What is the SAFEWatch Houston dashboard?

SAFEWatch Houston is a new public dashboard launched by the Houston Health Department to track firearm-related injuries and deaths across the city.

How many firearm injuries has Houston recorded?

Since 2019, the dashboard shows 18,349 firearm-related emergency room visits in Houston, including 286 children under 10.

Who spearheaded the Houston gun violence tracker?

Councilwoman Abbie Kamin spearheaded the project to create the SAFEWatch Houston dashboard.

Home / Health / Houston Launches Real-Time Gun Violence Tracker

Houston Launches Real-Time Gun Violence Tracker

3 Dec

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Summary

Houston now tracks firearm injuries with a new public dashboard.
Over 18,000 ER visits for firearm injuries recorded since 2019.
454 gun-related deaths, including 261 homicides, logged this year.

Houston Launches Real-Time Gun Violence Tracker

Houston has introduced SAFEWatch Houston, a pioneering dashboard providing real-time tracking of firearm-related injuries within the city. This initiative, championed by Councilwoman Abbie Kamin, aggregates data from three Level I trauma centers to offer unprecedented public insight into gun violence.

The dashboard has already documented 18,349 emergency room visits for firearm injuries since 2019, including 286 children under 10. From January 1 to September 30 of this year, 454 gun-related deaths were recorded, with 261 classified as homicides. This data aims to guide targeted community safety strategies.

Councilwoman Kamin emphasized that the dashboard's $300,000 cost was primarily for its creation, with some funds from her office's budget. While campaign funds covered public relations efforts for the launch, she stated that public dollars were strictly dedicated to the dashboard's development. The dashboard will be updated quarterly.