Insights

Whether through accidental discharges, domestic violence incidents, or intentional acts of aggression, firearms are responsible for a significant number of severe injuries. These injuries often require complex medical interventions, including surgeries, blood transfusions, and intensive care. Fortunately, many of these firearm-related injuries are preventable with proper gun safety education and precautions.

Trauma Outreach & Firearm Injury Prevention Programs

Each day, UC Health’s Level I Trauma Center, the region’s highest level of trauma care, provides complex care for patients who have suffered life-threatening injuries, including those caused by gun-related incidents. Our specialists are experts in managing gunshot wounds and are acutely aware of the toll that gun violence takes on individuals, families, and society. In addition to the physical injuries, the emotional and psychological aftermath can be devastating. Survivors may face long-term rehabilitation, chronic pain, and the trauma of a life-altering event.

While our team is dedicated to providing the highest level of care for victims of trauma, we also recognize the importance of prevention.

The Trauma Outreach and Injury Prevention Program

As a proactive approach to injury prevention, including gun violence, the Trauma Outreach and Injury Prevention Program at UC Health plays a key role in extending our center’s impact beyond the hospital setting and into the community.

This comprehensive program educates the public about safety measures, risk factors, and preventive actions that can reduce the likelihood of injury. Focusing on vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and high-risk groups, we offer resources and awareness campaigns that range from firearm safety to Stop the Bleed training to Fall Prevention in older adults. Through partnerships with schools, community centers, and local organizations, our program conducts outreach efforts designed to raise awareness and provide hands-on tools to prevent injuries.

For a Level I Trauma Center, offering a robust Trauma Outreach and Injury Prevention Program is more than just a community service—it is an essential part of the mission to not only treat injuries but to prevent them before they happen. In doing so, it bridges the gap between healthcare and community wellness, making a significant impact on the overall health and safety of the population we serve.

Free Gun Lock Program & Firearm Safety Resources

To help prevent firearm accidents and promote responsible firearm ownership, our Trauma Department is partnering with our Public Safety Department and The American Legion Department of Ohio to distribute free gun locks and gun safety resources to anyone in the community. This newly launched, free gun lock program provides a cable-style gun lock to anyone in the community, no questions asked, empowering gun owners to practice safe firearm storage and protect their families.

Cable-style Gun Locks: A Simple Firearm Safety Solution

The cable-style gun lock includes an armored steel cable secured to a keyed padlock. When properly installed, it ensures the firearm is unloaded and prevents the action from closing, making it an effective gun locking device for preventing unauthorized access and unintentional shootings. The cable-style lock supplied should be used in addition to, and not as a substitute for, safe firearms handling and

storage methods. As a firearms owner, it is your responsibility to know how to safely handle and securely store your firearms.

Safe Gun Storage & Responsible Firearm Ownership

Gun owners can enhance firearm safety and reduce risks by practicing secure firearm storage—keeping guns unloaded, locked, and stored separately from ammunition. Using gun safes, cable locks, or trigger locks prevents unauthorized access and reduces the chance of unintentional shootings or theft.

Safe gun storage is key to firearm safety. By locking firearms unloaded and storing ammunition separately, gun owners can protect their families and communities. Unsecured firearms increase the risk of theft, unintentional shootings, and unauthorized individuals. Tools like cable locks, gun safes, and trigger locks offer effective, low-cost options for responsible firearm ownership.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concludes that the absence of guns in homes is the most reliable and effective measure to prevent suicide, homicide, and unintentional firearm-related injuries to children and adolescents. But if there are guns in the home, AAP notes that storing guns unloaded and locked, with ammunition kept in a separate place, can mitigate the risk of child firearm injury.

Protect your loved ones and promote community safety.

Visit UC Health’s UC Medical Center security desk today to receive your free gun lock and firearm safety resources—no questions asked. Every secured firearm is a step closer to preventing injury and saving lives.