RECENT NEWS STORIES
 Food Safety - Picnics & Grilling
July 20, 2007 - Picnics, barbecues and potlucks are wonderful ways to celebrate summer holidays. Public health officials at Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department are reminding participants to take care to prepare and transport food safely. Whether your picnic is an elaborate affair for dozens of friends or a simple cookout for family, a little planning will help prevent foodborne illnesses common during summer months.
Bacteria begin to multiply between 41°F and 135°F, so it’s important to keep food either cold or hot right up to the moment of cooking and/or serving. If food is not cooked right it can make you sick. That includes under-cooked meat, poultry and seafood. And, most people don’t realize contaminated fruits and vegetables are a big cause of foodborne illnesses.
You can start to feel the affects of the “not so fabulous food” anywhere from a few hours to 30 days after eating it. Therefore it is hard to pinpoint the culprit. That doesn’t mean you have to fast at your picnic this summer. The Health Department recommends the following simple steps to make sure that the food is actually as good as it looks.
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL COLOR FLYER WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
Clean, Separate, Cook, & Chill Guidelines:
CLEAN
• Hands: Use soap and very warm water, scrubbing for 20 seconds. Rinse well and dry.
• Tables and Counters: Use hot soapy water then use a clean towel or paper towel to dry.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Rinse and scrub under running water.
SEPARATE
• Use two separate cutting boards: one for raw meat only and a different one for fresh-washed produce only.
• Keep your utensils separate to keep the germs that are naturally occurring on the raw meat from getting onto the fresh washed produce.
• Keep raw animal foods away from ready to eat foods like cooked hamburgers and buns.
• Always place cooked meat on a clean plate that has been washed. If any of the raw meat juices get into the cook meat it is now contaminated again.
COOK
• Cook foods to proper temperature. It is important to check the internal temperature of food you are cooking. You need to use a clean and calibrated food thermometer for this. Place the thermometer stem into the food you are testing to see if it reaches the right temperature. The magic temperature to remember is 165°F. Using a food thermometer will also give you the juiciest meat because you won’t overcook it which causes meat to be dry and tough.
• Disinfect the food thermometer when moving from between cooked and raw foods. Clorox or alcohol wipes are adequate tools to use for disinfecting the thermometer.
• Food can only be out in the temperature danger zone (between 41°F and 135°F) for 2 hours. After that you need to throw it out.
• Use crock pots, warming plates, or chaffing pans to keep hot foods hot (135°F or above).
CHILL
• Cold food should always be kept cold at 41°F or below.
• Place small bowls of dip, salads and other cold foods on ice in a larger bowl to keep foods cold (41°F or below).
• Only place small portions of food out and replenish as needed.
Remember, CLEAN, SEPARATE, COOK & CHILL to beat the nasty germs that can make you sick. For more information on safe food handling, visit www.fightbac.org or call 419-774-4500.
Health Department Urges Rabies Vaccination for Pets; Free Clinic on May 5
May 2, 2007 - With warmer weather approaching more people will begin outdoor activities and the risk of contact with an animal infected with the rabies virus increases. Incidences of rabies usually start in April and continue rising through the summer months.
The Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department is issuing a reminder for all pet owners to make sure their cats and dogs are vaccinated against rabies. Keeping vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs and cats is important not only to keep your pets from getting rabies, but also to provide a barrier of protection to you, if your pet is bitten by a rabid wild animal.
To encourage the immunization of dogs and cats, Drs. Henry and Jody Akers and Dr. Laurie Hickox will be conducting a free rabies immunization clinic, Saturday, May 5. The clinic will be held at the Premier Office Complex, 1456 Park Ave. West, Mansfield, between 1 and 4 p.m. Dogs & Cats must be more than 3 months old and healthy. Dogs must be on leashes and cats should wear leashes or be in mesh bags.
“Last year we made 238 contacts [inspections, investigations or consultations] concerning rabies,” said Joe Evans, director of Environmental Health at the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department. “Dogs are the most frequent investigation calls, but we have high risks factors associated with cats and wild animals as well.”
Evans added that everyone should be cautious around stray dogs and no one should ever approach a wild animal, especially one that is acting in a strange manner. Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.
