GUN VIOLENCE IS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS

The Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry joined representatives from across DuPage County participating in NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health’s inaugural Community Gun Violence Prevention Coalition meeting at the E-EH Corporate Center in Warrenville on November 30.

Guns have surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death among children and teens across the United States and in Illinois, and an estimated 4.6 million live with unlocked, loaded guns in their residence. In Illinois homicides account for 61 percent of gun deaths and suicides total 36 percent. Many more survived gun-related attempted homicides and suicides.

In response to the crisis, the healthcare system has united with Northwell Health and thousands of hospitals, health systems, the American Hospital Association, the Children’s Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States in promoting an “It Doesn’t Kill to Ask” campaign to encourage parents, grandparents and caregivers to ask if there is an unlocked gun before dropping a child at someone else’s home.

Moderated by retiring NorthShore – E-EH South Region CEO Mary Lou Mastro, the two-hour meeting featured presentations by Chief Strategy Officer Annette Kenney, Linden Oaks Behavioral Health President Gine Sharp and Community and Government Relation Manager Colin Dalough, who also serves on ECCI’s Board of Directors as Second Vice Chair. Also speaking were DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and Elmhurst Police Chief McLean, whose Project Child Safe program offering free gun locks to residents with firearms.

State’s Attorney Berlin reported that DuPage County accounted for 62 percent of the state’s Firearm Restraining Orders (FRO), which he called an “incredible tool.”

Chief McLean reported that in 2022 Elmhurst police personally visited 35 residents whose Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card were revoked by the Illinois State Police to assure that those firearms were either surrendered or properly transferred to a valid FOID card holder.