Each May, we recognize two important observances that highlight how our community can stay safe, prepared, and supported: Trauma Injury Prevention Month and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. When woven together, these observances remind us that preventing injuries and ensuring rapid, skilled emergency response are essential parts of a healthy community.
Trauma remains a leading cause of death and disability across all ages. Many injuries, whether from falls, motor vehicle collisions, pedestrian incidents, or everyday activities, are preventable. Trauma Injury Prevention Month encourages each of us to take simple, practical steps that reduce risk and promote safety in our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods.
This year, one area drawing increasing attention is the rise in injuries related to bicycles, scooters, and e-mobility devices - including e-bikes. As more children, teens, and adults turn to e-bikes and e-scooters for recreation and transportation, emergency departments and EMS teams are seeing more crashes involving excessive speed, lack of appropriate helmet use, and limited rider experience. Practicing safe riding habits makes a meaningful difference. Riders should always wear a properly fitted helmet, follow traffic laws, stay alert to cars and pedestrians, and choose speeds appropriate for their environment. Parents and caregivers can help by ensuring young riders understand how to operate e-bikes safely and by choosing models appropriate for their age and skill level.
At the same time, EMS Week honors the dedicated professionals who respond when emergencies happen. Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), dispatchers, and first responders work around the clock to deliver life-saving care, often within minutes. Their readiness and expertise form a critical safety net when prevention is not enough. Together, prevention and emergency response strengthen the resilience of our entire community.
This month is a good time to reflect on what we can do individually and collectively to reduce preventable injuries and support the emergency responders who serve us. A few simple habits make a meaningful difference:
- Stay attentive on the road. Avoid distractions, wear seat belts, and follow posted speeds.
- Prevent falls at home. Remove tripping hazards, improve lighting, and install handrails if needed.
- Practice safe storage. Keep medications, chemicals, and sharp objects securely out of reach of children.
- Ride bikes, e-bikes, and scooters safely. Wear a helmet, obey traffic laws, and keep speeds appropriate for the setting.
- Be prepared. Learn basic first aid and CPR, know how to call 9‑1‑1 effectively, and keep emergency contacts readily available.
Supporting EMS professionals also strengthens community health. You can:
Learn about local EMS resources and share them with family, friends, and neighbors.
- Participate in community CPR or Stop the Bleed trainings.
- Make 9‑1‑1 calls efficiently by staying calm, answering questions clearly, and providing your exact location.
By combining prevention with readiness, we create safer environments and ensure that help is available when it is needed most. Prevention reduces the number of emergencies; EMS ensures rapid care when prevention falls short. Together, these efforts form a powerful partnership that protects health and saves lives.
As we honor Trauma Injury Prevention Month and EMS Week, let’s recognize the role we each play. Small actions - buckling a seatbelt, securing a ladder, riding bikes, scooters, and e-bikes responsibly, or learning a lifesaving skill can prevent injuries and support the dedicated professionals who respond when seconds matter.
Together, we can build a safer, stronger, and healthier Orange County.
Resources:
Orange County All Injury Dashboard
California Poison Control - Household Hazards
California Highway Patrol - Bike and Pedestrian Safety
OCTA - E-bike Riders and Safety
American Heart Association - CPR & First Aid
About Dr. Almaas Shaikh
Almaas Shaikh, MD, MPH, FACS is a distinguished trauma and critical care surgeon who serves as the Interim EMS Medical Director and Deputy Public Health Officer for the OC Health Care Agency. In her EMS leadership role, Dr. Shaikh oversees system-wide clinical operations, protocol development, and quality improvement initiatives that strengthen emergency medical services across Orange County. She brings frontline expertise to regional coordination efforts, ensuring that prehospital providers deliver timely, evidence‑based care in critical situations. Her broader public health leadership reflects a strong commitment to health equity, community resilience, and evidence‑based emergency preparedness. She is dedicated to bridging clinical excellence with population‑level strategies so that diverse and vulnerable communities receive effective, culturally responsive care throughout the continuum of emergency response.