9-25-09 This Is A Good Sign
Last summer, when some of Halifax’s fresh water beaches closed due to high counts of algae, I did just about anything I could to get the word out on the possible health risks associated with contact and ingestion of the algae. It was a new topic for people and that raised questions and concerns but after attending Selectmen’s meetings, I walked out feeling that my efforts were a good beginning. This year, though, dealing with the competing issue of H1N1 influenza compromised advertising the algae sufficiently. I received and passed on the algae updates but I needed help with getting the word out to those who needed it, especially individuals who might not read the paper or look at a website.
Communicating accurate information to the public in a timely manner is challenging under even the best of circumstances. The accuracy factor can change rapidly, depending on the complexity and how variable the circumstances are. Timeliness is difficult to achieve because we don’t always know how long it will take for people to receive the message. The more critical the information, the more important it is for the message be distributed in as many ways and venues as possible. If I want everyone to know, my office sends out group emails, makes phone calls, sends faxes, alerts the radio and local cable and maybe even request an interview, to allow an opportunity for questions and answers.
Even if all of that can be achieved, there is still the presentation of the message. If it is a printed notice, does it catch your eye? If it is a radio or TV sound bite, did it catch your ear? Then there are the demographics. Is it geared to you, whoever “you” are? Or did you miss the message because it seemed to be for somebody else?
It is interesting to me that even though we are inundated with information all day long, simple messages on a sign still have their place in a world quickly being taken over by daily blog entries and moment-to-moment text messages and twitters. The need for good old fashioned signage makes sense to me though. People call my office occasionally to request a pooper-scooper sign. (These animal waste abatement signs alert people with simple graphics that Halifax has regulations on this topic and that it is just not cool to leave your dog’s deposits behind for others to step in.) They want the sign as a daily reminder. They want the sign because it is physical. If you turn your head away, it is still there when you look back. You can’t say that about blips across the bottom of your television screen. Mostly that is annoying but occasionally you caught part of a message and wished you saw the rest of it.
This summer’s frustration with the challenges in reporting accurate and timely information about algae week to week for the Monponsett Ponds led me to make inquiries as to who might be interested in building signboards for the ponds. I wanted something like what I have seen at nature trails: solid posts supporting a backing, covered by a little roof to protect the information from the elements, faced with Plexiglas lockable doors. There would be enough room for some history of the ponds, information about the watershed, various factors influencing the health of the ponds, such as keeping fertilizers of it and health factors for those who use the pond, such as avoiding the algae.
I shared my vision with anyone who would listen and you know what? Someone did. A handsome young man, Joseph Garuti, seventeen years old, seeking to earn his classification as an Eagle Scout showed an interest. When we first chatted about it earlier this summer, he enthusiastically added, “And it could have information about invasive weeds, too! I’ve seen signs about that where we visit in Vermont.”
Last week that young man’s interest was demonstrated by his official written proposal for informational signboards for the Monponsett Ponds in Halifax Massachusetts. It was an honor for me to sign his proposal.
He has more work to do, of course. He needs to raise funds, gather some helpers and meet with the Board of Selectmen to seek permission for placing these signboards on town property. By the time he’s done, he will have learned so much and accomplished so much and I get my wish! Just think; I will be able to unlock those doors and replace the algae updates with the latest information and there it will be for the people who use and love the ponds. Thank you, Joe!
When there are young people who care and care enough to accomplish a good thing; that is a good sign! And it is a good sign for our whole country.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax. Do you have ideas for getting the word out? Let her know at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
Friday, December 25, 2009
Behind the Scenes Action 9-18-09
9-18-09 Behind the Scenes Action
When I was listening to WGBH’s radio show, “From The Top” last Sunday, I was reminded, once again, how much the domains of parenting and public health share. I was listening to these young people who are so accomplished in classical music and I thought about the effort, the focus, the dedication and love they devote to their craft. Then I thought about their parents and all the work and support they offered all through the years so that their children could, in fact, arrive at and enjoy those accomplishments.
Never listened to the show? Don’t make assumptions here. These still growing and developing youth are funny and well adjusted and so is the show. In fact, they present themselves in such a light of “normalcy”, that we relate even if our family has not reached their pinnacles, let alone even considered it. What we do relate to, though, is the planning, effort and coordination that goes into every school play, art show, book report with diorama and science fair. On the day of the culminating event, with anxiety, relief and hopefully, pride and satisfaction, we witness the fruits of our labor and then, in minutes or hours, the much practiced event is over. The lessons and benefits last a life-time, though, don’t they?
The same pride and effort is expended toward public health programs all the time, most of it quietly and behind the scenes in response to events past and in preparation for those in the future. The current issue just passing the peak of a learning curve is our response to swine flu, now referred to as H1N1. First there was fear. Then, as the numbers came in, it was compared to seasonal flu and it was reined back in by many to the arena of ‘usual” and “normal”. Then it spread to the point of being worldwide and for the first time in many decades, the much-dreaded word ‘pandemic’ was applicable. Still, at this point, it has fortunately not changed in severity. This influenza is still very much among us though and lives have been lost to it. Across the nation our state departments of public health have been conferring with the Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention) gathering data and learning from the virus’ patterns in order to prepare, minimize, mitigate and appropriately respond.
Updates by email have been numerous but they are never sufficient in an important and evolving situation. Posters, pamphlets can be ordered for free. There are templates for letters and situation specific guidance for school teachers and administrators, preschool through college. I, for one, am grateful for the numerous conference calls allowing for questions and dialogue.
This learning process and the production of the vaccine for the H1N1 has taken us right to the point where we are now chomping at the bit for the seasonal flu vaccinations and ramping up for the H1N1. Your local boards of health have begun coordinating efforts with new players and new program components. While the seasonal vaccinations should play out without a problem and with the usual providers, both commercial and public, the new flu inoculation response will be so widespread that no one sector could handle it all. Pediatricians have said they could not handle the influx of appointments. If they can vaccinate the little ones, we can initiate a plan that hasn’t been used since my childhood: school based vaccinations. We will probably see a combination of students vaccinated in school with a consent form and also family clinics after school or on a Saturday, to allow parents to accompany their children. Information about that will soon be sent home to parents of school age children.
If the high risk groups for this new virus were the elderly, those with chronic conditions and pregnant women, they could probably be seen by their primary care physician and OBGYN. With our young people of six months old to 24 years old being at high risk, we need to vaccinate as many of that huge number of our society as fast as we can to slow down the virus and to create a “herd immunity” offering protection to us all.
New situations require new responses. We will need more nurses to assist the public health nurses and the school nurses. Their earned praises will follow when all of this has calmed down. The vaccine will be provided for free but new entities, such as the schools, will need to register and apply in order to receive it. That takes time. There is funding from several federal avenues to pay for or reimburse H1N1 related costs. Documenting those costs also takes time. These extra efforts will exact a toll of their own from health agents. Routine inspections may be delayed or missed. Paperwork may not be filed or phone calls returned. However, this is an unusual need requiring out of the ordinary responses. Isn’t saving a life worth it?
