Vicky Black   

Northern Valley Safe Communities Coalition

Trauma Program Coordinator

Vicky Black graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Nursing from the University of North Dakota.  The training she received as a nursing student, involved community health issues such as impaired driving and not using safety restraints in vehicles.  Currently she serves as an Emergency Room (ER) Nurse and Trauma Program Coordinator at Altru Health System.  Altru Health System is a Level II Trauma Center serving northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.  

Ms. Black started as an ER nurse in 1999 she has seen first hand the devastation to individuals, families, and communities because of a single bad decision.  

As the Trauma Program Coordinator for Altru Health System, she has also witnessed the long-term effects that occur after a traumatic event involving vehicle collisions, falls, or gun shot wounds. 

The travesties she has been witness to provides her with the determination to serve on the Northern Valley Safe Communities Coalition.  Ms. Black continues to serve proudly as a member since she attended her first coalition meeting in 2003.  She attended at the suggestion of her predecessor who was also a member but remains determined to make positive changes in the community.  She was initially impressed with the coalition goals and the genuine dedication of the members.  For Vicky Black, the key benefits of participating in the coalition are working with individuals who are so committed and share similar safety concerns.  She describes her fellow coalition members as being very friendly, thoughtful, and motivated.  She works hard and follows her convictions.  She firmly believes that although her 4-year-old son may not currently understand the role of the coalition in the community he would be proud of their hard work. 

When asked about her biggest challenge she admits it is overcoming fatigue.  She knows she is not alone stating, “I know all the members of the coalition have very busy schedules and I am no different”.  She proudly describes the coalition as “a very motivated group of people who achieve very worthwhile goals”.  She went on to say, “there has been marked improvement in our safety statistics after our programs have been put in place”.

The only expectation she has of the coalition and its programs is to continue in their efforts to get people to understand that some injuries are preventable.  She believes it is important for people to comprehend the power the coalition may have in implementing methods for preventing those injuries.  Ms. Black strongly feels that she will continue to be a strong supporter of the safe Communities Coalition.