News from Sebasticook Valley Hospital

HealthySV Worksite Wellness Newsletter

July 2010

Greetings!

HealthySV, your Healthy Maine Partnership, located at Sebasticook Valley Hospital is pleased to provide you with resources to better support your valuable work force.

In This Issue

Reminder - Defibrillator Kit Letters of Application Due 7/16

Keep the Outdoors Smoke-Free

Survey - Your Input is Requested

Keep your Cool in Hot Weather

Food Safety at Fairs and Festivals

Wellness Tip - Summer Water Safety

Get ME Ready 2010

CPR and First Aid Training

July is National Recreation and Parks Month

Summer Activity Ideas

Reminder - Philips HeartStart OnSite Defibrillator Kit Letters of Application Due July 16

Announcement:

Coronary heart disease (CHD), which can often result in a heart attack, is our nation's number one killer. Nearly 1.2 million Americans will suffer from a heart attack this year, and more than half of those will die. Typically, around 340,000 of those deaths occur in an emergency room, or before reaching the hospital. That's two-thirds of all deaths from CHD - more than 930 Americans each day. Most of these deaths are from sudden cardiac arrest.

HealthySV, your local Healthy Maine Partnership, and the Sebasticook Valley Hospital EMS, a heart safe community, have partnered to offer an exciting opportunity for local worksites. Worksites are invited to submit a Letter of Application to receive a Philips HeartStart OnSite Defibrillator Kit, valued at $2,200.

For information about the Kit contents, eligibility criteria, and application materials, contact Karen Hawkes, Director of HealthySV, at 487-3890 or khawkes@emh.org.

Keep the Outdoors Smoke-Free

Maine law LD 67 makes common areas in our state parks and state historic sites smoke-free. These areas include:

Beaches
Playgrounds
Snack bars
Picnic shelters
Business facilities
Any enclosed public place or public restroom

Fresh air and unspoiled spaces. Our outdoors is a better place without cigarettes and secondhand smoke.

Air without secondhand tobacco smoke is safer to breathe.

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, and over 40 of them cause cancer. It is especially harmful to children, in whom it can cause illnesses like ear infections, bronchitis, and asthma. The US Surgeon General has stated that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke.

An environment without cigarette butts is cleaner and has a reduced risk of fire.
Cigarette butts are the most common kind of litter in the United States. The filters contain dangerous chemicals, among them nicotine, arsenic, mercury, and lead. These toxins are lethal to wildlife and can seep into water. If eaten by a small child, cigarette butts can cause nicotine poisoning, with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and breathing problems. Because the filters can take up to ten years to break down, their threat is ongoing. Finally, cigarettes are a leading cause of fire in the United States, costing lives and millions of dollars in damage.

For more information visit www.tobaccofreemaine.org

Survey - Your Input is Requested

In 2009 the state of Maine (as defined in section 603, subsection 1, paragraph A of Title 26: Labor and Industry law) passed a law requiring an employer to provide adequate time, space and support for breastfeeding employees.

The purpose of this survey is to inventory businesses in Sebasticook Valley to identify need for policy and/or technical assistance from HealthySV - your local Healthy Maine Partnership. No obligation or commitment is required or expected from your participation in this survey.

The survey will take a maximum of 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CFRN32R

Keep your Cool in Hot Weather

It certainly has been a hot summer so far in Maine. Getting too hot can make you sick. A person can become ill from the heat if their body can't compensate for it and properly cool off. Heat exposure can even kill. It caused 8,015 deaths in the US from 1979 to 2003.

These are the main things affecting the body's ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather:

High humidity. When the humidity is high, sweat won't evaporate as quickly, which keeps your body from releasing heat as fast as it may need to.

Personal Factors. Age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use can play a role in whether a person can cool off enough in very hot weather.

People who are at highest risk are the elderly, the very young, and people with mental illness or chronic diseases. But even young and healthy people can get sick from the heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather. Air-conditioning is the number one protective factor against heat-related illness and death. If a home is not air-conditioned, people can reduce their risk for heat-related illness by spending time in public facilities that are air-conditioned.

You can take these steps to prevent heat-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths during hot weather:

Stay cool indoors
Drink plenty of fluids
Replace salt and minerals
Wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen
Schedule outdoor activities carefully
Pace yourself
Use a buddy system
Monitor people at high risk
Adjust to the environment
Do not leave children in cars
Use common sense

For more information visit www.cdc.gov

Food Safety at Fairs and Festivals

Requirements differ by municipality, but in general temporary and mobile food vendors should apply for a food license with a state or local official. Many community-based organizations set up booths to sell various foods at local festivals and fairs. There are special exceptions, but it is better to be safe than sorry - get a license!

Event organizers should try to include a person trained in food safety throughout the planning process, as well as have them present at the event. Local health officers can be a great resource!

It is important that food safety steps are followed so the food served doesn't make anyone sick. Try to cook-serve, which means limiting the amount of food preparation performed offsite. In addition, follow the four basic food safety steps: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. Learn more about these steps here (http://www.cdc.gov/features/befoodsafe/).

Things consumers should be looking for before buying from a vendor:

Does the vendor have a clean/tidy workstation?
Does the vendor have a sink for employees to wash their hands?
Do the employees wear gloves or use tongs when handling food?
Does the vendor have refrigeration on site for raw ingredients or pre-cooked foods?
Has the vendor been inspected? (Is there a license or permit visible?)

For more information visit www.cdc.gov

Wellness Tip - Summer Water Safety - from the American Red Cross

While over 90% of families with young children will be in the water at some point this summer, almost half (48%) plan to swim in a place with no lifeguard. With so many planning to be in, on or near the water, it is important to follow the basics of water safety, maintain constant supervision of children and to get trained!

Practice Water Safety

Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Take swim classes!
Never leave a young child unattended near water or do not trust a child's life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear US Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.

Maintain Constant Supervision

If you have a pool, secure it with apporpriate barriers--many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than 5 minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.
Actively supervise children whenever around water--even if lifeguards are present.
Always stay within arm's reach of young children.
Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

Know How to Respond to an Aquatic Emergency

If a chid is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency numbers.
Get trained in water safety, first aid and CPR to learn how to respond.
Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.

Visit www.redcross.org for more swimming and water safety tips.

Get ME Ready 2010

Mainers are known for being ready for anything. Let's make sure we are.

An emergency or illness like flooding, ice storms or the flu can keep you home for severaldays - sometimes witout power, heat or clean water. Take these simple steps to help keep your children, your pets, and the older adults in your life safe during emergencies or illness.

Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Be informed.

Get ready for the unexpected by creating a kit of the essentials, including:

Food
Water
Medicine
Safety Supplies

Getting ready for an emergency does not have to take a lot of time or be expensive. Find out what you need, what you already have, and how to build your emergency kit without spending a lot of money by visiting www.getmeready.org.

Learn CPR and How to Use an AED at SVH

Sebasticook Valley Hospital (SVH) offers CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and First Responder Training.

For more information or to register, contact the Education Department at 487-3890 extension 2731. The TTY number is 487-4590.

For additional resources visit:

www.healthymainepartnerships.org

www.whatyoudomatters.org

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Technical assistance on any of the above issues is provided free by HealthySV, your local Healthy Maine Partnership. Please contact us so we can assist you in supporting your employees.

Sincerely,

Karen Hawkes, Director
Healthy SV