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. More information about this developing issue is right around the corner. What do you think about your child receiving the H1N1 vaccine? She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
When I was listening to WGBH’s radio show, “From The Top” last Sunday, I was reminded, once again, how much the domains of parenting and public health share. I was listening to these young people who are so accomplished in classical music and I thought about the effort, the focus, the dedication and love they devote to their craft. Then I thought about their parents and all the work and support they offered all through the years so that their children could, in fact, arrive at and enjoy those accomplishments.
Never listened to the show? Don’t make assumptions here. These still growing and developing youth are funny and well adjusted and so is the show. In fact, they present themselves in such a light of “normalcy”, that we relate even if our family has not reached their pinnacles, let alone even considered it. What we do relate to, though, is the planning, effort and coordination that goes into every school play, art show, book report with diorama and science fair. On the day of the culminating event, with anxiety, relief and hopefully, pride and satisfaction, we witness the fruits of our labor and then, in minutes or hours, the much practiced event is over. The lessons and benefits last a life-time, though, don’t they?
The same pride and effort is expended toward public health programs all the time, most of it quietly and behind the scenes in response to events past and in preparation for those in the future. The current issue just passing the peak of a learning curve is our response to swine flu, now referred to as H1N1. First there was fear. Then, as the numbers came in, it was compared to seasonal flu and it was reined back in by many to the arena of ‘usual” and “normal”. Then it spread to the point of being worldwide and for the first time in many decades, the much-dreaded word ‘pandemic’ was applicable. Still, at this point, it has fortunately not changed in severity. This influenza is still very much among us though and lives have been lost to it. Across the nation our state departments of public health have been conferring with the Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention) gathering data and learning from the virus’ patterns in order to prepare, minimize, mitigate and appropriately respond.
Updates by email have been numerous but they are never sufficient in an important and evolving situation. Posters, pamphlets can be ordered for free. There are templates for letters and situation specific guidance for school teachers and administrators, preschool through college. I, for one, am grateful for the numerous conference calls allowing for questions and dialogue.
This learning process and the production of the vaccine for the H1N1 has taken us right to the point where we are now chomping at the bit for the seasonal flu vaccinations and ramping up for the H1N1. Your local boards of health have begun coordinating efforts with new players and new program components. While the seasonal vaccinations should play out without a problem and with the usual providers, both commercial and public, the new flu inoculation response will be so widespread that no one sector could handle it all. Pediatricians have said they could not handle the influx of appointments. If they can vaccinate the little ones, we can initiate a plan that hasn’t been used since my childhood: school based vaccinations. We will probably see a combination of students vaccinated in school with a consent form and also family clinics after school or on a Saturday, to allow parents to accompany their children. Information about that will soon be sent home to parents of school age children.
If the high risk groups for this new virus were the elderly, those with chronic conditions and pregnant women, they could probably be seen by their primary care physician and OBGYN. With our young people of six months old to 24 years old being at high risk, we need to vaccinate as many of that huge number of our society as fast as we can to slow down the virus and to create a “herd immunity” offering protection to us all.
New situations require new responses. We will need more nurses to assist the public health nurses and the school nurses. Their earned praises will follow when all of this has calmed down. The vaccine will be provided for free but new entities, such as the schools, will need to register and apply in order to receive it. That takes time. There is funding from several federal avenues to pay for or reimburse H1N1 related costs. Documenting those costs also takes time. These extra efforts will exact a toll of their own from health agents. Routine inspections may be delayed or missed. Paperwork may not be filed or phone calls returned. However, this is an unusual need requiring out of the ordinary responses. Isn’t saving a life worth it?
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. More information about this developing issue is right around the corner. What do you think about your child receiving the H1N1 vaccine? She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
When I was listening to WGBH’s radio show, “From The Top” last Sunday, I was reminded, once again, how much the domains of parenting and public health share. I was listening to these young people who are so accomplished in classical music and I thought about the effort, the focus, the dedication and love they devote to their craft. Then I thought about their parents and all the work and support they offered all through the years so that their children could, in fact, arrive at and enjoy those accomplishments.
Never listened to the show? Don’t make assumptions here. These still growing and developing youth are funny and well adjusted and so is the show. In fact, they present themselves in such a light of “normalcy”, that we relate even if our family has not reached their pinnacles, let alone even considered it. What we do relate to, though, is the planning, effort and coordination that goes into every school play, art show, book report with diorama and science fair. On the day of the culminating event, with anxiety, relief and hopefully, pride and satisfaction, we witness the fruits of our labor and then, in minutes or hours, the much practiced event is over. The lessons and benefits last a life-time, though, don’t they?
The same pride and effort is expended toward public health programs all the time, most of it quietly and behind the scenes in response to events past and in preparation for those in the future. The current issue just passing the peak of a learning curve is our response to swine flu, now referred to as H1N1. First there was fear. Then, as the numbers came in, it was compared to seasonal flu and it was reined back in by many to the arena of ‘usual” and “normal”. Then it spread to the point of being worldwide and for the first time in many decades, the much-dreaded word ‘pandemic’ was applicable. Still, at this point, it has fortunately not changed in severity. This influenza is still very much among us though and lives have been lost to it. Across the nation our state departments of public health have been conferring with the Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention) gathering data and learning from the virus’ patterns in order to prepare, minimize, mitigate and appropriately respond.
Updates by email have been numerous but they are never sufficient in an important and evolving situation. Posters, pamphlets can be ordered for free. There are templates for letters and situation specific guidance for school teachers and administrators, preschool through college. I, for one, am grateful for the numerous conference calls allowing for questions and dialogue.
This learning process and the production of the vaccine for the H1N1 has taken us right to the point where we are now chomping at the bit for the seasonal flu vaccinations and ramping up for the H1N1. Your local boards of health have begun coordinating efforts with new players and new program components. While the seasonal vaccinations should play out without a problem and with the usual providers, both commercial and public, the new flu inoculation response will be so widespread that no one sector could handle it all. Pediatricians have said they could not handle the influx of appointments. If they can vaccinate the little ones, we can initiate a plan that hasn’t been used since my childhood: school based vaccinations. We will probably see a combination of students vaccinated in school with a consent form and also family clinics after school or on a Saturday, to allow parents to accompany their children. Information about that will soon be sent home to parents of school age children.
If the high risk groups for this new virus were the elderly, those with chronic conditions and pregnant women, they could probably be seen by their primary care physician and OBGYN. With our young people of six months old to 24 years old being at high risk, we need to vaccinate as many of that huge number of our society as fast as we can to slow down the virus and to create a “herd immunity” offering protection to us all.
New situations require new responses. We will need more nurses to assist the public health nurses and the school nurses. Their earned praises will follow when all of this has calmed down. The vaccine will be provided for free but new entities, such as the schools, will need to register and apply in order to receive it. That takes time. There is funding from several federal avenues to pay for or reimburse H1N1 related costs. Documenting those costs also takes time. These extra efforts will exact a toll of their own from health agents. Routine inspections may be delayed or missed. Paperwork may not be filed or phone calls returned. However, this is an unusual need requiring out of the ordinary responses. Isn’t saving a life worth it?
