Prevention

UF Health Jacksonville’s Trauma Prevention Program began more than 25 years ago to educate children and parents in our community on important safety topics in an effort to reduce the number and severity of injuries. Each year, 15,000-20,000 people are educated about injury prevention through lectures, mock simulations, health fairs, hands-on activities and general distribution of educational materials.

The program’s initiatives include:

  • Bike Rodeo – Florida’s warm weather allows our youth to enjoy bike riding with friends or commuting to local schools nearly year-round. TraumaOne wants to ensure all children ride safely and responsibly to prevent traumatic brain injuries and lifelong morbidity. Bike Rodeo events are designed to build and reinforce safe riding techniques on a staged course which simulates common roadway hazards. Members of the TraumaOne team provide participants with solutions to navigate these obstacles safely.
  • Hands-Only CPR – Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of natural deaths in the nation, leading to more than 450,000 deaths each year in the United States. For each minute that a victim goes without CPR, the chance of survival decreases by seven to 10 percent. The best method of increasing survival is for someone to begin CPR immediately and continue until paramedics arrive with a defibrillator. The Hands-only CPR program established by the American Heart Association focuses on training community members to recognize an unresponsive heart attack victim effectively administering CPR until help arrives.
  • Lend A Hand – TraumaOne believes the key to putting an end to bullying is teaching every young student the power of standing up for their peers. Staff visit area schools to educate children on how to recognize signs of bullying and safely lend a hand to any friend or classmate in need.
  • Senior Steps – Each September during Fall Prevention Week, TraumaOne staff travel to senior citizen community centers to educate residents on how to remove trip hazards and fall-related injuries. They perform individual risk assessments for the seniors, share information on the leading causes of falls, and teach safe mobility behaviors.
  • Stop the Bleed – Bleeding control methods can save a life when someone is seriously injured. A trainer guides the class through two evidence-based methods of controlling bleeding: applying a tourniquet above a bleeding wound on an extremity, and packing a wound with gauze while applying pressure with both hands. Participants learn directly from TraumaOne flight crew members, surgical residents and trauma surgeons, and spend time practicing on anatomical models with penetrating injuries such as stab and gunshot injuries.
  • Walk Safe Day – Each October, the TraumaOne team visits a local elementary school to educate students on safe walking habits. Halloween can be especially dangerous for children as they wear costumes that limit visibility and mobility. They provide each child with a Halloween bag and safety tips to remind them and adults alike of hazards when walking. As the hours of sunlight becomes less, many children are traveling to and from school in dusk or dark. TraumaOne encourages them to always make sure they are visible when walking or waiting for the school bus throughout the year.
  • Water Watchers – When children are in the swimming pool, there should always be at least one adult watching intently. The TraumaOne Water Watchers program teaches adults and children the value of poolside safety and learning to swim early. Adults who take the course leave with a lanyard, whistle, and Water Watcher cards with life-saving techniques in the event of an emergency. Whoever wears the lanyard near the pool is the designated water watcher, reminding them to stay alert and focus on the safety of young swimmers and communicate to others that they should not be distracted.

To request any of these TraumaOne Prevention trainings or any other questions, contact the TraumaOne Administrative Office at 904-244-3400 or Trauma1@jax.ufl.edu.