“Parents should take particular precautions by teaching their children, even their toddlers, not to approach strange dogs,” Evans added. “Children are the most frequent victims of animal bites.” If you or your child is a bite victim, treat the wounds with soap and water. Professional medical advice should be sought to evaluate the risk of rabies or other infections.
For further information, and information on the free rabies clinic on May 5, contact the Environmental Health Division at the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department by calling 419-774-4520. Additional information about rabies is also available at the Center for Disease Control website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/
Remember, CLEAN, SEPARATE, COOK & CHILL to beat the nasty germs that can make you sick. For more information on safe food handling, visit www.fightbac.org or call 419-774-4500.
Food Safety Urged for Holiday Meals
November 10, 2006 — Here are some quick reminders about the importance of food safety, especially with Holiday Meals in the coming months.
 The Four Steps To Food Safety can help prevent foodborne illness in the home.
1) Clean! Everything that touches food should be clean. Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness. Even with food safety inspection and monitoring at Federal, State, and local government facilities, the consumers have the role of ensuring that food is handled safely after it is purchased.
2) Separate! Fight cross-contamination! Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, and utensils. An example of cross-contamination is cutting raw meat, poultry, or fish on a cutting board and then slicing salad vegetables on the same cutting board without washing the cutting board between uses.
3) Cook! Use a food thermometer in cooking. Using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful micro-organisms. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of foods, such as meat, hamburgers, poultry, egg casseroles, and any combination dishes to ensure that a safe temperature is reached and that harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 are destroyed.
4) Chill! Make sure the temperature in the refrigerator is 40 °F or below and 0 °F or below in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow most rapidly in the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 °F—so it's important to keep food out of this temperature range. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours of purchase or preparation, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F. Thaw food in the refrigerator. For quick thawing, submerge in cold water in airtight packaging, or thaw in the microwave, and cook the food immediately.
FOOD SAFETY DURING POWER OUTAGES
June 23, 2006 - High winds and storms may cause downed power lines. In the case of a power outage, the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department has issued the following Food Safety recommendations:
SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
Use A Thermometer – Keep a refrigerator thermometer in the refrigerator & freezer to be sure food is stored at safe temperatures (41° F or below – refrigerator); (0° F or below – freezer). Most food-borne illness are caused by bacteria that multiply rapidly at temperatures above 41° F.
Leave the Refrigerator door closed - Refrigerated foods should be safe as long as the power is out no more than four to six hours. Discard any perishable food that has an unusual odor, color, texture, or if it has been over 41° F for more than two hours. Leave the door closed; every time you open it needed cold air escapes. If need be, fill an insulated cooler with ice and keep food on ice. Keep a thermometer in the insulated cooler to be sure temperature is maintained at 41°F or below.
Leave the Freezer door closed – A full freezer should keep approximately two days and a half full freezer should keep approximately one day. Add bags of ice or dry ice to keep food frozen if it appears a long power outage may occur.
Never taste food to determine safety – Even though food may look or smell fine, food that has been at room temperature longer than two hours will be able to multiply bacteria which may cause food-borne illness. Some types of food will produce toxins which are not destroyed by the cooking process.
Discard – The following food should be discarded if kept more than two hours above 41° F: Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs (Raw or Cooked), Milk, Cream, Yogurt, Soft Cheese, Casseroles, Stews, Soups, Lunch Meats, Hot Dogs, Creamy based Salad Dressings, Custards, Mayonnaise, Tartar Sauce, Horseradish, etc.
If you are not sure of food, discard. When discarding food, always double wrap and dispose of it in a proper container to prevent vector infestations (rats, insects, etc.) and nuisance complaints.
Flooded Well Water – If your well is flooded, shut the power off to the well and wait until power is restored then turn the power back on. Wait for the water to recede and then chlorinate the well (2 to 3 gallons of Chlorox circulated in the well for 24 hours). Contact a water testing agency like the Health Department to have the water tested before using for drinking or cooking.
 NATIONAL RECREATIONAL WATER ILLNESS PREVENTION
For Immediate Release: June 1, 2006 —Summer recreation includes trips to public swimming facilities. That also means people should be aware of the importance of healthy swimming behaviors and Recreational Water Illness prevention.
