National Radon Action Month 2012

EPA has designated January as National Radon Action Month, a time when state radon programs and other partners conduct special radon outreach activities and events across the country. The aim of National Radon Action Month is to increase the public's awareness of radon, promote radon testing and mitigation, and advance the use of radon-resistant new construction practices.

With every breath, your family could be exposing themselves to a radioactive gas called radon. It's impossible to see, smell or taste. And it could be accumulating to unsafe levels in your home right now.

Radon is found at high levels in every state in America. It seeps into your home from the surrounding soil, and sometimes contaminates well water. It's the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S - only cigarette smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General have strongly recommended that all residences test for radon.

Your family's risk of developing lung cancer from radon depends on the average annual level of radon in your home and the amount of time you spend there. The longer your exposure to radon, the greater the risk. And the risk is much greater for smokers.

Luckily, radon is easy and inexpensive to detect. And homes with high levels can be fixed. But it's up to you to find out whether radon is a problem in your home. Millions of people have tested their homes already.

Radon Grant Awarded to Health Department

The Nebraska Radon Program, through the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services, has awarded Loup Basin Public Health Department (LBPHD) a Radon Awareness and Risk Reduction grant to increase public awareness of radon testing in all homes. This grant allows LBPHD to purchase short-term home radon detection kits to distribute to residents in the nine-county health department district. Loup Basin Public Health Department in partnership with UNL Extension Educators: Janet Hanna- Garfield, Loup and Wheeler counties, Jessye Goertz- Custer County, Kayla Hinrichs and Cheryl Tickner- Howard, Valley, Sherman and Greeley Counties, are working to achieve these goals. Loup Basin Public Health Department is encouraged to see increased testing in the nine county district area.

Kits are available free of charge, by contacting your local extension office or by calling LBPHD at 308.346.5795 or 866.522.5795. These short-term, home radon detection kits will be available at each of the extension offices, as well as the Loup Basin Public Health Department after December 1, 2011 thru April 1^st, 2012, or until the kits run out. Contact LBPHD at 308.346.5795 or 866.522.5795 for information on where to get a kit in your county.

Flu is a serious contagious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death.  CDC and the Loup Basin Public Health Department urge you to take the following actions to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu):

1. Get vaccinated.

The National Safety Council attributes 1.3 million crashes per year to cell phone talking and texting while driving.  Hand held or hands free, the distraction is the same. Take the challenge. The inaugural National "Cell Off" Day is June 29, 2011.

BURWELL - Loup Basin Public Health Department would like to remind you that tornadoes can strike with little or no warning, destroying entire neighborhoods in just a few minutes. But preparing ahead of time, knowing the signs of a coming tornado and familiarizing yourself with tornado warning systems can help keep you and your loved ones safe. According to the National Weather Service, the United States experiences 800 tornadoes in an average year. Tornadoes are extremely powerful, capable of destroying even well-constructed homes and buildings, uprooting trees and hurling heavy pieces of debris.