HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The Hollywood City Commission on Sept. 3 proclaimed September 2025 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and recognized local efforts to reduce suicide risk, including promoting safe firearm storage and crisis resources.

Commissioner Bitterman read the proclamation, which cited national and state data on suicide and urged community members to recognize warning signs and seek help. Linda Bloomfield of the League of Women Voters of Broward County accepted the proclamation and highlighted the group’s Lock It Up gun‑safety initiative.

What the proclamation and speakers said

- Proclamation recommendations: The proclamation urged community members to ask directly about suicidal thoughts, remove access to lethal means, and get professional help. It cited crisis contacts by number and text.

- Resources: The proclamation and speakers advised anyone in crisis to dial 988, or to use the crisis text line by texting 741741. Linda Bloomfield also noted that free gun locks are available from the League of Women Voters, the Miami VA and the Hollywood Police Department.

- Gun‑safety emphasis: Bloomfield emphasized that safe storage (gun safes, unloaded storage, or gun locks) provides a pause that can allow intervention: “So it is important to keep that gun safe ... For a suicidal person, that pause may be just enough to get them to rethink what they're doing,” she said.

The commission invited the League and other partners for a group photograph and urged residents to use available crisis resources and safe‑storage options.