SAFE – Scrubs Addressing The Firearm Epidemic

Officers

President Rachel Rothman
Treasurer Leah Kunins
Faculty Advisor Dr. Melanie Hagen

Welcome to the SAFE!

SAFE is naming gun violence for what it is – a health threat of epidemic proportion – in order to rally the medical community to fight for the interests of our patients. It is time for us to bring the same urgency and dedication to the task of eliminating gun violence as we have to exposing other health risks, such as cigarette smoking. Gun violence threatens personal and public health. Through research, education, and support of evidence-backed policy, we can determine how best to arm our patients with facts and information that allow them to make the most informed decisions surrounding firearms.

Why is Gun Violence a Public Health Epidemic?

Every day, 47 children and teens are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention.

Every day, 8 children and teens die from gun violence:

  • 4 are murdered
  • 3 die from suicide
  • 1 killed unintentionally

Every day, 39 children and teens are shot and survive:

  • 31 injured in an attack
  • 1 survives a suicide attempt
  • 7 shot unintentionally

Every day, 342 people in America are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention.

Every day, 96 people die from gun violence:

  • 34 are murdered
  • 59 die from suicide
  • 1 killed unintentionally
  • 1 killed by legal intervention
  • 1 died but was intent unknown

Every day, 246 people are shot and survive:

  • 183 injured in an attack
  • 11 survive a suicide attempt
  • 49 shot unintentionally
  • 4 are shot in a legal intervention

As physicians, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves and our patients on the risks of gun ownership, and ways to prevent gun violence, accidents, and injuries.