Archive: Around Town

The Environmental Health Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) Response Team of the Tompkins County Health Department is a NYS Department of Health Public Health Works! Nominee for 2018. The team includes:

• Clayton Maybee, Sanitarian
• Chris Laverack, Sanitarian
• Mikhail Kern, Sanitarian
• Becky Sims, Sanitarian
• Adriel Shea, Sanitarian
• Anne Wildman, Sanitarian

The Environmental Health Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) Response Team coordinated our community effort to address the first detection of Harmful Algal Blooms in the southern portion of Cayuga Lake. They were responsible for working with public and private water supplies, regulated facilities including bathing beaches, and with the general public.

There were several large events scheduled for the lake last summer and the team worked to ensure the events could go on without risk to participants. These included fundraising events for organizations for which delays or cancelations could have been financially detrimental. The Team created information for participants and coordinated water checks ahead of time that allowed the events to be successful. The team was able to respond to an emerging threat by providing coordination and guidance to limit the impact of the HABs on our community.

The Team will be featured on the New York State Department of Health’s Public Health Works! Website through Thursday, December 13, 2018.

v14i47