Committed to Ending Gun Violence, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Joined Grassroots Organizations in this Year’s Pomona Peace Walk

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC) was proud to participate in the second annual Pomona Peace Walk to put an end to gun violence in our community. Thank you to House of Ruth and the Pomona Office of Violence Prevention for bringing our organizations together to improve public safety.

The event started with a speaker program that included our Medical Director of Trauma Services Dr. Michael Jimenez, who shared about the negative impact that gun violence has on families, our communities and healthcare workers. Event participants then walked 1.2 miles in solidarity through the community, starting at PVHMC and concluding at House of Ruth.

"I commend the grassroot organizations that really want to make an impact in this community and to bring the awareness that guns kill people,” said Dr. Jimenez. “We have over 200 a year by suicide, over 500 deaths by a single gunshot wound. Here at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, we see a lot of gun violence victims, and I think that if we united, we can definitely stop it and make an impact."

In its commitment to a safer community and through a partnership with the Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention, PVHMC offers free cable gun locks that are available in the emergency department 24/7 with no questions asked. To learn more about the free steel cable gun locks that you can access for free at PVHMC, visit here.

Proper handgun safety can play a crucial role in preventing gun violence.The American Hospital Association says the source of firearms for most children who end up with them are friends and relatives. Keeping firearms locked could go a long way in preventing accidents.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, a child is injured or killed from gun violence every 30 hours in L.A. County.

“If you have a firearm in the home, it’s imperative that you take every step possible to secure it and prevent a tragic accident,” said Dr. Jimenez

Additionally, PVHMC offers lifesaving free “Stop the Bleed” classes that train community members to treat injuries like gunshot wounds quickly while waiting for first responders to arrive. To learn more about this program, visit here.