Andre Carrot Flower (from Wikipedia)
Bergen County is one of the safest counties in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The county was ranked ninth among the safest counties, according to the news agency.
According to U.S. News & World Report, Bergen County boasts one of the best public safety records in the nation, with a score of 88.52, and also ranks highly in access to emergency services with an average of 84.9% of the population living near emergency facilities, compared to the national average of 37.4%.
“I am incredibly proud that Bergen County has been recognized as one of the safest counties in America,” said Bergen County Mayor James J. Tedesco III. “This honor is due to the hard work and dedication of the Sheriff's Office, the Prosecutor's Office, Bergen County EMS, local emergency personnel, community partners and social service providers. We are committed to providing the best quality of life possible for our residents, and by investing in our community and emergency response infrastructure, Bergen County will continue to be a great place to live, work and raise a family.”
“This recognition is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our emergency responders and the collaborative efforts of the entire Bergen County community. Being named one of the safest counties in the nation is an incredible honor that highlights our relentless focus on public safety and our efforts to ensure all residents benefit from rapid emergency response,” said North Arlington County Mayor Steven Tanelli. “By investing in a state-of-the-art training facility and strengthening our shared services agreements, we are not only protecting our community today, but also preparing to meet the challenges of the future.”
The Healthiest Communities rankings show how nearly 3,000 U.S. counties perform across 92 indicators in 10 health-related categories and explore the relationships among the many factors that contribute to a community's overall health and safety.
The key categories of the Healthiest Communities framework include population health, equity, education, economy, housing, environment, community vitality, infrastructure and public safety. In the public safety category, communities are scored out of 100 on seven indicators in three key areas: crime, injuries and public safety capacity.
The public safety landscape is constantly changing, and the county says it is prioritizing strengthening emergency response capabilities through a variety of innovations and partnerships. Last year, the county celebrated the completion of the Law and Public Safety Institute (LPSI) Modernization Project, which provided the county's training center with an environment that mimics multidisciplinary real-world scenarios for firefighters, police officers and EMS personnel.
In 2023, the county launched Bergen County Emergency Medical Ambulance Service, a 24/7 intra-county emergency medical transport service that has helped replenish a steadily declining volunteer ambulance fleet across North Jersey.
Earlier this summer, in June, Bergen County’s Public Safety Operations Center (PSOC), the hub for 911 dispatch and operations, announced it would provide 911 response services to all municipalities in Bergen County at no charge. The county said strengthening its shared services capabilities will further its mission of establishing itself as the 911 regional call center for all of Northern New Jersey.
For more information on how U.S. News & World Report calculates its Healthiest Communities rankings, visit www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/methodology .
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is an editor and anchor at The Observer who has been with the paper since 2006. His behind-the-scenes responsibilities include editorial content for the paper and website, producing the e-newsletter, writing several articles each week (including weekly editorials), and broadcasting live on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook and X (including a weekly news recap). From 2006-2008, he introduced the paper's first blog, which included podcasts, audio and video. A Jersey City native, Kevin lived in Kearney until 2004, then Port St. Lucie, Florida, for four years until February 2016, when he returned to Kearney full time at The Observer. Click here to email Kevin.