Many people may have read about the splashpad-related outbreak of “Crypto” (cryptosporidiosis) that affected almost 3000 people in Seneca Lake, NY last summer. This outbreak underscores the need for emphasizing good pool operation and spreading prevention tips for pool operators and pool patrons to ensure a healthy swimming experience.
“The Health Department licenses and inspects public pools, spas and special use water recreation facilities, such as water slides and wave machines, but we do not regulate individual home pools,” says Joe Evans, Director of Environmental Health at the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department. “People with home pools need to remember healthy swimming rules as well as those who are visiting public sites.”
Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs) are spread by swimming in water contaminated as a result of poorly maintained recreational water venues, the presence of chlorine-resistant germs, or runoff-related contamination of lakes or marine beaches.
The public’s awareness of RWIs and appropriate swimming behaviors plays a pivotal role in RWI transmission. Swimmers who are ill with diarrhea may contaminate swimming venues; this poses health risks for the healthy swimmers in the pool. In addition, high-risk groups such as the young, the elderly, the pregnant, and the immunosuppressed should also be advised about RWI prevention and healthy swimming behaviors. Healthy swimming behaviors include:
1. Don’t swim when you have diarrhea. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.
2. Don’t swallow the pool water. In fact, avoid getting water in your mouth.
3. Practice good hygiene. Shower before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.
4. Take children on bathroom breaks or change diapers often. Waiting to hear “I have to go” may mean that it’s too late.
5. Change diapers in a bathroom and not at poolside. Germs can spread to surfaces and objects in and around the pool and spread illness.
6. Wash your child thoroughly with soap and water before swimming. Everyone has invisible amounts of fecal matter on their bottoms that end up in the pool.
Recreational water venues provide ample opportunities for people to increase their level of physical activity and enjoy their leisure time. To make this summer a Healthy Swimming experience, the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department urges swimmers to continue to enjoy swimming, but only after adopting healthy swimming behaviors that will protect oneself, one’s family, and fellow swimmers from the spread of illness.
For more information regarding Recreational Water Illness Prevention and Healthy Swimming, contact the Health Department at 419-774-4500 or visit http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming.
FREE RABIES CLINIC, MAY 13
For Immediate Release: 5/2/06 — For the fourth straight year, Drs. Henry Akers, Jody Akers, and Laurie Hickox will run a free rabies clinic with the cooperation of the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department. The free vaccinations will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 at Crossroads Community Church/Premier Office Complex Parking Lot, 1456 Park Ave. West in Mansfield.
The following rules apply for the free clinic: 1) All cats and dogs must be over 3 months of age. (2) All pets will recieve 1-year vaccinations. (3) Only healthy pets will be vaccinated. (4) Owners must control and restrain pets. (5) Dogs must be on leashes. (6) Cats should be on leashes, in carriers, or carried in mesh bags.
 HEALTH DEPARTMENT ISSUES RABIES WARNING: Pet Owners Asked to Have Animals Vaccinated
May 2, 2006 - With warmer weather approaching more people will begin outdoor activities and the risk of contact with an animal infected with the rabies virus increases. Incidences of rabies usually start rising in April and continues through the summer months.
The Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department is issuing a reminder for all pet owners to make sure their cats and dogs are vaccinated against rabies. Keeping vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs and cats is important not only to keep your pets from getting rabies, but also to provide a barrier of protection to you, if your pet is bitten by a rabid wild animal.
To encourage the immunization of dogs and cats, Drs. Henry and Jody Akers and Dr. Laurie Hickox will be conducting a free rabies immunization clinic, Saturday, May 13. The clinic will be held at Crossroads Community Church/Premier Office Complex, 1456 Park Ave. West, Mansfield, between 1 and 4 p.m. (see story above).
“Last year we made 347 contacts [inspections, investigations or consultations] concerning rabies,” said Joe Evans, director of Environmental Health at the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department. “Dogs are the most frequent investigation calls, but we have high risks factors associated with cats and wild animals as well.”
Evans added that everyone should be cautious around stray dogs and no one should ever approach a wild animal, especially one that is acting in a strange manner. Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.
“Parents should take particular precautions by teaching their children, even their toddlers, not to approach strange dogs,” Evans added. “Children are the most frequent victims of animal bites.” If you or your child is a bite victim, treat the wounds with soap and water. Professional medical advice should be sought to evaluate the risk of rabies or other infections.