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. More information about this developing issue is right around the corner. What do you think about your child receiving the H1N1 vaccine? She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
When I was listening to WGBH’s radio show, “From The Top” last Sunday, I was reminded, once again, how much the domains of parenting and public health share. I was listening to these young people who are so accomplished in classical music and I thought about the effort, the focus, the dedication and love they devote to their craft. Then I thought about their parents and all the work and support they offered all through the years so that their children could, in fact, arrive at and enjoy those accomplishments.
Never listened to the show? Don’t make assumptions here. These still growing and developing youth are funny and well adjusted and so is the show. In fact, they present themselves in such a light of “normalcy”, that we relate even if our family has not reached their pinnacles, let alone even considered it. What we do relate to, though, is the planning, effort and coordination that goes into every school play, art show, book report with diorama and science fair. On the day of the culminating event, with anxiety, relief and hopefully, pride and satisfaction, we witness the fruits of our labor and then, in minutes or hours, the much practiced event is over. The lessons and benefits last a life-time, though, don’t they?
The same pride and effort is expended toward public health programs all the time, most of it quietly and behind the scenes in response to events past and in preparation for those in the future. The current issue just passing the peak of a learning curve is our response to swine flu, now referred to as H1N1. First there was fear. Then, as the numbers came in, it was compared to seasonal flu and it was reined back in by many to the arena of ‘usual” and “normal”. Then it spread to the point of being worldwide and for the first time in many decades, the much-dreaded word ‘pandemic’ was applicable. Still, at this point, it has fortunately not changed in severity. This influenza is still very much among us though and lives have been lost to it. Across the nation our state departments of public health have been conferring with the Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention) gathering data and learning from the virus’ patterns in order to prepare, minimize, mitigate and appropriately respond.
Updates by email have been numerous but they are never sufficient in an important and evolving situation. Posters, pamphlets can be ordered for free. There are templates for letters and situation specific guidance for school teachers and administrators, preschool through college. I, for one, am grateful for the numerous conference calls allowing for questions and dialogue.
This learning process and the production of the vaccine for the H1N1 has taken us right to the point where we are now chomping at the bit for the seasonal flu vaccinations and ramping up for the H1N1. Your local boards of health have begun coordinating efforts with new players and new program components. While the seasonal vaccinations should play out without a problem and with the usual providers, both commercial and public, the new flu inoculation response will be so widespread that no one sector could handle it all. Pediatricians have said they could not handle the influx of appointments. If they can vaccinate the little ones, we can initiate a plan that hasn’t been used since my childhood: school based vaccinations. We will probably see a combination of students vaccinated in school with a consent form and also family clinics after school or on a Saturday, to allow parents to accompany their children. Information about that will soon be sent home to parents of school age children.
If the high risk groups for this new virus were the elderly, those with chronic conditions and pregnant women, they could probably be seen by their primary care physician and OBGYN. With our young people of six months old to 24 years old being at high risk, we need to vaccinate as many of that huge number of our society as fast as we can to slow down the virus and to create a “herd immunity” offering protection to us all.
New situations require new responses. We will need more nurses to assist the public health nurses and the school nurses. Their earned praises will follow when all of this has calmed down. The vaccine will be provided for free but new entities, such as the schools, will need to register and apply in order to receive it. That takes time. There is funding from several federal avenues to pay for or reimburse H1N1 related costs. Documenting those costs also takes time. These extra efforts will exact a toll of their own from health agents. Routine inspections may be delayed or missed. Paperwork may not be filed or phone calls returned. However, this is an unusual need requiring out of the ordinary responses. Isn’t saving a life worth it?
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. More information about this developing issue is right around the corner. What do you think about your child receiving the H1N1 vaccine? She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
A Sign for The Times 9-11-09
9-11-09
A Sign for The Times
A few weeks back I sent out some group emails to practice my emergency notification contact list and also to practice something else. My request was for assistance in setting up the floor plan for an emergency dispensing site. The floor plan I designed was for circumstances with more dire consequences than the H1N1 is currently bringing. However, the possibility of this virus changing, where it becomes more deadly than it is right now, or of the appearance, at any time, of an illness requiring a speedier response continues to be on my mind. Those circumstances involve a complicated floor plan where people are triaged, the ill separated and sent home or to a hospital, the well people are screened for contraindications and medication is dispensed. In a perfect world, there is even a room for those who are in despair and trained people are there to help them. And because these emergency dispensing sites are thought to be 48 hour ‘round-the-clock clinics, there are also staff break rooms, childcare and meal preparation and/or eating area.
This is what I have been taught for some years now. Prepare for a response to smallpox or the plague or to anthrax. The floor plan for these deadly situations is a complicated one, with lots of signage. Triage. Fill Out Form. Medical Evaluation. Medication. Wait Here. Behavioral Health Response. Staff Only. Bathroom. And there are lots of arrows.
Federal and State funding provided signs for these situations. They are white with black lettering, light-weight and durable. I’d like them to be larger but they’ll do. (They’re about 24” by 30”.) There is one problem: no one thought of or provided a way to hang them up. There were no holes in the corners. Stands were not provided either.
I know of only a few people who have practiced their floor plan. One person told me, “As I watched from the sides to make notes for the documentation, I saw that taping signs to chairs with duct tape was not effective. As people began milling around, the signs were obstructed and many fell to the floor as the tape loosened. So, in our briefing, we decided to use color-coded helium balloons the next time for the various stations.”
“Oh, oh!” I thought. We are in trouble if our emergency preparedeness experts think we are actually going to be getting balloons filled in an emergency and color-coded, to boot!” An image of substituting sponge Bob Square Pants balloons for yellow and Princess balloons for pink flashed before my eyes and then, as thought that wasn’t bad enough, the thought of them drooping as they deflated was too much. I had to come up with something more practical and reliable.
I decided to try out this floor plan, with the signs, see how long it would take to set up the traffic pattern and how many people I would need.
The practice went well for our first shot at this. I found that it takes two custodians about one hour to find and deliver from various locations in the school, some things I requested such as half walls and moveable chalkboards (a scarcity these days) to be used as dividers. I learned from the custodians how to roll back the bleachers, in case the floor space is needed.
The two CERT members, a selectman, an emergency preparedness contractor, a police officer and the police chief and myself were enough to set up chairs, line up the dividers, place the signs and roll back the bleachers. Two hours is enough time for set up. A couple more people would be needed for setting up our several canopies outside the entrance. So, let’s say, ten people and two hours. That’s good news.
The bad news was the signs are important and hanging them needs improvement. On the morning of the exercise, I melted holes into the corners and centers of all the signs by heating an ice pick at the gas stove. (This was how I made bug boxes for my children from empty plastic peanut butter jars.) I found that I could melt right through at least three layers of signs at once. The holes were for wire. I had a small supply of the thin colorful plastic coated copper wire that used to carry our telephone messages before they were replaced by fiber optics. They’ve come in handy over the years and now they were put to use again. Duct tape going through a loop of wire would support the signs better than just taping one surface to another.
