Department of Public Health Sciences
Division of Social Medicine

Issue 52

Safe Community Monthly News

November 2011

In this issue
SafeCommunities,NewZealand1

SafeCommunities,Sweden

2

SafeCommunities,NewZealand3

SafeCommunities,Japan

3

ForthcomingConferences4

CallforConference

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DearColleagues,We are proud to introduce you the abstract book of 20th International Safe
CommunityConference.
Newsandreportsofthisissueareappendedbelow.Sameissueisalsoavail
ableatourWHOCollaboratingCentreonCommunitySafetyPromotionweb
site:http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/who_newsletters_en.htm
Withwarmregards
LeifSvanström,ResponsibleEditor
KoustuvDalal,Editor

Whangarei, New Zealand, New Safe Community
InMarch2006,WhangareibecameISC#98andthe4thTerritorialLocalAuthority(TLA)inNewZealandtoreceivethisinternationalrecognition.Therearenow255designatedcommunitiesgloballyand20inNewZea
land.
AswasevidentfromtheapplicationandvisitstoWhangareioverthepastfiveyears,theSaferWhangareiNet
work(SWN)hasdrawntogetherarangeoforganisationsandindividualswithaninterestinsafetyenhance
mentinapartnershipapproach.Thecoalitiongrouphasbeeninoperationfornearlyadecadeandmanyare
original members ofeither theCommunity Injury Prevention or Safer Community earlier projects.TheSWN
hasalsobenefitedinrecenttimesbycloserinvolvementfromCouncilandmembersoftheNorthlandIntersec
toralForum.
AstheCEOfortheWhangareiDistrict,MarkSimpson,statedintheapplication:“Now,morethanever,agencies
havetoworkcollaborativelyandourworkingrelationshipswithbothACCandtheNorthlandDistrictHealthBoardare
vitaltocoordinatingtheSaferWhangareiNetwork.”
Key achievements in the Whangarei District sinceaccreditationhavebeen:
Reductionofroadfatalitiesintheregion.
Increaseinawarenessofpreventionofinjury.
Increaseinnumberofagencies/organisationworking
togetherincommunitysafety.
Increaseinqualityofinterventions.
Increaseininnovativeprojects/programmesaiming
atreducinginjuriesinthecommunity.
IncreasedperceptionsinsafetyintheCBD.
SignificantreductionsinfirefatalityandfiredamageinresidentialpropertiesasaresultoftheTeKotahitangaProject.
SaferWhangareicelebratedtheachievementataredesignationceremonyon10October,2011.
FurtherinformationcanbefoundbyvisitingtheSafeCommunitiesFoundationNZwebsite
http://www.safecommunities.org.nz/sc
Reporter:TaniaPeters,NewZealand
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A Safe Community – for the future
September17,2011wasinmanywaysanhistoricdayforTjörnMunicipality,locatedonSweden’swesterncoast.ThatwasthedaythatTjörn,aftermanyyearsofpreparationandplanningwasinauguratedasoneofthenewestdesignatedSafeCommunities.Theentireprocessleadingtonetworkmembershipwasbasedonasingleobjective,tohelpTjörnbecomeevensafer.The
inaugurationceremonywascomplicated,inthatatthesametime,andthroughoutthatweekend,themunicipalitywasalsoaf
fectedbyanoilspillinthewaterssurroundingitscoast.TjörnMunicipalityislocatedonanumberofislandsonSweden’sWestCoast,nearGothenburgCity.Themunicipalityhasapopulationof14975,whichisspreadthroughoutthemainislandand
smallerneighbouringislands.Fishingisoneimportantbranchofindustryonthemainisland,whichfeaturesaharbourasits
mainfocalpoint.PaterNoster,awellknownlighthouse,isvisibleinthedistance,andwasanimportantsafetyfeatureforpeo