For further information, and information on the free rabies clinic on May 13, contact the Environmental Health Division at the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department by calling 419-774-4520. Additional information about rabies is also available at the Center for Disease Control website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/
Easter Egg Safety Tips
April 5, 2006 — To ensure an enjoyable holiday celebration, Becky Faulk, a sanitarian with the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department, is providing these egg handling safety tips.
• Buying and Storing Eggs
- Inspect eggs prior to purchasing them. Make sure they are not dirty or cracked. Dangerous bacteria can enter a cracked egg.
- Store eggs in their original carton in the refrigerator and use them within three weeks.
• Cooking Eggs (American Egg Board recommendations)
- Place eggs in single layer in a saucepan and fill with water one inch above the eggs.
- Cover the pan and bring to boil. Turn off heat. (Remove from heat to prevent further boiling.)
- Let eggs stand, covered, in the hot water for 15 minutes.
• Cooling Eggs-Two Options
1. Water Cool: Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water until completely cooled, then refrigerate.
2. Air Cool: Remove cooked eggs from water and allow them to cool on the countertop. As long as shell is intact, eggs can remain unrefrigerated at room temperature for up to a day. (Eggs with cracked shells should be refrigerated.)
• Dyeing Eggs
- Eggs should reach room temperature or below prior to dyeing.
- Do not handle eggs excessively, and wash your hands thoroughly when you handle them.
- Do not color eggs whose shells crack during cooking.
- Use food coloring or food-grade dyes if they will be eaten.
- Refrigerate eggs after coloring until they are to be hidden. (Air-dried eggs can remain unrefrigerated up to a day.)
• Hiding Eggs
- Use hard-cooked eggs within one week.
- Avoid areas where eggs may come in contact with pets, wild animals, insects or lawn chemicals.
NUISANCE COMPLAINT PROGRAM
March 23, 2006 — One of the many responsibilities of the Board of Health under the Ohio Revised Code is: “…The board of health of a city or general health district shall abate and remove all nuisances within its jurisdiction…” (Section 3707.01, O.R.C.) Each year the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department receives between 500 and 700 complaints from residents or visitors to the county. The department responds to each complaint. Nuisance problems that are the responsibility of the health department range from complaints of water, soil or air pollution to unsanitary or unhealthful housing. A majority of these problems are solid waste related: improper storage or disposal of trash, garbage, discarded domestic goods, or unkept “junky” yards. Some complaints are dismissed as groundless as neither a public concern nor health related, others fall under the jurisdiction of another agency or are determined to be a private nuisanceRefrigerate eggs after they have been hidden and found again. Don’t eat eggs with cracked shells or eggs that have been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
 When we receive a complaint we send it to an inspector or to the agency or authority of responsibility if other than the health department. The inspector makes a review and writes down their findings. In cases where the nuisance poses neither a serious nor immediate health hazard, a nuisance notice may be left at the house. Where the situation raises a concern of a threat to health, safety or well being of the public, orders may be mailed to all parties including the occupant, owner or others who are involved in breaking the sanitation laws or rules. The notice includes information about the rules or laws broken, the action that needs to be taken and the date and time the correction is to be finished. A follow up inspection is made to decide whether the corrective action has been finished and are adequate to fix the problem.
When a nuisance condition continues against the orders from the health department, the department may condemn the property and send the problem to the city law director or county prosecutor for presentation to the court. In rare cases, the board of health may get involved to remove the nuisance situation and attach any expenses as a bill against the property. Patience and cooperation between the health department, attorneys and the courts generally result in the nuisance being removed.
CHECK HOME HEATING SYSTEMS FOR SAFETY
February 4, 2006 — “Any heating system should be checked yearly for safety and efficiency,” Chief Plumbing Inspector Jim Nunamaker at the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department reminds us. “This would include the unit, safety features and the thermostat.”