Next, I was in search of something tall, narrow, strong and light-weight to hold up the signs. Bamboo poles served the purpose but they were dependent on chairs for a base. The backs of chairs are angled, which left the signs angled. The Police Chief had a set of really cool collapsible flag posts. They were light-weight, durable, telescoping and sat on a tripod base. My wires wrapped around them and held the signs with duct tape very well. But, the poles were so light-weight, they tipped over easily and the telescoping aspect was useful for packing up and storing but were tricky to handle without them collapsing.
Since this exercise in creative thinking and making do, I have been on the lookout for sign poles. You know what? They are everywhere for people who use signs at their work place. That makes sense, of course; I just never paid attention to what held up a sign saying something is on SALE or Clearance or Holiday Special. Now that I see the perfect sign-posts in stores, I have begun to introduce myself to store managers. I want them to be aware of the need and have asked that if they ever are ready to throw them in the dumpster or recycling bin, to please contact their local board of health instead.
Will you keep your eyes open for me, too? I could use your help.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax. She believes being ready is a good thing and getting help with readiness is even better. Tell her your ideas at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
A Sign for The Times
A few weeks back I sent out some group emails to practice my emergency notification contact list and also to practice something else. My request was for assistance in setting up the floor plan for an emergency dispensing site. The floor plan I designed was for circumstances with more dire consequences than the H1N1 is currently bringing. However, the possibility of this virus changing, where it becomes more deadly than it is right now, or of the appearance, at any time, of an illness requiring a speedier response continues to be on my mind. Those circumstances involve a complicated floor plan where people are triaged, the ill separated and sent home or to a hospital, the well people are screened for contraindications and medication is dispensed. In a perfect world, there is even a room for those who are in despair and trained people are there to help them. And because these emergency dispensing sites are thought to be 48 hour ‘round-the-clock clinics, there are also staff break rooms, childcare and meal preparation and/or eating area.
This is what I have been taught for some years now. Prepare for a response to smallpox or the plague or to anthrax. The floor plan for these deadly situations is a complicated one, with lots of signage. Triage. Fill Out Form. Medical Evaluation. Medication. Wait Here. Behavioral Health Response. Staff Only. Bathroom. And there are lots of arrows.
Federal and State funding provided signs for these situations. They are white with black lettering, light-weight and durable. I’d like them to be larger but they’ll do. (They’re about 24” by 30”.) There is one problem: no one thought of or provided a way to hang them up. There were no holes in the corners. Stands were not provided either.
I know of only a few people who have practiced their floor plan. One person told me, “As I watched from the sides to make notes for the documentation, I saw that taping signs to chairs with duct tape was not effective. As people began milling around, the signs were obstructed and many fell to the floor as the tape loosened. So, in our briefing, we decided to use color-coded helium balloons the next time for the various stations.”
“Oh, oh!” I thought. We are in trouble if our emergency preparedeness experts think we are actually going to be getting balloons filled in an emergency and color-coded, to boot!” An image of substituting sponge Bob Square Pants balloons for yellow and Princess balloons for pink flashed before my eyes and then, as thought that wasn’t bad enough, the thought of them drooping as they deflated was too much. I had to come up with something more practical and reliable.
I decided to try out this floor plan, with the signs, see how long it would take to set up the traffic pattern and how many people I would need.
The practice went well for our first shot at this. I found that it takes two custodians about one hour to find and deliver from various locations in the school, some things I requested such as half walls and moveable chalkboards (a scarcity these days) to be used as dividers. I learned from the custodians how to roll back the bleachers, in case the floor space is needed.
The two CERT members, a selectman, an emergency preparedness contractor, a police officer and the police chief and myself were enough to set up chairs, line up the dividers, place the signs and roll back the bleachers. Two hours is enough time for set up. A couple more people would be needed for setting up our several canopies outside the entrance. So, let’s say, ten people and two hours. That’s good news.
The bad news was the signs are important and hanging them needs improvement. On the morning of the exercise, I melted holes into the corners and centers of all the signs by heating an ice pick at the gas stove. (This was how I made bug boxes for my children from empty plastic peanut butter jars.) I found that I could melt right through at least three layers of signs at once. The holes were for wire. I had a small supply of the thin colorful plastic coated copper wire that used to carry our telephone messages before they were replaced by fiber optics. They’ve come in handy over the years and now they were put to use again. Duct tape going through a loop of wire would support the signs better than just taping one surface to another.
Next, I was in search of something tall, narrow, strong and light-weight to hold up the signs. Bamboo poles served the purpose but they were dependent on chairs for a base. The backs of chairs are angled, which left the signs angled. The Police Chief had a set of really cool collapsible flag posts. They were light-weight, durable, telescoping and sat on a tripod base. My wires wrapped around them and held the signs with duct tape very well. But, the poles were so light-weight, they tipped over easily and the telescoping aspect was useful for packing up and storing but were tricky to handle without them collapsing.
Since this exercise in creative thinking and making do, I have been on the lookout for sign poles. You know what? They are everywhere for people who use signs at their work place. That makes sense, of course; I just never paid attention to what held up a sign saying something is on SALE or Clearance or Holiday Special. Now that I see the perfect sign-posts in stores, I have begun to introduce myself to store managers. I want them to be aware of the need and have asked that if they ever are ready to throw them in the dumpster or recycling bin, to please contact their local board of health instead.
Will you keep your eyes open for me, too? I could use your help.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax. She believes being ready is a good thing and getting help with readiness is even better. Tell her your ideas at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
Local Public Health Websites 8-28-09
8-28-09 Local Public Health Websites
Most of us depend on websites for contact information and up to the minute situation reports. Even if your head functions in an old fashioned way, as mine still does much of the time, we discover that the old ways of finding information are time consuming and may not even exist. For instance, a recent look at my small phone book left me wondering what happened to Plympton, Town of and Halifax, Town of. That’s when I whacked my forehead with the heel of my hand and announced, “I could’ve had a V-Eight!” That’s my euphemism for “dah!” I was once again reminded that it is now faster and more accurate (usually) to go to an organization’s website than it is to look for information in a phone book, make a call and ask routine questions.
Not having to pick up the phone to answer routine questions also allows employees to use more of their time for actually accomplishing necessary tasks. That’s a good thing. Some employees, however, are so diligent and shall I say, antsy, that they just have to keep busy, busy, busy. I am blessed with working with one of those antsy, I mean, amazing people who love to get stuff done. My Peggy has been the Halifax Board of Health’s administrative assistant for two years now. Early on she realized that we did not have any information on the town website. In her own time, without compensation, except for personal satisfaction, she learned how to make a website and little by little, built one just for us, and for you, too.
So, tah-da! And drum roll, please, as we welcome you our own website world within the Town’s site. Visit the Halifax MA website and go to the Town Departments and click on Health, Board of. The door opens to show you most of what we do. You’ll get a feel for the wide variety of topics a board of health deals with. You can look up meeting minutes, regulations, my columns, forms and applications and more. While there, use the links to stay informed on such important issues as the H1N1 virus. You’ll notice Peggy’s favorite topic with all her links on animal issues.
