of death for children, teenagers, and
young adults. Falls are the leading cause of death in the elderly
population. Last year in the United States, there were:
- 43,591 deaths from motor-vehicle crashes
- 4,724 deaths from drownings
- 12,555 deaths from falls,
- 17,692 deaths from poisonings
- 30,535 deaths from suicide
- 19,491 deaths from homicide |
The following chart shows how Tooele County injury deaths compare
with the rest of the state:
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| County: |
2001-2005 |
2006-2009 |
| Beaver |
2 |
5 |
| Box Elder |
37 |
27 |
| Cache |
22 |
34 |
| Carbon |
24 |
10 |
| Daggett |
1 |
0 |
| Davis |
78 |
104 |
| Duchesne |
13 |
15 |
| Emery |
8 |
13 |
| Garfield |
5 |
3 |
| Grand |
4 |
6 |
| Iron |
18 |
21 |
| Juab |
6 |
10 |
| Kane |
3 |
3 |
| Millard |
12 |
5 |
| Morgan |
3 |
0 |
| Piute |
0 |
1 |
| Rich |
0 |
2 |
| Salt Lake |
346 |
391 |
| San Juan |
19 |
18 |
| Sanpete |
17 |
14 |
| Sevier |
3 |
13 |
| Summit |
11 |
20 |
| Tooele |
13 |
19 |
| Uintah |
25 |
26 |
| Utah |
107 |
151 |
| Wasatch |
5 |
9 |
| Washington |
24 |
38 |
| Wayne |
2 |
1 |
| Weber |
83 |
77 |
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Intentional Injury or Violence: |
Unintentional Injury: |
Intentional Injuries occur on purpose. Harm is deliberate
and most often, planned. Harm may be directed at someone else
(bullying, fighting, even assault). Often times legal intervention
is necessary when intentional injury is involved. Harm may
also be caused to one's own self, such as the case of suicide.
Intentional Injury is both physical and emotional.
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Unintentional Injuries are not "accidents". The
word accident implies a random type occurance which could
not have been prevented. The term "accidents just happen"
is incorrect. Almost 100% of the causes of unintentional injuries
can be identified, understood, and prevented. Here are some
examples:
Wearing
your seat belt every time you are in a vehicle
Obeying
the speed limit
Using
smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Crossing
the street at designated crosswalks
Clearning
your home of clutter
Taking
measures to prevent falls (which is the number 1 killer of
the elderly)
DO
NOT drive if you have been drinking (or under the influence
of any drug) |
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