I do love a good interactive map and the Centers for Disease Control recently launched a new service on it's website that highlights access to Level 1 or Level 2 trauma centers so users can see what emergency services are closest to them. They mark the location and highlight in purple a 60 minute radius surrounding the facility. Unfortunately Louisiana only seems to have 1 and it's in Shreveport. Arkansas didn't have any, Texas had a ton, and even our neighbors to the east in Mississippi have 9. According to the CDC website a trauma center is a type of hospital that has resources and equipment needed to help care for severely injured patients, and it's important to be close to one because if you’ve experienced a mild or moderate injury, the thousands of emergency rooms across the nation are ready with basic emergency services to help you. But, if you are severely injured, having fast access to specialized resources and equipment is critical. Research supported by CDC shows that getting care at a Level I trauma center within one hour of a severe injury can decrease the risk of death by a 25%.
The good news is the CDC is trying to raise awareness of the need for trauma centers....so maybe someone could mention this map to Mayor Durel during one of his listening tour stops.
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