Health Department Notes

September 2011 Volume XIII, Issue 9

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
September 1, 2011 6:00 p.m. Advisory Committee Meeting Madison County Health Department

Inside this Issue

September 5, 2011 All County Offices Closed Labor Day Holiday September 8, 2011 2:30 p.m. MCPCH Sexual Health Meeting Madison County Health Department September 14, 2011 10:00 a.m. Health Department Committee Mtg. Madison County Health Department September 20, 2011 3:00 p.m. MCPCH Obesity Committee Meeting Madison county Health Department September 21, 2011 3:00 p.m. MCPCH Cancer Committee Meeting Madison County Health Department September 21, 2011 Board of Health Meeting Administration Building 5:00 p.m.

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Calendar Of Events

National Preparedness Month 2011 Clinic Hours

Did You Know?

Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Advertising Council, is held each September to encourage Americans to make sure they are prepared for disasters or emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. September 2011 is the eighth annual NPM. This years slogan is This September: A Time to Remember. A Time to Prepare. This years NPM focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan. Emergencies can happen unexpectedly in any community. One of NPMs key messages is: be prepared in the event an emergency causes you to be selfreliant for three days without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or local services, or maybe even without response from police, fire or rescue. Preparing can start with three important steps: Get an emergency supply kit Make a plan for what to do in an emergency Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community, and identify

Alternatives to Burning Leaves

OUR MISSION
To promote, protect, and assure conditions for optimal health through leadership, partnership, prevention and response.

National Preparedness Month 2011

(Article submitted by Cathy Paone, M.S.P.H., Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer Coordinator) National Preparedness Month (NPM), sponsored by the Ready

MISSION
It is the mission of the Madison County Health Department 101 E. Edwardsville Road Wood River, IL 62095 (618) 692-8954

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September 2011

sources of information in your community that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency. Darryl J. Madden, Director, Ready Campaign, states, The most important step you can take in helping your local responders is being able to take care of yourself and those in your care; the more people who are prepared, the quicker the community will recover. For information on NPM and for help getting prepared, visit Ready.gov or call 1-800-BEREADY, 1-888-SE-LISTO, and TTY 1-800-462-7585. Take the time during September 2011 to Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed, and Get Involved.

Did You Know?

(Various News articles)

serious fire hazard. It is illegal in many cities and communities. The fine particles, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons released into the air are particularly harmful to children and people with allergies, asthma or heart disease. Leaf burning can also reduce visibility, create safety hazards, cause a nuisance, soil buildings and other property, and create additional demands on local police and fire protection. Alternatives to burning:

Amazing Allergy Facts

Hay fever suffers should wash hair at night. Reason: Theyll remove any pollen and keep it from settling on pillows and bedding. Also: Avoid common irritants like tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust, hair spray and perfume . . . wash hands frequently . . . venture outdoors only when pollen counts are low. Moving to another location is no guarantee of relief for allergy suffers. Why: They usually develop allergies to their new regions pollens and molds within a few years of moving. Plus: Most allergy-provoking grasses are widespread throughout the world. As many as 20% of Americans believe they have a food allergybut less than 1% really do. Most food allergies are actually signs of digestive problems, food poisoning or stress.

Mow over the leaves with a lawnmower to chop them into fine mulch. Left on the lawn, the mulch is an excellent source of nutrients for the grass. Residents in some communities can have their yard waste hauled away for composting. Many cities encourage residents to bring bagged leaves to the citys recycling center for free disposal. There are cities and townships that will pick up leaves at the curbside if neatly raked in rows. The bulk curbside leaf collection program provides residents an easy way to dispose of leaves. Composting leaves at home is another great alternative to burning; it takes little or no extra time and money to compost leaves rather than burn them. Composted leaves create a natural, organic material which will help improve soil quality in the garden.

CLINIC HOURS Monday 10:30 am- 5:30 pm Tuesday 9:00 am- 4:00 pm Wednesday 9:00am-4:00pm Thursday No Clinic Hours Friday 9:00 am-4:00 pm Clinics are closed for lunch from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. each day. Madison County Health Department now provides screenings for sexually transmitted diseases on Tuesday afternoons between 1:00 p.m and 3:00 p.m

Alternatives to Burning Leaves

(Article submitted by Mary C. Cooper, L.E.H.P., Environmental Health Services Manager) This autumn consider alternatives to burning leaves. Leaf burning creates air pollution, contributes to breathing problems and is a

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