National Fall Prevention Day is held every year to raise awareness to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults. This year, National Fall Prevention Day was September 23, 2015.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention one out of five falls results in a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury. Furthermore, over 700,000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a fall injury. Falls are also the most common cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Our Injury Prevention Coordinator, Sheila Antwi, attended Jamaica Service Program for Older Adults (JSPOA) to educate individuals on Fall Prevention where she highlighted the risk factors associated with falls, and identified strategies and resources to reduce the risk of these falls. A video presentation was also shown to individuals to get a better understanding on how common falls are and why falls happen in older adults

Since January 1st, 2015 – August 31st 2015 there have been a total of 1,489 patients including (ED discharges). Of those, 717 were falls. That is 48% of the total population of all traumas. Of the 1,489 patients, 1,147 were actually admitted to in-patient. Of those, 615 were falls. That is 54% of the total population of trauma admissions.

The purpose of this event was to educate older adults in the community on injury prevention and to raise awareness about elderly falls in an effort to decrease the number of preventable traumas and other injuries.

In 1999, Safe Kids and FedEx created Walk This Way to bring national and local attention to safety issues. In New York State, Safe Kids have their event Walk This Way every year in October. This event is held throughout the five boroughs to educate and bring awareness to children and parents regarding bicycle and pedestrian safety.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , In 2012, more than one in every five children between the ages of five and 15 who were killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians.

This year’s event was attended by Sheila Antwi, Injury Prevention Coordinator. Ms. Antwi, collaborated with Catherina Blotiau (Safe Kids Coordinator) and recreated a street intersection at Public School 40 in Queens, New York to educate third graders on pedestrian safety. Students had a chance to participate and learn how to correctly walk a crosswalk and how to read and understand hand signs and traffic signals including, understanding stop signs and railroad crossings.

The ultimate goal of the Trauma Division is to maintain a healthier and much safer lifestyle through educating individuals with preventable measures.

On Saturday, September 19, 2015 the 103^rd Precinct Community Council had their annual Safety Crime Prevention Fair at Detective Keith Williams Park (173^rd Street and Liberty Avenue).The purpose of this event was to bring awareness, educate and promote healthy lifestyles and injury prevention within the community. Among the crime prevention services available included VIN etching, demonstrations by the NYPD, health information materials, free screenings and a helmet giveaways. The event also offered individuals to register their bikes in the 103^rd Precinct anti-bike theft program.

Injury Prevention Coordinator Sheila Antwi, tabled and educated parents and children on the importance of bicycle safety, pedestrian safety and demonstrated to individuals how to correctly wear a helmet. In addition, there was a second demonstration on how to use and change a fire detector.

The focus of the Trauma Division was to provide injury prevention education to the community. Literature was distributed on bicycle safety which includes the importance of wearing helmets when riding and pedestrian safety.

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old. Often times many deaths and injuries can be prevented by proper use of seat belts, car seats and boosters. According to the Center for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC), buckling children in age – and size appropriate car seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half. Furthermore, the backseat is the safest place for children under the age of 12.

Child Passenger Safety Week purpose is an effort to educate and bring awareness on proper car seat usage and save children lives. National Child Passenger Safety week was held on September 14th- September 18th at Jamaica Hospital W.I.C Department. Sheila Antwi, educated individuals on the dangers of not having a car seat, the importance of having the correct sized car seat and offered recommendations on choosing the right car seat. The program also included an intimate group session with expected mothers on how to properly put in a car seat followed by a question and answer session. In addition, extra educational brochures were given out to share with family and friends who were unable to attend.

The focus of the Trauma Division was to provide injury prevention education to the community on the importance of having the correct car seat, wearing a seat belt and suggesting tips to parents on choosing the right car seat.

On August 22, 2015, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Family Medicine had their Health and Wellness fair. The purpose of the health and wellness fair was to reach out, educate and promote health education, healthy lifestyles and also injury prevention.

In attendance at this year’s event were members of Jamaica Hospital staff from various departments including Trauma, WIC, Psychiatry, Prevention Services, and Dental. The health fair offered free screenings, back to school supplies, health literature, face painting, health insurance and free giveaways.

The focus of the Trauma Division was to provide injury prevention education to the community and the importance of having the correct car seat including, wearing the correct helmet.

Many parents and children were very receptive to the educational table on having the correct car seat and helmet. Individuals left with a better understanding on how to install a car seat correctly and how to wear a helmet. Everyone who attended our educational table was given extra educational materials to share with friends and family who were unable to attend.

The event was organized by Beth Palmas and Wendy Munoz.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention each day in the United States, more than nine million people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.

Our Injury Prevention Coordinator, Sheila Antwi, attended Richmond Hill High School to speak to 9^th, 11^th and 12^th graders on distracted and drowsy driving. The purpose of this program was to educate these students, who are soon to be drivers, as well as provide them with the proper education on distracted and driving so they can go out and share this education with their friends, parents and relatives who may be driving while distracted or drowsy. Each presentation included a question and answer session and a group discussion on how students can prevent distracted and drowsy driving. Students were also given a pre and post-event tests to gauge their awareness.

The purpose of this event was to educate and promote healthy lifestyles and injury prevention within the community including how to avoid the dangers of distracted and drowsy driving. The goal of this event was to help decrease the number of preventable trauma related injuries which has been affecting our surrounding communities.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is working towards educating our community on safer driving not only for drivers and passengers, but also pedestrians.

Pentecostal Deliverance Center and Jamaica Hospital had their second annual health fair. The event aimed to increase the public’s knowledge on health services, promote healthy lifestyles and educate individuals on injury prevention. The target audience for this event was adults, parents, seniors, and children. Various organizations also participated in the health fair presenting display tables, free screenings, nutrition, CPR, health information and back to school supplies.

This year’s event was attended by members of the Jamaica Hospital Trauma Division Dr. Lee, Director of Emergency Medicine, Ms. Beverly Brown, Program Manager and Ms. Sheila Antwi, Injury Prevention Coordinator.

Dr. Lee, educated individuals on heart disease and discussed tips on how individuals can lower their risk of heart disease by making better lifestyle changes. Beverly Brown, spoke to parents and children on concussion. She also educated them on the causes of concussions, the signs and symptoms. Sheila Antwi, showed and discussed video presentations about the dangers of distracted and drowsy driving including tips on how to prevent distracted driving.

After each presentation there was a short question and answer session. Many individuals were very receptive to the presentation, and left with a better understanding of the dangers of distracted and drowsy driving. Including, recommendations on to lower their risk of heart disease and how to prevent concussions.

The purpose of this event was to raise awareness, educate and promote healthy lifestyles and injury prevention within the community including the dangers of distracted and drowsy driving. The goal of this event was to help decrease the number of preventable trauma related events which has been affecting our surrounding communities.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is working towards educating their community on safer driving not only for the drivers passengers, but also pedestrians.