[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5689]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         IN RECOGNITION OF JUNE, 2002 AS NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH

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                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 24, 2002

  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my 
colleagues to recognize June, 2002, as National Safety Month in an 
effort to promote awareness and education in safety matters not only in 
Western and Central Massachusetts, but across the entire United States 
of America.
  The National Safety Council, founded in 1913 and chartered by 
Congress in 1953, designated June as National Safety Month in the hopes 
that if Americans spend a month practicing safety, the increased 
attention will continue throughout the year and decrease the number of 
unintentional injuries and deaths.
  In 2000, over 97,000 people suffered unintentional-injury deaths. 
Motor vehicle crashes alone accounted for 43,000 deaths, while another 
51,500 people died in the home or community. Unintentional injuries are 
the fifth leading cause of death in America, and the leading cause of 
death for Americans under 45. Yet even with improvements in safety and 
technology that have created a safer environment for Americans, the 
unintentional-injury death toll remains unacceptably high.
  The Safety Council of Western Massachusetts, under the direction of 
Jeanette P. Jez, has endeavored to train people in the prevention of 
accidents, as well as the formulation and application of safety and 
health policies, since its inception in 1917. Celebrating their 85th 
anniversary this year, they identified six focus areas for the coming 
year: Driving Safety, Home, Community and Environmental Safety, 
Emergency Preparedness, and Workplace Safety. We can all agree that 
these important concerns should be a priority in our day-to-day lives.
  With the summer season approaching, a time when unintentional-injury 
deaths traditionally increase, American citizens deserve a solution to 
nationwide safety and health threats. Mr. Speaker, in this 7th year of 
National Safety Month, let us build on the efforts of the past six 
years. Let us devote our time and energy to preventing unnecessary 
accidents and deaths. And let us help Americans build and nurture an 
environment that values safety above all else.

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