plesailinginandoutoftheport.
TheoilspillwastheworstthathasaffectedSwedeninthepast30years,withmorethan822tonsofoilthathavebeenrecoveredfromthewatersofar.ThecrisesresponsehasinvolvedmostoftheorganisationsarepartTjörn’sSafeCommunitynetwork.
TheongoingcooperationthatwasestablishedbytheSafeCommunitiesnetworkinTjörnhasbeenafactorinthesuccessoftheoilrecoveryefforts.ThepreparationsrequiredtoestablishTjörnasaSafeCommunityledtothedevelopmentofmoreeffective
communicationroutinesbetweenagenciesandexternalpartners,whichmeantthatoilrecoveryeffortscouldbemoreeffective.
Tjörn’scityplanandassociatedbudgetfor2012haveasamaingoal,toreduceinjurieswithinthemunicipalityby50%,by2015.
Theworkthatthemunicipalityundertookasitappliedfordesignationhasbecomeapatternforsuccess,asgroupsworkto
gethertomakethisgoalareality.Aspartofitsgoaltoreduceinjuriesbyhalf,localgovernmenthasdecidedtoprioritizeissues
involvingyouth,ages024,andtodevelopanofficialpolicyforthisagegroup.
LessonslearnedfromthedevelopmentandimplementationoftheSafeCommunitiesmodelinTjörnaremany,butit’simportanttorememberthatforsuccessinthefuture,concreteresourcesareneededbothatthestructurallevel,withsupportforinjury
preventionworkfromlocalgovernments,andalsofinancialsupport.SincetheirdesignationasaSafeCommunity,Tjörn’shasworkedtoi)updatetheactionplanthataddressesmunicipalresponsibilitiesrelatedtoriskanalysisandsecurityforvulnerablegroups;ii)Installedanelectricheartstarterforcommunityuse;iii)Proposedanewpolicyrelatedtoparentalsupportforatrisk
groupsintheMunicipalityandiv)ParticipatedintheregionalnetworkforSwedishSafeCommunities.
“OurambitionistohelpcreateacommunitythatisoneofthesafestinSweden,”saidmunicipality’sexecutivecommitteechair,
MartinJohansen.Thefocusonsafetyissuesandtheongoingandstrongcooperationbetweenlocalgovernmentandrescueser
vicesasleadersforsafetypartnershipsisanindicatorthatTjörn’sambitionisonitswaytobeingfulfilled.Åstol–asmallislandÅstolisasmallislandwithapopulationof214,locatedwithintheMunicipalityofTjörn,oneofthenewestmembersoftheSafe
Communitiesnetwork.Theislandcanonlybereachedbyridingaferryortravellinginprivateboats,andonceyou’reonÅstol,thenormalmeansoftransportationareeitherfeetorbicycles.OlleMyrberg,whoservesasavolunteerleaderinthecommunity
forsafetyissues,saysthatforthemostpart,lifeonÅstolisfairlycalm.However,injuriesandhealthemergenciesdooccur,par
ticularlyinthesummertime,whenthedaypopulationontheislandcanincludemorethanathousandtourists.Thereareliited
healthcareservicesonÅstolifrescueservicesarerequired,Olleandothervolunteerscanprovidesupportuntilarescueheli
copterorferryarrives.However,gettingpeopletothehelicopterlandingpadordockcanbeaproblemtheisland’sroadand
trailsystemistoosmalltoallowforambulances.OlleMyrberg’sresponsewastoconstructanemergency
TransportAmbulanceTrailer,whichcanbeattachedtoanallterrainvehicle.Thetrailerfeaturesatransportgurney,emergency
medicalsupplies,andevenanemergencybutton,whichcanbeusedbyvolunteerresponderswhoareridinginbackwiththe
patient,toalertthedriverifastopisneeded.Olledrewuptheplansforthetrailerhimself,andconstructeditinhisfreetime.
OlleisquitewillingtosharedesigndetailswithotherSafeCommunitiesmembersandvolunteerorganisationsworkinginareas
where‘regular’ambulancetransportisunavailable.Pleasecontactviaemailhere.
Reporter:JohanSjöholm,Sweden.Photo:RobertEkman,Sweden2

