Good health starts where you live.
Most injuries happen at home or in everyday community settings. Most are preventable.
Firearm injuries, suicide, overdose, and unintentional injuries affect Pierce County families every year. Simple steps like safe storage, secure medications, and knowing crisis resources can save lives.
Prevent injury from firearms.
More than 1 in 3 homes in Pierce County have firearms. And of those homes that have children in them, 41% don’t practice proper safe storage.
If you don’t store and handle your firearms properly, they can be very dangerous. Firearm violence claims the lives of nearly 7 children each day across the country.
You can prevent violence and injury:
- Store firearms unloaded and locked.
- Store ammunition separately.
- Use a lock box, gun safe, trigger lock, or cable lock.
- Secure firearms when children or guests are present.
Firearms in Pierce County
What the data tell us about firearms in our communities:
- 4,103: Average incidents of firearm theft reported to police each year, 2019–2024.
- 32: Average non-fatal injuries from firearms for every 100,000 residents each year, 2020–2024 (based on emergency department visits).
- 14: Average deaths from firearms for every 100,000 residents each year, 2020–2024 (based on emergency department visits).
Resources
- Firearm data dashboard.
- Choose Peace—Youth firearm prevention campaign and resources.
- What you need to know about youth suicide.
- HearMeWA—Anonymous youth-centered crisis program.
- School safety—Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Prevent suicide.
Suicide is a serious and preventable public health problem. It’s the tenth most common cause of death among adults, and the third most common for people 25–35 years old. We need your help to make a change. It comes through support networks, education, and improved crisis response.
- Preventing youth suicide—Videos, resources, and info from youth.gov.
- stopbullying.gov—Identify and prevent bullying or get help if you need it.
- Suicide prevention—Practical tips to prevent suicide and help those in crisis.
- Reporting on suicide—The way we talk about suicide matters. Learn best practices to ensure your messaging is sensitive and effective.
- Project Semicolon—Your story isn’t over. Get help if you are struggling with depression.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, get help now.
- Call or text 988.
- Text “Heal” to 741-741.
- What you need to know about youth suicide.
- HearMeWA—Anonymous youth-centered crisis program.
You can help prevent overdose.
Opioid misuse is an epidemic. You can help prevent the spread:
- Secure medicine return—Properly dispose of unused medications to prevent misuse or accidental poisoning.
- Stop opioid abuse—Find out what you can do.
- Avoid Overdose poster—Also available in Español (Spanish).
Naloxone is a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Police, paramedics, and firefighters use it on emergency calls. Family members and people who use opioids can also carry it to prevent overdose deaths:
Prevent injury from sharps and syringes.
Syringes are needles used to inject drugs and certain medications. They can cause injury and spread disease if improperly disposed of. Learn what to do if you find syringes or sharp objects and where you can dispose of or exchange used needles:
- How to dispose of needles.
- Also available in Español (Spanish), អក្សរខ្មែរ (Khmer), 한국어 (Korean), Русский (Russian), and Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese).
- Needle Exchange hours of operation.