CONNECTICUT
Lower Naugatuck Valley Safe Communities Program

 

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
 

Outstanding collaborative effort
Increased self-sufficiency

 

Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety
Occupant Protection

 

 

 

 

TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
 

Multi-jurisdictional

 

 

 

 

 

 

TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
 

General Population

 

75,000


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In 1994, six towns in south-central Connecticut (Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Shelton, Beacon Falls, and Oxford), faced with strong population growth and transportation issues, joined together to form the Healthy Valley Council. The Council, consisting of a diverse group of nearly 200 stakeholders, provided a grassroots community effort to evaluate and improve the quality of life for residents of the Lower Naugatuck Valley. A community health profile conducted in 1996, indicated that the fatality rate for unintentional injuries, mostly resulting from motor vehicle crashes, was well above the statewide average. Anecdotal data revealed that young children and teens were most at risk for injury or death. In fact, the Lower Naugatuck Valley's largest high school experienced at least one teen fatality every year. In 1996, the injury crash rate per 100,000 for New Haven County was 1,190, compared to a statewide average of 995.


GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort to reduce motor vehicle crash injuries throughout the Lower Naugatuck Valley, a Safe Communities Program coalition was formed in 1997, with leadership from the Seymour Volunteer Ambulance Association. Objectives of the effort were to:

  • Implement a comprehensive community health profile to determine at-risk behaviors and injury rates

  • Conduct a survey of residents and community leaders regarding quality-of-life issues, including the prevalence of traffic crash injuries

  • Develop a permanent and self-sustaining vehicle to assure long-term project impact, and promote long-term injury prevention


STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
Coalition planners determined that self sufficiency was a key priority for the Lower Naugatuck Valley Safe Communities Program. As a result, the group successfully lobbied the State Health Department to allow emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, who charge local communities for their services, include injury prevention activities as an expense when setting their rates. The Safe Communities Program received funding from the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven for injury prevention activities over a three- year period. As the funding period ended, the Seymour Ambulance Service was able to raise its rates to participating towns, helping to make the program fully self-supporting. Because of this self-sufficiency mechanism, the Lower Naugatuck Valley Safe Communities Program provided the following activities:

  • Programs on bicycle safety, prom night mock crashes, and child safety seat seat clinics

  • Distribution of more than 10,000 back-to-school pedestrian and school bus safety flyers

  • Establishment of life jacket loaner stations along local rivers

  • CPR and first aid classes reaching more than 800 middle school students

  • A gunlock distribution program, and regional safety summit

  • Playground and school bus stop safety inspection programs initiated in response to community concerns

  • Establishment of a local chapter of the Connecticut Safe Kids Coalition


RESULTS
Since its creation in 1997, the Lower Naugatuck Valley Safe Communities Program has achieved impressive results:

  • Motor vehicle crash injury rates in New Haven County, which includes the six towns of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, decreased from 1,190 per 100,000 population in 1996, to 1,154 per 100,000 population in 1998

  • Seat belt use among area high school students has increased 42 percent

  • There have been no teen-related traffic crash fatalities in the six towns of the Lower Naugatuck Valley since 1997

  • The program has received several important awards for its community outreach efforts

 

FUNDING
 

Community:

$40,000

CONTACT  
 

Frank Mercucio, Director
Seymour Ambulance Association
P.O. Box 223
Seymour, CT 06483
(203) 888-8843




NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

WINTER 2001