Nelson/Tasman, New ZealandInternational Safe Communities Designation #250
Safe at the Top is a collaborative community effort to improve safety,
whichhasthesupportofboththeNelsonCityCouncilandTasmanDis
trict Council.  Nelson City and Tasman District are two neighbouring
Territorial Local Authorities situated at the top of the South Island in
NewZealand.
AccreditedexaminersfromSafeCommunitiesFoundationNewZealand
(SCFNZ)conductedanofficialsitevisiton12July2011toassessthere
gion’scommunitysafetyeffortsagainstcriteriadevelopedbytheWorld
Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Pro
motion.
The visiting assessors were welcomed at Whakatu Marae, then intro
duced to family violence and alcoholrelated harm prevention programmes by local police. Next,  they visited the Multicultural ResourceCentre in Nelson, before heading to Saxton Field. The visit concluded
withsessionsatFultonHogan,toseeworkplacesafetyprojects,andSun
dialSquareinRichmond,toviewhowtheSquarehasbeendesignedto
detercrime.
BarbaraGraves(coordinator)statedthat:“‘SafeattheTop’hasthevisionof“OurCommunityleadingthewaytoSafety”andissupportedbyover80com
munity organisations, including the Police, ACC, Tasman District Council,
NelsonCityCouncil,NelsonMarlboroughDistrictHealthBoard,theMinistry
ofSocialDevelopment,NelsonBaysCommunityLaw,arepresentativeoflocalIwiandFultonHogan.”
MarkPrestonThomasfromACCstatedthat“AgenciesworkingtogetherintheregionasanInternationalSafeCommunity
willresultinlessinjuries,andreducedACCclaims”.
NelsonandTasmancelebratedtheachievementatadesignationceremonyon30August.Thedesignationceremony
wasawonderfulcelebrationofcommunitysafety.
FurtherinformationcanbefoundbyvisitingtheSafeCommunitiesFoundationNZwebsiteReporter:TaniaPeters,NewZealand
http://www.safecommunities.org.nz/sc/neltasKurume City, Japan has started Safe Community Movement
On1stJuly,ToshinoriNaraharaMayorofKurumeCitydeclaredthat
KurumeCitystartSafeCommunityMovementwithcitizentopromote
developingthecitywhicheverypeoplecanlivesafe.
KurumeCityislocatedintheWestSouthofFukuokaPrefectureintheNorthofKyushuIsland.TheCityhasbeautifulnaturesurroundedby
ChikugoRive,thebiggestriverintheislandandMinoMountainsinthesizeof229.84squarekilometers.
BeinginthecenteroftheChikugoRegion,thecityhasbeenaroleastransportationhubofKyushuIslandforlong.Withthebackgroundofbeingassignedasoneofthefirst30citiesin1889andseveraltimesof
mergingwithsurroundingmunicipalities,thecitynowhasbecomea
bigcitywithabout305,000inhabitants.
Sincethecitysetup“feelingofsafe”asoneofprioritiesinthepolicies,variouseffortshavebeenmadetomakethecityaplacewhereallresidentscanlivesafewithfeelingofit.Andtoachievethegoal,notonlythecitygovernmentbutalsocommunitiesareworkingonitthroughvariousactivitiessuchasSafeWatchforChildren,Patrolfornaturaldisasterprevention.
Kurumewillbegoingtomaketheseactivitiesmoreeffectivethroughtheevaluationfrominjurydata.Andtheywill
bewakingforthedesignationasSafeCommunityin2013incollaborationwithPoliceStation,FireStation,andother
organization.ItwillbethefirstSafeCommunityinKyusyuIsland.Reporter:NaoyaHatta,Japan
3Forthcoming Safety and Injury Conferences
2011
RegionalSafeCommunityConferenceCanadianInjuryPreventionandSafetyPromotionConferenceBeVisible,connectingEvidencetoActioninInjury,ViolenceandSuicidePrevention
16–18November,2011,Vancouver,Canada.
http://www.injurypreventionconference.ca/http://www.conferencesurlapreventiondesblessures.ca/
Contact:RodKellyrkelly@safecommunities.ca
2012
RegionalSafeCommunityConferences
The3rdEuropeanRegionalConferenceonSafeCommunities
ThefutureroleoftheFireandRescueServiceinthesustainabilityofSafeCommunitiesinEurope45June2012,Falköping,Sweden.
Contact:TittiWalterumtitti.walterum@falkoping.se
2da.ConferenciaRegionaldeComunidadesSegurasparalasAméricasComunidadesSegurasyRiesgoClimático:RetosyPropuestas
2628September2012,SanBorja–Perú6thAsianRegionalConferenceonSafeCommunities
Let´sBuildCommunity´sCapacityforSafetyineverydayanddisasters
2830November2012,ToshimainMetropolitanTokyo,Japan
30November2DecemberTravellingSeminarTravellingSeminar:MinowaandKomoroinNaganoPrefecture,Japan
http://www.arcsc2012.com/
Contact:NaoyaHATTAinfo@arcsc2012.comWorldConferencesforInjuryPreventionandSafetyPromotion
11thWorldConferenceonInjuryPreventionandSafetyPromotion
Connectingpathwaysforavibrantandsaferfuture
15October2012
Wellington,NewZealand
September2011:Callforabstracts&scholarshipapplicationsubmissionsopen
February2012:Onlineregistrationsopen
March2012:Callforabstracts&scholarshipapplicationsubmissionscloseAugust2012:Earlybirdregistrationcloses
Flyer:www.phs.ki.se/csp/pdf/flyer/safety2012_wellington.pdf
Forfurtherinformationvisitwww.safety2012.org.nz
Contact:info@safety2012.org.nz
2013
InternationalSafeCommunityConference
Hostingtheconference:Openforapplicationuntil1stofJanuary2012
Weareverykeenonoffersofscholarships!
1.Guidelines:http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/pdf/Conferences/guidelines_hosting_conferences_safe_comm_oct_2009.pdf
2.Applicationform:http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/pdf/guidelines/form_for_conference_09.pdf
2014
RegionalSafeCommunityConferences
4thEuropeanRegionalConferenceonSafeCommunities
May2014
Harstad,Norway
Contact:boergey@online.nohelge.eriksen@harstad.kommune.noWHOCollaboratingCentreonCommunitySafetyPromotion
KarolinskaInstitutet
DepartmentofPublicHealthSciences
DivisionofSocialMedicine
Norrbacka2ndFloor,SE17176,Stockholm,Sweden.
Communication:KoustuvDalal,PhD.Editor(Email:koustuv.dalal@liu.se)



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