Emory has earned reaccreditation as a Safe Community by the National Safety Council and Safe Communities America, affirming the university’s commitment as a leader in championing safety and preventing injury.
The designation recognizes Emory and its coalition, the Emory Safety Alliance, for implementing effective strategies to promote safety and address injuries. In 2012, Emory was the first academic institution on the East Coast and only the second academic institution in the United States to be recognized as an international Safe Community.
“By achieving reaccreditation, Emory University is continuing to foster a culture of safety within its community,” says Carrie Nie, director of Safe Communities America. “It is serving as an example to other academic institutions that are looking to use data to further their safety programs.”
The process of initially applying for the designation included support from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
The Emory Safety Alliance was formed to identify current safety programs, data collection and any gaps in safety promotion and injury prevention on campus. The organization’s aim is to foster a culture of safety within the community and serve as a model to other academic institutions.
Dr. Michael J. Huey, assistant vice president and executive director of Emory University Student Health Services, said that Emory was proud to be reaccredited by Safe Communities America, especially since it is now one of only four Safe Community universities in the nation.
“We are excited to continue collaborating with university and community partners to improve the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff and visitors to our Emory campuses,” says Huey, who is also associate professor of family and preventive medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine and president of the American College Health Association.
Emory is collaborating with members that will maintain, grow and strengthen the Emory Safety Alliance, which is implementing effective, promising and trauma-informed strategies to address injuries.
The university strives to collect data and use scientific research to help guide program planning. In addition, the alliance is working closely — and in new ways — with university departments to identify injury and safety issues. Its priority areas are the E-Care Concussion Project, First Responder Unified Training and LiveSafe Mobile Safety initiative that increases communication between community members and emergency services.