NEWS RELEASE
Halifax Regional Municipality Participates in 2nd Annual Safe Communities Day
(Halifax Regional Municipality), Thursday, October 2, 2008 - Halifax Regional Municipality celebrated its 2nd Annual Safe Communities Day by hosting an awareness event at Sir John A. Macdonald High School. The events theme was "focusing on our youth" and the goal is to help get the message of injury prevention out to all youth that injury is no accident. Students from the Grade 12 Leadership group assisted in making presentations to their peers about injury prevention.
Safety exhibitors were on hand, as well as a vehicle extrication demonstration by Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency personnel. Mayor Peter Kelly was also present proclaiming National Safe Communities Day.
Ismael Aquino, Chair of Halifax Regional Safe Communities released the results of its Annual Safe Communities Canada Report Card, which focuses on the leadership and expansion of initiatives over the past year. Aquino is proud to relay that HRM received another perfect score and was noted for community strengths including: Leadership, Priority Setting for Programmes, Sustainability and Community Engagement.
Safe Communities president and founder, Paul Kells said "the results of this year's report card clearly demonstrate that we have a vibrant, engaged and passionate organization with volunteers and injury prevention practitioners right across the network dedicated to making our communities safer places to live.
The results speak for themselves, particularly in HRM where the introduction of the Risk Watch Program in all school in HRM and the province earlier this year will address local and community-specific priority causes of injury" Kells concluded.
As Aquino notes, "the answer to reducing and eliminating injuries lies with each of us. We have known for a long time that when individuals get involved, either of their own accord, or within a corporate culture, change does occur. As is evidenced through the release of HRM's report card today, individuals in HRM are leading this change to make HRM thrive, and save lives.
The theme for this year's Safe Communities Day, Leaders for Tomorrow, shines a spotlight on the volunteers, professional practitioners, institutions, and other community members that work tirelessly to promote a culture of safety and injury prevention. It also suggests that everyone can do their part to mobilize their community to make a difference.
HRM is a designated member of Safe Communities Canada and is dedicated to making HRM the safest place to live, learn, work and play.
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For Information:
Jeanette McPherson
Safe Communities Coordinator
Halifax Regional Municipality
902-490-6530 or 902-225-7432 (cell)
mackayj@halifax.ca
