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Healthy Homes Assessments
Have you noticed that your house paint didn't weather the winter well?
Or do you have spring cleaning questions? Good news, Erik Gustafson with this Department specializes in healthy homes issues and we can offer free healthy homes
assessments. The assessment includes
determining if you have enough operational smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, what your drinking water source is, if there is evidence of pests, water damage or mold, if you have fire extinguishers, and where your chemical and medicine storage is. Also, a proactive lead inspection that includes both a visual and X-Ray Fluorescence inspection is included. There is no cost to you if you have a child under age 6, your home is built before 1978, and you live in Hancock, Worth or Cerro Gordo County. There is no better time than the spring to get an assessment done.
For more information, contact Erik at 641-421-9339. |
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Department Quick Links...
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Bike to Work Month
May is Bike to Work Month and we would like to challenge you to ride your bike (with a helmet) to work during May. If you are up for it, participate in Bike to Work Week from May 16-20.
Make it official and take a pledge at bikeiowa.com. |
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Earth Day Events
In April, the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health hosted their own clean up of Mohawk Square. Employees gave their time to pick up trash around the building. With all the trash was hundreds of cigarette butts. Mohawk Square buiding, grounds and even the parking lots are tobacco free sites.
The JEL kids from the tobacco use prevention program completed their own clean-up at City Park and along the Seawall in Clear Lake. They also collected hundreds of cigarette butts. Those are seen in the jar below.
Cigarettes are the most littered item in America. Made from a form of plastic, they are not biodegradable. Since they don't disappear, they threaten water quality and wildlife. Cigarette butts have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales and other creatures that mistake them for food. Several TRILLION butts are littered each year and that adds up!
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May is here!
As more sunshine and warmer temperatures come our way (fingers crossed), graduations, summer break and vacations are on the horizon! Public health will be working 365 days a year to ensure food safety, water safety, and even safety in your home. With this issue, we bring you free services for your home, a chance to participate in a wellness event, and insight into our departmental preparedness.
For more information on Public Health visit our
website, e-mail webmaster@cghealth.com or call 641-421-9300.
Sincerely,
Kara Vogelson
Acting Public Information Officer
Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health |
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Thank You Participants!
Due to overwhelming response, the arsenic private well water grant is off and running. Thanks for all of you who volunteered. Visit our arsenic website to learn more about it. |
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The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health Tests Their Preparedness
On Friday, April 15th, the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health participated in an exercise to test and help strengthen their ability to resume critical operations in the face of an emergency. To exercise their continuity of operations plan, staff responded to a scenario where a fire structurally damaged the building in which they are housed. Due to significant damage, the building was closed and would not be able to be occupied again for several weeks. Department staff members were notified early in the morning on April 15th and told to assemble at an alternate site, which had been pre-identified in the county's continuity of operations plan.
The exercise objectives were to establish operational set up at the alternate site, to implement the line of succession and delegation of authority plans, to implement interoperable communications plans, and to demonstrate the ability to access vital records and databases needed to conduct essential functions from an alternate site. Over the course of 7 hours, staff met all of the objectives; however, some areas for improvement were identified. Two examples of the identified issues are the need for continual communication and creative utilization of minimal available resources.
Beyond achieving the objectives, identifying areas for improvement is a strong reason to conduct this type of exercise. Overall, the exercise provided a wonderful opportunity to ensure the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health is able to continue to provide critical services to residents, even during times of crisis. Gaps identified through the process will allow the Department to become even stronger in response, when faced with a situation of this type.
"We understand the need to continue to provide essential public health services to citizens who depend on us, even in times of disaster," stated Jodi Willemsen, Public Health Preparedness Service Manager. "This exercise helped us practice a realistic scenario to better prepare for an actual situation where we would implement our continuity of operations plan to continue to serve our residents."
If you have questions regarding how to get your family or business prepared for emergencies such as tornadoes, floods or other events, go to our website or contact Jodi Willemsen at prepared@cghealth.com
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Wellness Corner
Exercising on Vacation
by Erin Lynn
Want to take a vacation, but worried all the time you spent in the fitness room will be erased? No worries, here are some great tips to maintain your cardiovascular fitness levels while vacationing:
- Walk on the beach - walking in soft sand is a great workout and burns more calories than walking on a flat surface.
- Beach volleyball - a great calorie burner and a way to meet other vacationers.
- Hiking - adding elevation to your walks will increase your calorie burn. Add a backpack with water and healthy snacks for an added challenge.
- Golf - carry your clubs and walk the course. You could burn up to 300 calories per hour.
- Shopping - if you are a shopper, avoid the excalators, walk fast, and steer clear of the food court.
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Help us promote Public Health services. Forward this electronic newsletter to your friends, family, co-workers and associates. Thank you for choosing the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health! Our Mission Statement:
Dedicated to enhancing the health status of our communities through public health initiatives.
Our Vision Statement:
Driving public health system change through strong and directed leadership.
Our Value Statement:
We believe in disease prevention, human dignity, respect for individual choices, promotion for wellness and personal safety, protection of the environment, prevention of disease and access to quality health services.
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