Including useful links is important because when we are looking, wondering or researching, one question leads to another. That’s how we learn. Why go to five websites when we can start with one and have that link lead us to the next logical place? It is useful for me, too, because if I am to address current issues of algae, inspections, and recent queries, then I can’t also be giving you the latest on one ongoing topic such as influenza. I don’t think you would be reading this now if I talked about the same topic each week for six months. So, dip into it as needed with those useful links, added by our friend, Peggy.
Some sites have also included blogs. I don’t have the time for that but our State Public Health Department has modernized its ways of communicating by adding one to their H1N1 reports. Some people like the interactive aspect of blogs. It’s conversational, as you can comment on it and read other’s comments.
While I don’t have the time to converse with blogs on a daily basis, I just thought of a way to dip into one. I can comment, at least once, on MA DPH’s H1N1 blog. With that one action, I can help the State of Massachusetts know what a health agent is wondering and, if you look at the blog, you can look at the comments.
Keeping in mind, again, how we learn and the social psychology aspects of interacting, the ability to comment on a blog is interesting. It does not matter how old we are. Many of us still feel like shy children when it comes to commenting, especially if we are the first. Once that first response is out there, though, then we are more likely to jump into the conversation.
So, even though I can feel my heart rate increase at the thought of being the first, I will ignore the inner child’s insecurities and comment on DPH’s H1N1 blog. I have several questions needing answers before we can respond appropriately this fall to the seasonal flu and the pandemic one.
Who knows, maybe my comment will trigger another and maybe, just hopefully and maybe, it will lead to some answers. But, for now, please don’t go directly to the MA DPH site. Please visit Halifax’s and open the door to the world of public health through our brand spanking new Board of Health website, a gift to us from amazing Peggy.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. She welcomes your comments and says it’s even OK to be the first to do so! She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
P.S. After composing my comment on the H1N1 blog at MA DPH, I posted it and received the response that it could not post my data! Gotta love this online stuff! I then went to a “comment” section on the website to tell them of the problem. I hope they respond. (And to think that I was going to be the first in a conversation!)
P.P.S. Thank you to all the people who called and emailed with bat stories and bat questions in response to the two-part column on bat facts and how they are beneficial. It was great hearing from you.
Most of us depend on websites for contact information and up to the minute situation reports. Even if your head functions in an old fashioned way, as mine still does much of the time, we discover that the old ways of finding information are time consuming and may not even exist. For instance, a recent look at my small phone book left me wondering what happened to Plympton, Town of and Halifax, Town of. That’s when I whacked my forehead with the heel of my hand and announced, “I could’ve had a V-Eight!” That’s my euphemism for “dah!” I was once again reminded that it is now faster and more accurate (usually) to go to an organization’s website than it is to look for information in a phone book, make a call and ask routine questions.
Not having to pick up the phone to answer routine questions also allows employees to use more of their time for actually accomplishing necessary tasks. That’s a good thing. Some employees, however, are so diligent and shall I say, antsy, that they just have to keep busy, busy, busy. I am blessed with working with one of those antsy, I mean, amazing people who love to get stuff done. My Peggy has been the Halifax Board of Health’s administrative assistant for two years now. Early on she realized that we did not have any information on the town website. In her own time, without compensation, except for personal satisfaction, she learned how to make a website and little by little, built one just for us, and for you, too.
So, tah-da! And drum roll, please, as we welcome you our own website world within the Town’s site. Visit the Halifax MA website and go to the Town Departments and click on Health, Board of. The door opens to show you most of what we do. You’ll get a feel for the wide variety of topics a board of health deals with. You can look up meeting minutes, regulations, my columns, forms and applications and more. While there, use the links to stay informed on such important issues as the H1N1 virus. You’ll notice Peggy’s favorite topic with all her links on animal issues.
Including useful links is important because when we are looking, wondering or researching, one question leads to another. That’s how we learn. Why go to five websites when we can start with one and have that link lead us to the next logical place? It is useful for me, too, because if I am to address current issues of algae, inspections, and recent queries, then I can’t also be giving you the latest on one ongoing topic such as influenza. I don’t think you would be reading this now if I talked about the same topic each week for six months. So, dip into it as needed with those useful links, added by our friend, Peggy.
Some sites have also included blogs. I don’t have the time for that but our State Public Health Department has modernized its ways of communicating by adding one to their H1N1 reports. Some people like the interactive aspect of blogs. It’s conversational, as you can comment on it and read other’s comments.
While I don’t have the time to converse with blogs on a daily basis, I just thought of a way to dip into one. I can comment, at least once, on MA DPH’s H1N1 blog. With that one action, I can help the State of Massachusetts know what a health agent is wondering and, if you look at the blog, you can look at the comments.
Keeping in mind, again, how we learn and the social psychology aspects of interacting, the ability to comment on a blog is interesting. It does not matter how old we are. Many of us still feel like shy children when it comes to commenting, especially if we are the first. Once that first response is out there, though, then we are more likely to jump into the conversation.
So, even though I can feel my heart rate increase at the thought of being the first, I will ignore the inner child’s insecurities and comment on DPH’s H1N1 blog. I have several questions needing answers before we can respond appropriately this fall to the seasonal flu and the pandemic one.
Who knows, maybe my comment will trigger another and maybe, just hopefully and maybe, it will lead to some answers. But, for now, please don’t go directly to the MA DPH site. Please visit Halifax’s and open the door to the world of public health through our brand spanking new Board of Health website, a gift to us from amazing Peggy.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. She welcomes your comments and says it’s even OK to be the first to do so! She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
P.S. After composing my comment on the H1N1 blog at MA DPH, I posted it and received the response that it could not post my data! Gotta love this online stuff! I then went to a “comment” section on the website to tell them of the problem. I hope they respond. (And to think that I was going to be the first in a conversation!)
P.P.S. Thank you to all the people who called and emailed with bat stories and bat questions in response to the two-part column on bat facts and how they are beneficial. It was great hearing from you.
A Rhyme in Time 8-21-09
8-21-09 A Rhyme in Time
I’ve been thinking of writing a list of rhyming phrases for public health. I was thinking of health agent work, though, rather than health, in general. I mean, if I was talking about any and all health topics, sure, I could come up with something about diet and riot or blood and crud but, as I said, I had health agent work in mind. And that work is with people and in the field. It is reality based and experiential, as opposed to purely theoretical or statistical.
So, here’s my first rhyme, just in time, for this week’s column, to you from mee-um: When nothing else seems to make sense, turn your attention to nuisance.
Rhyming ditties, I admit, have a way of sounding trite but they do assist the memory and that is important. Memory hooks pull you back to the point at any age. Now, what is the point of the nuisance law for health agents?
First of all, it lies within Part I of Massachusetts General Law. That section is dedicated to the Administration of the Government. Within that part I, is Title XVI, and there we find Chapter 111, referring to Public Health. Now that we have honed in on the correct chapter, there we find many sections talking about various topics with which boards of health are entrusted with the duty of enforcing.
