National SAFE KIDS Week, May 9-11.Unintentional injury unintentional injury Accidental injury Public health Any injury caused by an accident. See Injury. is the leading killer of children 14 and under, and each day nearly 8,000 children are killed and 50,000 are permanently disabled by preventable injuries. In the face of these statistics and out of a concern for the safety of the world's children, the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and Johnson & Johnson, the campaign's founder, are sponsoring National SAFE KIDS Week, May 8-14, 1994. The week is dedicated to making the public and Congress aware that childhood injury prevention saves children's lives and reduces health care costs. Several of that week's events will help to raise awareness about child safety issues. The Safe Kids Summit will be held in Washington, DC, from May 9-11. Two children from each state and the District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). who have been personally affected by unintentional injury will attend. The summit's 102 participants will have an opportunity to advocate injury prevention programs during meetings with their members of Congress. The centerpiece of the summit will be a Congressional hearing Congressional hearings are the principal formal method by which committees collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Whether confirmation hearings — a procedure unique to the Senate — legislative, oversight, investigative, or a on May 10 in front of the Children, Family, Drugs and Alcoholism Subcommittee. Other activities during the week include an hour-long special childhood injury prevention episode of "Rescue 911," to air May 10 on CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) See cell broadcast. , and a four-color National SAFE KIDS Campaign insert USA Today USA Today National U.S. daily general-interest newspaper, the first of its kind. Launched in 1982 by Allen Neuharth, head of the Gannett newspaper chain, it reached a circulation of one million within a year and surpassed two million in the 1990s. . During the week, 160 local and state coalitions in 46 states will host safety events - including bike safety rodeos, fire safety seminars, child safety seat checks, drowning prevention activities, playground safety inspections and safety fairs. The National SAFE KIDS Campaign began in September 1991 as a means to raise awareness among adults, especially parents and caregivers, about preventable injuries. Since then, more than 80 national organizations and 160 coalitions in 46 states and the District of Columbia have participated in the campaign. This year, Vice President and Mrs. Al Gore Noun 1. Al Gore - Vice President of the United States under Bill Clinton (born in 1948) Albert Gore Jr., Gore , Jr., are honorary chairs and former Surgeon General The U.S. Surgeon General is charged with the protection and advancement of health in the United States. Since the 1960s the surgeon general has become a highly visible federal public health official, speaking out against known health risks such as tobacco use, and promoting disease C. Everett Koop Charles Everett Koop, (born October 14 1916 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American physician. He served as the Surgeon General of the United States from 1982 to 1989, under Ronald Reagan's presidency. is chair of the campaign. For more information on how to participate in local activities, contact the National SAFE KIDS Campaign at 202-884-4993. Injury Related Statistics This year, one in four children (about 13 million) ages 14 and under will be hurt seriously enough to require medical attention. Every day more than 35,000 children are injured seriously enough to require medical treatment. Every year, injuries lead to 360,000 hospitalizations and 10,400,000 emergency room visits. |
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