In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General recognized firearm violence as a critical public health crisis in the United States. Nationwide, firearms have risen to become the number one cause of mortality among children. Data from the CCHSC revealed that between 2024 and 2026, the hospital encountered 121 unintentional firearm injuries, alongside five pediatric fatalities stemming directly from firearm trauma.

The forum focused on community-driven solutions. A recurring consensus emerged among the panelists: sustainable intervention requires bringing the youth into the conversation, acknowledging and resolving the compounding personal traumas they carry before those crises escalate into violence.

Panelist Rodney McIntosh, Pastor and Director of the non-profit organization Violence Intervention and Prevention Fort Worth (VIPFW), urged community members to actively integrate young people into the safety dialogue, equipping them with foundational tools in social-emotional learning and actionable conflict de-escalation tactics.

Daniel Guzman, M.D., an emergency room physician and program director for Cook Children’s Aim for Safety program, brought a frontline medical perspective, illustrating the realities of firearm accidents in the home and emphasizing that responsible storage and education can reduce injury.

The evening closed with a powerful challenge to the audience:

“We challenge you to do something,” said Eric Gonzalez, Program Manager for Injury Prevention at the Center for Community Health at Cook Children’s Health Care System. “Ask your community, schools, family: why wait to have a conversation when we can do this right now?”

Fort Worth leaders urge parents, educators, and neighbors to initiate open, judgment-free discussions about firearm safety within their homes and community. Keep guns secured. Protect your children. Lock up all firearms.

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Keeping Warm and Having Fun

“If you are going to be outside, dress appropriately,” said Sharon Evans, injury prevention manager at Cook Children’s Health Care System.

Experts advise caregivers to dress little ones in several thin layers to keep warm and dry. Children are at more risk from the cold because their bodies lose heat more quickly. Insulated boots, mittens or gloves, and a hat are recommended.

Make sure children change out of any wet clothes as soon as they come indoors.

“While playing in the snow or “sledding” be aware of your surroundings, be careful to not run into trees or out into the street and mailboxes can be real dangers,” said Evans.

Know the Signs of Hypothermia 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature, "is a dangerous condition that can occur when a person is exposed to extremely cold temperatures." This is a medical emergency, and treatment should be sought immediately. 

 Symptoms of hypothermia include: 

• Blue skin
• Shivering
• A cool chest and stomach are signs that children may be dangerously cold.
• If you see these symptoms, take action immediately to get kids out of the cold. Seek immediate medical attention if you are not able to warm the body.
• Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping in cold rooms. 

 Warning signs for infants include: 

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy 

 Warning signs for adults include: 

• Shivering, exhaustion
• Confusion, fumbling hands
• Memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness 

Coats & Car Seats

While keeping kids warm is a priority during the winter, it should never come at the expense of car seat safety.

“Stay home and inside if possible. If you must be on the roads make sure everyone is buckled up correctly,” said Evans.

Bulky coats, such as puffy jackets, can create extra space between the child and harness straps or seat belt, which can increase the risk of injury in a car crash.  It is recommended to dress in thin layers and use a blanket or put the coat on backwards after the child is buckled in. 

If caregivers decide to start the car to allow it to warm up prior to entering the vehicle, it is important to make sure the car is in a ventilated area, such as an open garage, and that they lock the vehicle when they are not inside.  This will make sure that a child does not enter the vehicle unsupervised and become trapped in the vehicle.

Evans adds families should have snacks, water, and extra blankets in their car in case you get stranded. 

“If you are stranded and waiting for help on the side of the road, please make sure everyone stays buckled up,” said Evans, “often cars may slide/spin near you and hit your car.”

In addition, just as local officials advise people to stay off the roadways, if possible, ice can make dangerous driving conditions for ATV’s, Golf Carts and Go Karts.

 Safe Sleep

With winter weather, keeping infants warm is a priority for caregivers, and it is essential to do so safely.

“Caregivers often use extra blankets and hats for warmth, but these soft items can easily become a suffocation or entanglement hazard,” said Samantha St. John, program coordinator at Cook Children’s Center for Community Health.

A safer alternative is a sleep sack, also called a wearable blanket. A sleep sack provides warmth and comfort without risk because it fits securely around the baby's upper body and is sized so the fabric cannot cover their face, while still allowing plenty of room at the bottom for comfort and movement.