An often-quoted section is 143: Noisome Trades. This section includes noisome and injurious odors, which concludes with, “this section shall apply to the operations of piggeries.”
Massachusetts’ first board of health was concerned about numerous activities taking place at the time, such as those piggeries. They also wanted to know if fish were being properly gutted and cleaned before being brought inland. Feathers could not be “landed” without an inspection determining they carried no infection. Were they concerned about mites? I don’t know. They did not say. Oysters could not be possessed or sold from the first day of June to the first day of September. Maybe they knew about red tide. I don’t know.
What I do know is they were wise enough to understand and foresee that while the general law was necessary as far as its intention was concerned, the particulars might change with time. Yesteryore’s squealing pigs are today’s dirt bikes. A recent inquiry from a person greatly bothered by his neighbor’s dirt bike activities was interesting. As he began his summary, I responded with, “Yes, we have dealt with this issue.” He continued to indicate that I probably did not realize how distressing the noise could be and so, he wanted to show me something he found online. It was an enforcement letter from a health agent to a resident regarding the dust, odors and noise created by dirt bikes. It was an “Abate a Nuisance” letter. I took the printout from the man and began to read. It seemed so familiar. The names and addresses had been removed. I finally said, “Hey, this is my letter! This is the case I was referring to!” It was a small world moment.
The most recent call to the office in the nuisance category was that of a cow carcass on a roof. Yes, that is correct. Well, it wasn’t a whole carcass. It was just the skull of a slaughtered cow, with skin still intact. The police department was called regarding this concern of… of what? Perhaps the caller thought it wasn’t “normal” (problematic; so many definitions!), legal or safe. I don’t know but when I was informed of the situation by the police department, I said, “Oh, that’s a nuisance situation. The cow skull can attract insects and wild animals. I’ll talk to the owner”
Upon seeing the skull, with horns and skin intact, on the lower portion of the small barn, facing the sun, I mentally placed my bet that the property owner was waiting for nature to take its cleansing course so that he could have something worthy of a Georgia O’Keefe painting.
I quickly filled out my “I received a call about the following” form. I confirmed the cow skull, asked for a call so that we could discuss the intention, and, in the meantime, I asked that the owner please move the skull out of view from the road. I stuck the folded paper in the front door with my card and left, as knocks and calls did not produce any response. The following day, the message on the office answering machine indicated a not-too-happy customer but one who would be willing to comply with my request. (And I was right! He was not finished with “the process”. He was just trying to preserve the skull.)
Public health is never dull. Who knows what’s next? I hope not another skull.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax. What do you think is a nuisance? And is it just annoying or is there any actual health hazard? Let me know at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
I’ve been thinking of writing a list of rhyming phrases for public health. I was thinking of health agent work, though, rather than health, in general. I mean, if I was talking about any and all health topics, sure, I could come up with something about diet and riot or blood and crud but, as I said, I had health agent work in mind. And that work is with people and in the field. It is reality based and experiential, as opposed to purely theoretical or statistical.
So, here’s my first rhyme, just in time, for this week’s column, to you from mee-um: When nothing else seems to make sense, turn your attention to nuisance.
Rhyming ditties, I admit, have a way of sounding trite but they do assist the memory and that is important. Memory hooks pull you back to the point at any age. Now, what is the point of the nuisance law for health agents?
First of all, it lies within Part I of Massachusetts General Law. That section is dedicated to the Administration of the Government. Within that part I, is Title XVI, and there we find Chapter 111, referring to Public Health. Now that we have honed in on the correct chapter, there we find many sections talking about various topics with which boards of health are entrusted with the duty of enforcing.
An often-quoted section is 143: Noisome Trades. This section includes noisome and injurious odors, which concludes with, “this section shall apply to the operations of piggeries.”
Massachusetts’ first board of health was concerned about numerous activities taking place at the time, such as those piggeries. They also wanted to know if fish were being properly gutted and cleaned before being brought inland. Feathers could not be “landed” without an inspection determining they carried no infection. Were they concerned about mites? I don’t know. They did not say. Oysters could not be possessed or sold from the first day of June to the first day of September. Maybe they knew about red tide. I don’t know.
What I do know is they were wise enough to understand and foresee that while the general law was necessary as far as its intention was concerned, the particulars might change with time. Yesteryore’s squealing pigs are today’s dirt bikes. A recent inquiry from a person greatly bothered by his neighbor’s dirt bike activities was interesting. As he began his summary, I responded with, “Yes, we have dealt with this issue.” He continued to indicate that I probably did not realize how distressing the noise could be and so, he wanted to show me something he found online. It was an enforcement letter from a health agent to a resident regarding the dust, odors and noise created by dirt bikes. It was an “Abate a Nuisance” letter. I took the printout from the man and began to read. It seemed so familiar. The names and addresses had been removed. I finally said, “Hey, this is my letter! This is the case I was referring to!” It was a small world moment.
The most recent call to the office in the nuisance category was that of a cow carcass on a roof. Yes, that is correct. Well, it wasn’t a whole carcass. It was just the skull of a slaughtered cow, with skin still intact. The police department was called regarding this concern of… of what? Perhaps the caller thought it wasn’t “normal” (problematic; so many definitions!), legal or safe. I don’t know but when I was informed of the situation by the police department, I said, “Oh, that’s a nuisance situation. The cow skull can attract insects and wild animals. I’ll talk to the owner”
Upon seeing the skull, with horns and skin intact, on the lower portion of the small barn, facing the sun, I mentally placed my bet that the property owner was waiting for nature to take its cleansing course so that he could have something worthy of a Georgia O’Keefe painting.
I quickly filled out my “I received a call about the following” form. I confirmed the cow skull, asked for a call so that we could discuss the intention, and, in the meantime, I asked that the owner please move the skull out of view from the road. I stuck the folded paper in the front door with my card and left, as knocks and calls did not produce any response. The following day, the message on the office answering machine indicated a not-too-happy customer but one who would be willing to comply with my request. (And I was right! He was not finished with “the process”. He was just trying to preserve the skull.)
Public health is never dull. Who knows what’s next? I hope not another skull.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax. What do you think is a nuisance? And is it just annoying or is there any actual health hazard? Let me know at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
Bats Are Beneficial, Too 8-14-09
8-14-09 Bats Are Beneficial, Too
My oldest daughter, Kate, lives in charming Connecticut with her husband, Jim, and their two children. The local bats think it is charming, also. In fact, they enjoy it so much, they have visited her house six times in the last year. The elderly woman who lives across the street grew up in Kate’s house as the first family, with Katie’s being only the second. She tells my daughter, “Oh, yes, they liked to fly into that house when I lived there, too.”
Well, after venturing to hospitals in the middle of the night and having wildlife handlers remove bats, my daughter and son in law decided enough was enough. They were going to take measures to prevent future visits from these mysterious creatures and, so, on July 25,my son in law was on bat duty, plugging up any tiny holes he could find into the attic.
