On Saturday Lycoming County joined an elite group of the world's communities when it officially was designated a World Health Organization Safe Community during a formal ceremony held on the north porch of the historic Park Place building on West Fourth Street.
During that ceremony, the county commissioners joined Paul Kells, founder of Safe Communities Canada, and others to sign documents that make the county's designation official.
It makes the county only the 201st in the world, 10th in the nation and first in the state to receive the designation.
Although the county almost routinely receives recognition on the state and national level, the Safe Community designation places it in a new realm altogether, said state Sen. Eugene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township.
"People may not realize how far ahead of the curve Lycoming County is in so many ways," Yaw said. "(Awards) become commonplace, but (the county) is branching out into world recognition now."
"Being in the lead of everything is really something to be proud of," he said.
The designation was bestowed through the efforts of the Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition and county initiatives created to improve the health and safety of local residents.
The coalition was founded 15 years ago with the goal of identifying local needs in health and safety and finding and implementing solutions to those needs, said coalition president John Comerford.
County District Attorney Eric Lindhart called the designation "a pinnacle of success" for the coalition.
The designation not only proves coalition initiatives are working but provides the organization with fuel for greater success, said coalition Executive Director Tana DeWire.
"This designation is the culmination of 15 years of collaboration building around the areas of injury prevention and safety," DeWire said. "This ... directs our focus to doing more awesome, over-the-top things in the safety realm."
Comerford agreed.
"I look at it as a springboard for doing even more," he said.
The road to receiving the designation was a long one, said Karen L. Frock, of Creekside Creative Media, the company that developed the application.
About 300 hours of work went into developing a more than 80-page application that highlighted initiatives created to reduce injuries and improve the health of county residents and detailed how those initiatives have impacted local citizens, Frock said.
Frock said the criteria for receiving the designation was stringent. The state Department of Health provided assistance in developing the application, she said. The National Safety Council "mentored us through the process," she said.
Certifying inspectors spent nearly two days in the county reviewing county safety measures, she said.
"It was one of those things where no one realized how involved it was and how much information was needed," said Chris Smith, who runs the county's highway safety program.
Smith said developing the application revealed how far-reaching health and safety initiatives are in the county.
"We were learning how safe this community was in so many areas of safety," she said. "Not just traffic safety or workplace safety or safe streets. A safe community encompasses those and much, much more."
Smith said the county's flood mitigation initiatives and law enforcement programs, such as the DUI Task Force, also make the county a safer place to live and work.
"I discovered there are hundreds of people who work every single day to prevent injuries and provide safety in Lycoming County," Frock said.
Dignitaries who attended the event included Yaw, state Rep. Rick Mirabito, D-Williamsport, who presented a House citation honoring the county, Tess Benham of the National Safety Council and Deputy Secretary of Health Michael Huff.
Huff called the designation "an amazing accomplishment" and added that he knows "people in the county are extremely proud to have the Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition serving them."
Kells, whose organization was responsible for certifying the county as a Safe Community, spoke glowingly of the county and his pride in being able to officiate the designation ceremony.
Kells' passion for community safety is one borne of tragedy and sorrow. Sixteen years ago, his 19-year-old son Sean was killed in an explosion that occurred while he was working a part-time job.
Kells said that while reviewing the coroner's inquest into his son's death he learned that the tragedy was completely avoidable.
Kells said there is data that proves there are people living in Lycoming County "who owe their lives" to those who work to make it safer.
A reception held prior to the ceremony included music by the Williamsport Area High School Strolling Strings and the vocal group Docappella. Local artists Jackie Thomas, Craig Kaufman, Marilyn and David Seeling, Selinda Kennedy and Deb Parsons exhibited their work during the event.
Commissioner Rebecca A. Burke summed up the county's designation with one word.
"Exciting," Burke said.
"It shows that all segments of the community come together to make the county better," said Williamsport Bureau of Police Chief Gregory Foresman. "It takes a cooperative effort on everybody's part to make a safe community."
The celebration continues today with a free concert by the Billtown Brass at 7 p.m. at the band shell at Brandon Park.
In the event of rain, the concert will be moved to Curtin Middle School.