Reports of nuisances may be made in person, Monday through Thursday between the hours of 7:00 AM. and 4:30 PM, or on Friday between 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The direct line to the Environmental Health is 419-774-4520 and to the Plumbing Division 419-774-4525. Reports can also be sent by email to www.richlandhealth.org., or by mail to the Health Department located at 555 Lexington Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio 44907.Conventional baseboard heating systems, using electric, oil, and water are common household heating sources, and are generally considered safe. Conventional baseboard heating systems usually sit very close to the floor and have a maximum temperature of 140° F. This maximum temperature is dependent on a safety feature that is usually found with most current heating systems. If this safety feature isn’t working properly, the baseboard unit can go above safe temperatures and become unsafe for children and animals. This safety feature is designed to shut the heating system off if the temperature goes above the maximum temperature or if the flow of air to the system is blocked. While the same safety system is found with steam heat radiators, and electric baseboard heaters, the metal surrounding the unit and the baseboard may get much hotter. This is also a safety issue with children and pets. External heaters that are not tied to a central system can be purchased at home improvement centers and work in much the same way.
“Most heating sources have stops to prevent over heating, and most external baseboard heating systems arrive with many warnings along with operating instructions,” said Nunamaker. “Read these operating instructions and the warnings!”
Residential hot water taps have some similarities. Generally acceptable temperatures on a home hot water tap are between 120-135° F. Shower temperatures should be lower between 108-119°F. Water above these temperatures can be the source of serious or fatal scald or burn injuries or thermal shock. When people read warm, normal, or hot, they have different understandings. Tempered water is considered to be 85-110°F and any temperature above 110°F is considered hot.
Most of us have experienced a rapid change in water temperature while in the shower. This is caused by pressure changes in the hot or cold water supply and can result in thermal shock. Thermal shock causes an abrupt physical reaction that can be as simple as pulling your hands out of the water or as extreme as fleeing the tub, risking a slip and fall accident.
Very young children and toddlers are very fast and can turn on a hot water valve in the bathtub after their bath water has been drawn. Water only 25°F over 115°F can cause 2 nd and 3 rd degree burns on a child before the caregiver can turn off the valve, even if the caregiver is in the bathroom with the child. Similar risks exist for adults of advanced age.
LEAD TESTING URGED IN AT-RISK CHILDREN
For Immediate Release: Nov. 5, 2003 — Andy Barnes opens a lead sample kit and holds up a small vial containing about a half teaspoon of grey-colored powder.
"There's enough lead dust in here to contaminate a 1500 square foot house and potentially kill two at-risk children," Barnes says solemnly.
A mother of a three-year-old of her own, Barnes, who does lead testing for the Environmental Health Division of the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department, knows that many houses in Richland County pose a serious health threat to children.
"Every child is at risk if they are under six years old and live in a house or frequently visit a house built before 1978," Barnes says. And the risk goes up with the age of the house. "The older the house, the more likely that house was painted with higher amounts of lead in the paint."
That problem becomes greater if the paint is chipping or flaking or the paint is on areas where friction, particularly around windows and doors, causes paint dust.
"Anyone with young children who live in an older house should have their kids tested at the Health Department," Barnes asserts. That advise is echoed by the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of the Ohio Department of Health that the Health Department coordinates through both the Environmental Health and Public Health Nursing Divisions.
"The test for the child involves a finger poke," Barnes says. "If we get a report back that there is a high blood lead level we make a visit to screen the home." Barnes says the Health Department promotes making the house lead safe with the first step being to thoroughly clean areas where lead dust collect, typically in window wells where children like to stand. "We even have a HEPA vacuum cleaner available for free loan," Barnes adds.
Lead poisoning in children is not easy to detect. Children often show few symptoms but lead poisoning can affect the nervous system, cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures and even death. Even low levels of lead are associated with decreased intelligence, decreased growth and stature, and impaired hearing acuity.
"Flu-like symptoms and sleeplessness may be an alert signal," Barnes says. "If a child forgets how to do a task they used to do easily, that could also be a warning sign."
Children between 12 and 36 month of age have a lot of hand to mouth activity so if there is lead in their homes they are more likely to ingest lead paint or dust than older children. According to a Centers for Disease Control estimate, 890,000 U.S. children age 1-5 have elevated blood lead levels.
"The first step is testing the child," Barnes reiterates. "Then we can start the to address the house and yard treatments and medical care for the child to help correct or improve the situation."
For more information on the Health Department's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, contact Andy Barnes at 419-774-4535.
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