The following week, while out during their first ever use of a babysitter, they received a call from, you guessed it, the babysitter. There was a very small bat flying down the stair well and into the living room. They booked it back to Mystic, CT from Massachusetts and on the way gave a call to the wildlife guy who captured their first bat visitor in June of 2008.
“You plugged up holes in July?” he asks. “It’s best to wait until the middle of August, when the newly weaned youngsters are venturing out on their own for the first time. Before that, they are stuck in the roosting area, with only some practice flying going on, perhaps, while Mom is out.”
Oh, how I could relate! You know how that goes if you’ve had teenagers. You don’t want them practicing their driving skills in your yard while you are out, now do you? Of course you don’t.
Here’s what they learned about keeping bats out of the attic:
If there is more than one exit, plug all but one with steel wool stuffed in and filling with foam insulation over it. Give them a few days to practice using the one remaining hole and then, after dark, you can plug that one in the same manner. While this project is going on, plan on sealing with wide tape around your door or pull-down from the attic each time you leave it, as this was the most recent entry point at my daughter’s house. A baby bat slipped into her house through the edge of the pull-down stairs and could not figure out how to back into the attic. Poor little thing! It did not know how to get out from this new place inside the home or how to get back to its cozy insulated home
Once you’ve prevented bats from living in your belfry or you’ve discovered that they are only living harmlessly outdoors, it’s time to sit back and appreciate them. That’s right! They are amazing mammals and wonderfully beneficial to the earth’s ecosystem.
Some bats visit plants and eat fruit, helping to pollinate them and to spread their seeds, greatly assisting our troubled and diminishing supply of bees. Each insect-eating bat consumes thousands each night. They eat so many insects that along with birds and bees, they are a farmer’s best friends.
In fact, a few decades ago, Betty and Tony Koch of Oregon became so concerned about the amount of pesticides they were using at their 219 acre orchard that they decided to attract insect eating wildlife to their farm in hopes they could make a difference. When they saw that hundreds of birdhouses were reducing the need for pesticides, Tony started to build bat houses as well. With many refinements and discoveries made along the way, with his scientific approach of trial and error, Tony Koch became convinced he was not wasting his time.
His hunch, his hard work and his observations paid off. By allowing and assisting the bats to proliferate, they ate insects after dark and birds did in the daytime. Tony saw a significant reduction in the earworms found on his corn. In fact, he went from spraying his orchards and cornfields thirteen times a season to only twice, applied after the birds and bats left for their winter migration.
I found this story of the Koch’s Bird Haven Farm on the Bat Conservation International website. This is the best, most informative and most interesting site I have found on bats. As you can guess from the title, the website is trying to bring worldwide attention to the importance of bats and the worrisome reduction in their breeding and feeding habitats. I learned that bats have very specific methods of and places for feeding. One prefers water’s edge. Another prefers to feed while flying over open fields. Some roost in old growth forests, while others prefer manmade structures.
At this fantastic interactive website, I also read accounts from the nineteenth century of the skies being blackened with huge numbers of migrating bats. That certainly is not the case anymore. Those thousands of bats lived somewhere before they migrated. Perhaps their homes of the past no longer exist. Maybe we can do something about that.
Not only can we live with nature, we must never forget that we are dependent on it. That’s a fact.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax. She is in favor of helping people to keep bats out of their houses but also supporting bats in our outdoor environments. She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
My oldest daughter, Kate, lives in charming Connecticut with her husband, Jim, and their two children. The local bats think it is charming, also. In fact, they enjoy it so much, they have visited her house six times in the last year. The elderly woman who lives across the street grew up in Kate’s house as the first family, with Katie’s being only the second. She tells my daughter, “Oh, yes, they liked to fly into that house when I lived there, too.”
Well, after venturing to hospitals in the middle of the night and having wildlife handlers remove bats, my daughter and son in law decided enough was enough. They were going to take measures to prevent future visits from these mysterious creatures and, so, on July 25,my son in law was on bat duty, plugging up any tiny holes he could find into the attic.
The following week, while out during their first ever use of a babysitter, they received a call from, you guessed it, the babysitter. There was a very small bat flying down the stair well and into the living room. They booked it back to Mystic, CT from Massachusetts and on the way gave a call to the wildlife guy who captured their first bat visitor in June of 2008.
“You plugged up holes in July?” he asks. “It’s best to wait until the middle of August, when the newly weaned youngsters are venturing out on their own for the first time. Before that, they are stuck in the roosting area, with only some practice flying going on, perhaps, while Mom is out.”
Oh, how I could relate! You know how that goes if you’ve had teenagers. You don’t want them practicing their driving skills in your yard while you are out, now do you? Of course you don’t.
Here’s what they learned about keeping bats out of the attic:
If there is more than one exit, plug all but one with steel wool stuffed in and filling with foam insulation over it. Give them a few days to practice using the one remaining hole and then, after dark, you can plug that one in the same manner. While this project is going on, plan on sealing with wide tape around your door or pull-down from the attic each time you leave it, as this was the most recent entry point at my daughter’s house. A baby bat slipped into her house through the edge of the pull-down stairs and could not figure out how to back into the attic. Poor little thing! It did not know how to get out from this new place inside the home or how to get back to its cozy insulated home
Once you’ve prevented bats from living in your belfry or you’ve discovered that they are only living harmlessly outdoors, it’s time to sit back and appreciate them. That’s right! They are amazing mammals and wonderfully beneficial to the earth’s ecosystem.
Some bats visit plants and eat fruit, helping to pollinate them and to spread their seeds, greatly assisting our troubled and diminishing supply of bees. Each insect-eating bat consumes thousands each night. They eat so many insects that along with birds and bees, they are a farmer’s best friends.
In fact, a few decades ago, Betty and Tony Koch of Oregon became so concerned about the amount of pesticides they were using at their 219 acre orchard that they decided to attract insect eating wildlife to their farm in hopes they could make a difference. When they saw that hundreds of birdhouses were reducing the need for pesticides, Tony started to build bat houses as well. With many refinements and discoveries made along the way, with his scientific approach of trial and error, Tony Koch became convinced he was not wasting his time.
His hunch, his hard work and his observations paid off. By allowing and assisting the bats to proliferate, they ate insects after dark and birds did in the daytime. Tony saw a significant reduction in the earworms found on his corn. In fact, he went from spraying his orchards and cornfields thirteen times a season to only twice, applied after the birds and bats left for their winter migration.
I found this story of the Koch’s Bird Haven Farm on the Bat Conservation International website. This is the best, most informative and most interesting site I have found on bats. As you can guess from the title, the website is trying to bring worldwide attention to the importance of bats and the worrisome reduction in their breeding and feeding habitats. I learned that bats have very specific methods of and places for feeding. One prefers water’s edge. Another prefers to feed while flying over open fields. Some roost in old growth forests, while others prefer manmade structures.
At this fantastic interactive website, I also read accounts from the nineteenth century of the skies being blackened with huge numbers of migrating bats. That certainly is not the case anymore. Those thousands of bats lived somewhere before they migrated. Perhaps their homes of the past no longer exist. Maybe we can do something about that.
