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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHealth Department Annual Report 2.26.08final Health Department Susan Sawyer, Public Health Director Staff Board of Health Members Debra Rillahan, Public Health Nurse Dr. Thomas Trowbridge, Chairman Michele Grant, Public Health Inspector Larry Fixler, Secretary Pamela DelleChiaie, Admin. Assistant Anne Brennan, Member Dr. Francis MacMillan Jr., Member Joseph McCarthy, Member The mission of the Health Department is to protect the public health by maintaining a comprehensive program of environmental health services, which includes inspections, compliance, and enforcement activities, monitoring of environmental hazards, and consultation and guidance to citizens and governmental agencies. The staff assists the Board of Health (BOH) members in shaping policies, implementing programs and developing regulations that the members deem significant in the endeavor of providing a healthy environment for the citizens and workers of North Andover. The North Andover Board of Health is a five member volunteer board, whose members are appointed by the Town Manager for three-year, overlapping terms. One member must be a physician. The Board generally meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. The Health Department staff wishes to acknowledge our continued appreciation of Dr. Francis MacMillan; Town Medical physician. Prevention Programs For 13 years, Deb Rillahan, the Public Health Nurse, has led the prevention program. In 2007 the BOH chose to designate available funds to provide affordable shingles vaccinations to protect the elderly. 75 residents have taken advantage of this program since its inception. A new program also offered monthly cholesterol clinics to the public. We also continued to offer pneumonia shots to the elderly and immune compromised, maintained assistance to the homebound, made available meningitis vaccinations for college bound seniors and successfully vaccinated over 1200 citizens at the fall annual influenza clinics. In 2007 the Department of Public Health continued an increased focus on the ongoing pandemic flu planning. We continued ongoing collaborations with all town public safety departments to finalize emergency plans. The plans provide a framework for any event that would require the need for an emergency dispensing of medication to the general public. In the area of virus control, the Town of North Andover is a member of the Northeast Mosquito Control District. The program focuses on pretreatment and education. As a result of the program, the DPH website for the 2007 mosquito season reported that the Town had no positive mosquito pools and no positive dead birds for the West Nile Virus or the EEE virus. In addition, DPH reported that all towns contiguous to North Andover experienced the same zero incidence rate for this past year. Inspection Programs Michele Grant, the Public Health Inspector, ensured the integrity of the inspection program. The inspector coordinated a daily inspection regiment, responded to all needs of the public and assisted the director as needed. The inspector reviewed plans and applications, assisted homeowners and business owners with their projects and proposals and conducted inspections for compliance to state and local regulations. To ensure the cycles of inspections are complied with, the office engaged consultants to supplement food and septic tasks. Through the efforts of all Health Department staff and the inspection program, 30,000 plus residents and employees of businesses, were protected from having a mass foodborne outbreak, they suffered no diseases from public and semipublic swimming pools or failed septic systems, there were no reports of children seriously harmed at our 19 recreational camps, no injuries were reported from; tanning booths, massages, ice skating rinks or body art techniques and children were deterred from purchasing tobacco products. Numerous complaints ranging from foul odors to illegal dumping were investigated, addressed and resolved throughout the entire year by the supportive efforts of Pamela DelleChiaie, the Administrative Assistant. Regional Initiatives North Andover also continues to be part of regional health initiatives. The Healthy Communities Tobacco Control Program is administered through collaboration with thirteen communities and financed by a state grant. The program conducted quarterly compliance checks designed to deter children from being able to purchase tobacco products. The Health Director is also a member of the Greater Lawrence Public Health Bioterrorism Coalition. The coalition is made up of seven communities. By continued completion of the annual deliverables the coalition successfully received funding by the Federal Centers of Disease Control. The 2007 funds were directed towards emergency plan development and education. With the collaboration between various departments, the Town of North Andover achieved a major milestone by becoming NIMS compliant by educating all required town employees in the area of basic emergency response. This achievement has made future funding streams in this area accessible to the Town. Annual Report Permit Statistics - 2007 (Calendar Year- 1/1/2007 - 12/31/2007) Permit Type # of Total Fees COMMERCIAL PERMITS Animal 11 $385.00 Body Art Establishment 1 $310.00 Body Art Practitioner 1 $210.00 Dumpster 161 $9,780.00 Food Est- All categories 155 $24,955.00 Food Est- Tax Exempt 12 $0.00 Food Est- Tax Exempt-Temporary 11 $0.00 Frozen Desserts 14 $800.00 Funeral Director 2 $250.00 Ice Rinks 2 $270.00 Massage Est. 18 $2,720.00 Massage Therapists 42 $2,940.00 Offal Haulers 57 $7,830.00 Recreational Camp Permits 51 $3,000.00 Septic DWI 45 $3,630.00 Suntanning Est. 10 $935.00 Swimming Pools 7 $1,080.00 Title 5 Inspectors 24 $875.00 Title 5 Reports 46 $2,300.00 Tobacco 25 $2,750.00 TOTAL COMMERCIAL PERMITS 695 $65,020.00 SEPTIC PERMITS Septic - Soil 27 $9,720.00 Septic - Plan Review 40 $9,000.00 Septic - Disposal Works Const. -Full System 17 $4,250.00 Septic - Disposal Works Const. - Components 9 $1125.00 TOTAL SEPTIC PERMITS 93 Well Construction 2 $270.00 Trash Hauler Placards 133 $13,300.00 Trash Hauler Permits 671 Respectfully Submitted, Susan Sawyer Public Health Director