Guns are the leading cause of death for children – on average, 13 children die from guns every day. To encourage parents, grandparents, families and community members to take action by asking about gun safety, Hartford HealthCare has joined with Connecticut Children’s, Saint Francis Hospital, Yale New Haven Health and thousands of leading hospitals and health systems across the country in a nationwide public awareness and education campaign to prevent accidental gun deaths among children.
By asking about safe gun storage, the campaign hopes to empower parents and families to ask other parents about access to guns.
Broadcast, print and digital public service messages and a website highlight the link between unlocked guns and death, suicide and gun violence, making it more likely that children die from guns than cancer or car accidents. The website provides tips on how to have a conversation with other parents and families about safely stored firearms and encourages normalizing this conversation.
“Hartford HealthCare is so proud to join trauma centers across the nation in supporting this crucial initiative. Gun violence is a public health crisis right in our own cities and towns. It is imperative that we understand and address the multiple causes behind this violence through this type of widespread collaboration, which will promote healthier and safer communities,” said Jonathan Gates, MD, MBA, Chief of Trauma at Hartford Hospital.
Impetus for this and other public service campaigns come from over 100 healthcare marketing and communications executives representing the nation’s most prominent health systems, children’s hospitals, and hospital and health associations. Meeting regularly for a decade, they share knowledge. experience, best practices and resources, knowing they can accomplish more together.