Not only can we live with nature, we must never forget that we are dependent on it. That’s a fact.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax. She is in favor of helping people to keep bats out of their houses but also supporting bats in our outdoor environments. She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
Bat Facts 8-7-09
8-7-09 Bat Facts
Each year around this time of year, I receive a notice from our friends at the Department of Public Health reminding us that bats can carry the rabies virus and that bats have incredibly small teeth. If you have ever seen a bat, you know how tiny the mouth is and so you might think it funny that DPH bothers to point out the obvious: small mouths have small teeth. They take the time to tell us because, in the case of bats, there may not be a visible mark left by a bite. You also might wonder why we need to see the mark since getting bitten would be a known event. Right? But what if the victim of the bat bite was an infant and could not tell you? What if the recipient of the bat’s attention was intoxicated, asleep or in any way mentally impaired? In those cases, if we can’t be certain about contact, then catching and submitting the bat for rabies testing is in order. Within 48 hours you’d have the results and if negative, you’re all set. If positive, then you can’t take the chance. Rabies can be prevented with a series of vaccinations but cannot be treated once it has developed. In that case, the exposed person dies.
Considering this set of possibilities, it is a good idea to keep your screens repaired and vents covered with wire mesh to prevent bats from entering your home. If we can prevent the bats from entering the home, we are unlikely to ever have contact with them. It would be nice to avoid ever having to worry about the exposure to the deadly rabies virus.
Just ask my daughter, Kate. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, one year old Taryn and four year old Colin. In early June of 2008 she was awakened in the middle of the night by two year-old Colin’s cry for help because a bat was in his room. The wildlife guy she called to remove it knew that since my daughter could not be certain that her son was not bitten by the bat, he would catch it and send it to their state lab for testing. Since that time, they have had five other bat encounters in their house and they have learned a lot about bats. Here’s just a little of that knowledge and why she learned making it imperative to learn about these creatures:
The first warm day in the spring is the first peak of bat activity. (That was Kate’s first encounter. When she called the wildlife handler at 1:30 in the morning, he went over the various services and charges and told her to make up her mind before he crossed the bridge because he had been out responding to bat calls since 5:00 a.m. the previous day! ) After the awakening with spring fever, bats do a little figuring out on that first day of adventure and then they settle in to having their babies. In August those babies have been weaned and are venturing out on their own for the first time. They behave like any other child; they make mistakes and learn by them.
When looking for evidence of bats living in your home, look for their small droppings on doorsteps, decks or in the attic. They are not as skinny as mice droppings and they are filled with the iridescent bits and pieces of the insects they eat. If the bats reside under overhangs on the exterior of your home, you can expect to see blackened streaks from their urine. If these fascinating little mammals have to rub against something while skooching their way under say, a vent or shingle, you will find a dark somewhat greasy looking stain, like the ones cats leave from rubbing their backs against their favorite corner in your house while they purr and give you that look that says, ‘Don’t you just love me and don’t you want to feed me or scratch my back?”
Once you see and understand the evidence, begin to look for their exits by sitting outdoors and watching at dusk. As it begins to get dark, make note of how many and from what openings they leave. If they are only individuals roosting under a shingle or overhang, then do nothing. Think of them as your bug reduction program. If they are exiting from your attic, then you should start to plug those holes. That’s what Kate’s husband did on July 25.
What happened next? Did he plug them up sufficiently? Was it the best time of the year and the optimal time of the day or night when he did that work? Find out next week as I continue the story and as I discover how much we need bats in our local environment and throughout the world, because that’s a fact, also.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. Do you have any bat tales for her? (She collects insects, too.) She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
Each year around this time of year, I receive a notice from our friends at the Department of Public Health reminding us that bats can carry the rabies virus and that bats have incredibly small teeth. If you have ever seen a bat, you know how tiny the mouth is and so you might think it funny that DPH bothers to point out the obvious: small mouths have small teeth. They take the time to tell us because, in the case of bats, there may not be a visible mark left by a bite. You also might wonder why we need to see the mark since getting bitten would be a known event. Right? But what if the victim of the bat bite was an infant and could not tell you? What if the recipient of the bat’s attention was intoxicated, asleep or in any way mentally impaired? In those cases, if we can’t be certain about contact, then catching and submitting the bat for rabies testing is in order. Within 48 hours you’d have the results and if negative, you’re all set. If positive, then you can’t take the chance. Rabies can be prevented with a series of vaccinations but cannot be treated once it has developed. In that case, the exposed person dies.
Considering this set of possibilities, it is a good idea to keep your screens repaired and vents covered with wire mesh to prevent bats from entering your home. If we can prevent the bats from entering the home, we are unlikely to ever have contact with them. It would be nice to avoid ever having to worry about the exposure to the deadly rabies virus.
Just ask my daughter, Kate. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, one year old Taryn and four year old Colin. In early June of 2008 she was awakened in the middle of the night by two year-old Colin’s cry for help because a bat was in his room. The wildlife guy she called to remove it knew that since my daughter could not be certain that her son was not bitten by the bat, he would catch it and send it to their state lab for testing. Since that time, they have had five other bat encounters in their house and they have learned a lot about bats. Here’s just a little of that knowledge and why she learned making it imperative to learn about these creatures:
The first warm day in the spring is the first peak of bat activity. (That was Kate’s first encounter. When she called the wildlife handler at 1:30 in the morning, he went over the various services and charges and told her to make up her mind before he crossed the bridge because he had been out responding to bat calls since 5:00 a.m. the previous day! ) After the awakening with spring fever, bats do a little figuring out on that first day of adventure and then they settle in to having their babies. In August those babies have been weaned and are venturing out on their own for the first time. They behave like any other child; they make mistakes and learn by them.
When looking for evidence of bats living in your home, look for their small droppings on doorsteps, decks or in the attic. They are not as skinny as mice droppings and they are filled with the iridescent bits and pieces of the insects they eat. If the bats reside under overhangs on the exterior of your home, you can expect to see blackened streaks from their urine. If these fascinating little mammals have to rub against something while skooching their way under say, a vent or shingle, you will find a dark somewhat greasy looking stain, like the ones cats leave from rubbing their backs against their favorite corner in your house while they purr and give you that look that says, ‘Don’t you just love me and don’t you want to feed me or scratch my back?”
Once you see and understand the evidence, begin to look for their exits by sitting outdoors and watching at dusk. As it begins to get dark, make note of how many and from what openings they leave. If they are only individuals roosting under a shingle or overhang, then do nothing. Think of them as your bug reduction program. If they are exiting from your attic, then you should start to plug those holes. That’s what Kate’s husband did on July 25.
What happened next? Did he plug them up sufficiently? Was it the best time of the year and the optimal time of the day or night when he did that work? Find out next week as I continue the story and as I discover how much we need bats in our local environment and throughout the world, because that’s a fact, also.
Cathleen Drinan is the health agent for the Town of Halifax, MA. Do you have any bat tales for her? (She collects insects, too.) She can be reached at 781 293 6768 or cdrinan@town.halifax.ma.us
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