St. John suggests a general rule to follow dress a baby in one more layer of clothing than an adult would find comfortable in the same environment.  In winter months this could mean baby is in a long sleep fleece onesie with a wearable blanket/sleep sack. When dressing baby for bedtime or nap time during the extremely cold temperatures, it may be necessary to add socks, mittens, or hats to baby. Caregivers want to make sure that these items cannot come off during sleep and become a loose item in the crib.  It is also important to make sure baby is not going to overheat.  Signs of overheating can include sweating, a hot chest, or flushed skin.  

 Remember the ABCs of Zzzs:

• Alone: The sleep space should be clear of any soft items, such as blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, and bumper pads, leaving only a mattress with a tight-fitted sheet.
• Back: Babies should always be placed flat on their back for every nap and every night.
• Crib: A crib, bassinet, or portable play yard with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet is the safest sleep surface. 

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The impact of the pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is significant, given the existing challenge of food insecurity in North Texas. A recent Cook Children’s Community Health Needs Assessment found that one in five children are food-insecure in the U.S., and Texas has the largest number of food-insecure children in the nation. The rate and number of children experiencing food insecurity are the highest it has been since 2014, with the largest one-year increase since 2008. The report also indicated that in Cook Children’s eight-county service area, 21% of children, about 236,400, live in a household that reported receiving food stamps or SNAP benefits in the past year.

“A child’s everyday behavior could be distracted by their hungry belly or stressed because they don’t know what they will be able to eat for dinner that night,” said Cabarcas.

Recognizing that health is all-encompassing, Cook Children’s Health Care System has actively worked to mitigate the impact of food insecurity before the government shutdown by piloting food distribution to eligible patient families, the Center for Community Health program families, and Health Plan members. 

“For the past three years, Cook Children’s has been building our response to food insecurity in general and has implemented many partnerships and new efforts to contribute to the cause,” said Courtney Barnard, director of community wellness for the Center for Community Health at Cook Children’s Health Care System.

Barnard shares essential information for families impacted by the pause and where they can access food assistance:

• Parent Pass app: Vetted resources for families
• Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) at https://tafb.org/find-food-main/
• North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) https://ntfb.org/food-assistance/find-a-food-pantry/
• Programs such as WIC and free and reduced lunch programs at schools are unaffected at this time. Eligible families should enroll.
• The TAFB is still helping people enroll in SNAP. Families should still apply and enroll, as benefits will be retroactive once the pause is lifted.
• TAFB is working to double food sourcing and distribution to meet the increased need.

“As physicians, we educate our patients about eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day as part of a healthy diet, but that goal is really difficult to attain when those fruits and vegetables cost much more than a bag of chips or a fast-food cheeseburger,” said Cabarcas. 

The system works alongside food pantries across its eight-county service area to provide additional food and education to families, train pantry staff and volunteers, and build capacity to serve more people. Cook Children’s collaborates with TAFB to support a new mobile market serving Denton, Wise, and Cooke counties. The system also formed partnerships with Texas Health Resources to support Good for You Healthy Hubs at the Eastside YMCA and Eugene McCray Community Center.

“Our patients’ families can struggle to pay for housing, utilities, childcare and healthcare, so adding the additional challenge of affording nutritious foods for their family causes psychological stress felt by all members of the household,” explained Cabarcas.  “I have noticed that as children mature, they sometimes disclose to me that they feel a burden of guilt due to their parents having difficulty paying for their basic needs.”

In August, the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail opened its doors, helping to fill critical community needs. West Aid Food Pantry, which has been a staple in Southwest Fort Worth for 40 years, is now located at the health center. This collaboration aims to end the area's status as a food and health care desert.

Cook Children’s Neighborhood Health Centers provide unique services in the community. Staff work with families to overcome barriers to future health care access and bridge the gap. Patients of the Neighborhood Health Centers have access to dieticians, referral coordinators, speech therapists, behavioral health therapists, community health workers, and even dental services.

“Food insecurity impacts children’s oral health because it often limits access to nutritious foods rich in calcium, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for healthy teeth and gums,” explains Ottis Goodwin, director of community oral health for Cook Children’s Health Care System. 

Cook Children’s Health Care System provides access to these services all within their medical home. These teams work seamlessly with the community and Cook Children’s partners to assess and address patient needs in a timely and holistic manner.

Cook Children's has more than 40 pediatric offices and neighborhood health centers in North Texas. To become a patient, learn more about our locations here. You can also find additional information on community resources on our page here.