MEDIA ADVISORY

HRM Safe Communities Coalition asks Community to Share the Vision

HALIFAX NS, May 9 2005 – Community leaders and members of the Safe Communities Coalition of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) will gather tomorrow for a networking session to discuss growing participation and community involvement in the program.

The event is taking place on Tuesday, May 10th from 8:30 am until 10:30 am at the Great Hall, Dalhousie University.

“This half-day event is designed to engage community leadership in one of the most worthwhile causes I can think of – helping to make our communities the safest places to live, learn, work and play – with a particular emphasis on protecting our children and youth,” said Bette Watson-Borg, Chair of the Safe Communities Coalition of HRM.

The event will feature champions of safe communities – George McLellan, HRM Chief Administrative Officer, and personal insight from firefighters Don and Dave Carroll, better known as local performers, the Sons of Maxwell. The brothers will also perform a song regarding their experience with community involvement and safety.

“One of HRM’s key mandates is to work towards a safe community for all residents of our municipality,” said CAO McLellan. “We applaud business and community leaders for sharing in our mandate, and encourage others to get involved in whatever ways the can.”

There are a number of Safe Community committees that focus on important issues, such as child safety, injury prevention as a result of seniors falling, suicide prevention, workplace safety and educating students about safety at home and at play.

The work of Safe Communities is founded on a real life experience that is every parent’s nightmare – the loss of a child due to an accident that was preventable. The accident in question could have been prevented, only if the youth had been educated in workplace safety and if the adults in charge at the time had been more diligent in their stewardship of the work environment.

Tomorrow’s session will focus on the principle that 100 % of accidents are preventable; inspire participants to practice good safety measures, whether at home or in the workplace; and encourage them to become involved in our “Shared Vision for a Safe Community”.

The Safe Communities Coalition of Halifax Regional Municipality is an organization of voluntary, cross-sectoral, coalition of community leaders from over 30 not-for-profit organizations, public sector agencies and corporations. For more information, visit www.safecommunities.ca

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Contact:

John O’Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
(902)490-6531