Communications Resources + Best Practices

These resources provide information to help you present effective communication.

✅ Best Practices for Communicating About Firearm Injury and Death 

This document from VDH provides a reference guide for communicating about the difficult topic of firearm injury and death. It includes key messages, language guidance, and communications approaches.

🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Use this guide for best practices to follow when phrasing your communications efforts. 

Added: 04.12.24

Print Resources for Professional Printing

These resources are designed for commercial/professional printing. 

🖨️ "Three Virginians" Firearm Injury Prevention Poster

This 11x17 poster from VDH illustrates the statistic that three Virginians die by firearms every day. It also includes the text, "Firearm deaths are preventable." 

🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Post in offices or waiting rooms, or share with community partners.

Added: 04.16.24

🖨️ "6 in 10" Firearm Injury Prevention Poster

This 11x17 poster from VDH illustrates the statistic that 6 in 10 firearm deaths in Virginia are suicides. It also includes the text, "Firearm deaths are preventable."

🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Post in offices or waiting rooms, or share with community partners. 

Added: 04.16.24

Print Resources for Office Printers

These resources can be printed in color or black and white.

🖨️ "6 in 10" Firearm Injury Prevention Poster

This 8.5x11 poster from VDH illustrates the statistic that 6 in 10 firearm deaths in Virginia are suicides. It also includes the text, "Firearm deaths are preventable."

🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Print + post in offices or waiting rooms, or share with community partners.

Added: 04.16.24

🖨️ "Every Week" Firearm Injury Prevention Poster

This 8.5x11 poster from VDH illustrates the statistic that 13 Virginians die by firearm suicide and 8 Virginians die by firearm homicide every week. It also includes the text, "Firearm deaths are preventable." 

🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Print + post in offices or waiting rooms, or share with community partners.

Added: 04.16.24

🖨️ "Three Virginians" Firearm Injury Prevention Poster

This 8.5x11 poster from VDH illustrates the statistic that 13 Virginians die by firearm suicide and 8 Virginians die by firearm homicide every week. It also includes the text, "Firearm deaths are preventable." 

🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Print + post in offices or waiting rooms, or share with community partners.

Added: 04.16.24

Web Resources + Dashboards

Use these resources to gather data and inform your outreach and communications.

💻 VDH Firearm Related Injury Prevention

This resource from VDH includes firearm safety tips, information for parents and caregivers, and links to initiatives and partnerships.

 🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Use this information to guide your outreach and media communications.

Added: 04.12.24

💻 VDH Firearm Injury in Virginia 

VDH monitors firearm injuries from three data sources: emergency department visits, inpatient hospitalizations, and deaths. 

This resource from VDH provides links to data sources, dashboards, and "fast facts" about firearm injury specific to Virginia. 

 🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Use this information to guide your outreach and media communications or share with community partners, healthcare providers + others working to prevent firearm-related deaths.

Added: 04.12.24

💻 CDC Fast Facts: Firearm Violence + Injury Prevention

This resource from CDC provides information about firearm injury including definitions, statistics, prevention, and other resources.

This page also includes links to information about how to properly store a firearm, suicide resources, and surveillance systems.

 🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Use this information to guide your outreach and media communications.

Added: 04.12.24

💻 CDC Firearm Violence Prevention

This resource from CDC provides information about CDC’s approach to prevent firearm injuries, plus data on national firearm homicide and suicide trends. 

The goal of this site is to help address the gaps in knowledge about firearm violence by providing data, conducting research, and promoting collaboration across multiple sectors. 

 🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Use this information to guide your outreach and media communications.

Added: 04.12.24

💻 VDH Firearm-Related Deaths Dashboard 

VDH tracks all types of firearm-related deaths. These include suicides, homicides, unintentional deaths, those related to legal intervention or war, or deaths with undetermined intent. 

This dashboard from VDH shows firearm-related death information by age group, race/ethnicity, sex, health district, and intent of injury. Data on this dashboard are from death certificates of Virginia residents only, including those who died out of state. 

 🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Use this information to guide your outreach and media communications or share with community partners, healthcare providers + others working to prevent firearm-related deaths.

Added: 04.12.24

💻 VDH ED Visits Dashboard 

VDH tracks emergency department (ED) visits for all types of firearm injuries. These can include self-harm, assault, or unintentional. 

This dashboard from VDH shows firearm injury visits among residents and out of state visitors to Virginia emergency departments. This dashboard is updated by the 15th of each month. 

 🎙️ Available in English

📌 This can be found in Firearm Injury Prevention

💡 Use this information to guide your outreach and media communications or share with community partners, healthcare providers + others working to prevent firearm-related deaths.

Added: 04.12.24