About Us

The unique mission of the nationally recognized and award winning National Safety Council, Nebraska is to promote safety and health by providing programs, resource services and education to reduce both the personal and economic loss associated with injuries, accidents and health hazards. Formerly the Greater Omaha Chapter of the National Safety Council, the NSC invited us to take the National Safety Council programs and exclusive resources across the state in October 2011.

Previously our focus had been the Greater Omaha metropolitan area that includes Douglas, Washington, Sarpy, Cass and Pottawattamie counties, however, our reach has been far beyond that through our involvement in the World Health Organization’s Safe Communities; US DOL, OSHA Training Institute; our statewide safety belt program and contributions to the Chapter Division of the National Safety Council.

Our 2010 reach through training, consulting and conferences was almost 25,000. Add to that our community safety reach through special events, health fairs, speaking presentations, child safety seat checks, distribution of F1RST Tool kits, “Simple Changes” DVD and more and we reached upwards of 95,000 people. With new safety knowledge, all those who attend our special events and training become contributors to the safety in our community as they pay it forward. Now as we serve ll of Nebraska they will become contributors to the Nebraska safe community mission.

This association of concerned individuals began in 1924 as the Omaha Safety Council, founded by a group of well-known businessmen who concluded that 75% of accidents could be prevented. Today led by a 57 member volunteer board of directors, a staff of 119 (93 are part time instructors with skills and certifications that allow them to teach the wide range of courses from behind the wheel driver education to teens, motorcycles safety training, behavior modification programs, defensive driving programs and first aid/CPR) and hundreds of volunteers carry out the mission. Ultimately, the collective goal is to make Nebraska a safe place to live, work, learn and play.

Our partners are government, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency services, health care, schools, businesses and residents in the area. It is all these partners together which make up this organization which champions safety and health.

The Council’s founding was against a backdrop of 80,000 lives lost annually (about 70 people per 100,000 population) to unintentional injuries. Today’s reduced national unintentional injury rate of about 35 per 100,000 population illustrates the success of the safety movement. This chart shows the great reductions in workplace and highway injuries, but the huge increase in home and community, 74% since 1992, an area in which we are building resources, both in the community and through our work with businesses encouraging them to provide education to their employees “Taking Safety Home.”

The Greater Omaha Chapter of the National Safety Council was first in Nebraska to provide defensive driving and today’s program serves more than 12,000 annually. Our behind-the-wheel teen driver education and motorcycle safety programs are the largest private programs in the state and are recognized for high quality. Under grant to the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, we've built and continue to motivate an always growing statewide coalition of more than 816 individuals and organizations advocating safety belt usage. Most recently we are building a statewide collaboration to prevent cell phone use while driving. Our programs over many years have helped to dramatically increase safety belt usage to the 85% level. In child passenger safety we have been effective in increasing child passenger seat usage rates to 91% and decreasing misuse from 95% to 85%

These programs, along with other education programs, law enforcement and engineering have helped to successfully decrease motor vehicle crashes in Douglas County by 42% and motor vehicle crash injuries by 48% since 1998.

Accredited by the National Safety Council, we are annually recognized for excellent and innovative community safety programs and excellence in training and communications. Other recognition has come from the Better Business Bureau finalist for non-profit Integrity Award, United Way of the Midlands “Disaster Preparedness Partnership Award” (2007) and United Way Chair Award for Partnership in F1RST, Fall Intervention, Reaching Seniors Together (2009).

In 2003, we began our work as one of 20 OSHA Training Institute Education Centers across the country. Named by U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, with two other consortium members we make up the Midwest OSHA Training Center (MOEC) serving OSHA Region VII providing the Outreach Training Program. We are the consortium lead. This is a prestigious recognition and a remarkable distinction.

Almost 1,000 companies representing about 250,000 employees take advantage of our services through their NSC membership. Anyone can participate, however, members receive complimentary benefits and reduced training fees. The membership aspect indicates dedication to safety of a business and creates an immediate community audience through the member workers who go home to families every night (ripple effect up to 700,000). Hundreds of people concerned about safety volunteer for projects.

The Council’s operating budget is dedicated to: 60% safe driving, 26% safe working, and 14% safe living. We are a private not for profit 501 (c) (3) organization.