IEMA Encourages People to Test Homes for Radon during Radon Action Week Oct. 18-24
Radon Action Week (Oct. 18-24) is a great time to test your home for radon. Radon gas is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and the number one cause of the deadly disease for non-smokers. It's estimated that 21,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths occur annually in the U.S., as many as 1,160 of those in Illinois. The only way to know if your home has elevated radon levels is to test it. Homeowners can either test the home themselves, using test kits available at most home improvement and department stores, or hire an IEMA-licensed radon measurement contractor. If the test shows high radon levels, an IEMA-licensed radon mitigation contractor can install a radon reduction system in your home. For more information about radon, radon testing results from your county or to find an IEMA-licensed radon measurement or mitigation contractor in your area, visit www.radon.illinois.gov.
Read the full press release.
Three posters designed by Illinois students will soon be competing against posters from across the country in the 2010 National Radon Poster Contest. The Illinois winners were selected from more than 300 entries in the Statewide Radon Poster Contest sponsored by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, American Lung Association of Illinois, University of Illinois Extension and the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. The posters illustrate the health hazards of radon gas and the need to test homes for the presence of radon.
Zuriel Wilburn-White
Ted Lenart Regional Gifted Center
Chicago, IL
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Kristen Pontious
Brownstown High School
Brownstown, IL
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Dell Cantrell
Vienna Grade School
Vienna, IL
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(click on the above images for a larger view) |
October 16th is National Mammography Day
October 16th is National Mammography Day, a day when women are encouraged to make an appointment for their annual mammograms. Mammography is a vital tool for early detection of breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 98 percent when it is detected early.
Accurate mammography results are critical for diagnosing breast cancer. To ensure every mammography machine is operating properly, experts from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) thoroughly inspect nearly 400 mammography facilities throughout Illinois each year. Illinois is one of only three states in the nation approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to certify mammography facilities.
IEMA also provides the informational brochure, Breast Cancer, Your Right to Know, to mammography facilities throughout the state. State law requires mammography facilities to provide patients with information about breast cancer detection and diagnosis. The brochure is available in both English and Spanish, and since 1997 the agency has distributed more than 3.6 million copies to mammography facilities.
Please take a few moments on National Mammography Day or during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October to schedule your mammogram or to encourage the women in your life to schedule their mammograms.
Learn more about IEMA's Mammography Program.
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Flu seasons are unpredictable in a number of ways, including the timing of the beginning, severity and length. This flu season there are more uncertainties than usual because of the emergence of a new flu virus, H1N1, previously called "swine flu." Scientists are predicting that the H1N1 virus may cause the flu season to be worse than usual with a lot more people getting sick, being hospitalized and dying than during a typical flu seasonal. Click on the above H1N1 flu or seasonal flu logo on this page for the most up-to-date information and to learn about ways to protect yourself and your family from getting ill. Thank you for visiting ready.illinois.gov.
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www.Flu.gov - U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Influenza website |
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Illinois Agreement State Program receives high marks following review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently conducted a comprehensive review of the Illinois Agreement State Program. The review, using the criteria outlined in the NRC Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP), was performed by a five-person team from May 11-15, 2009. The review team found Illinois' performance to be satisfactory for all of the various performance indicators. This is the highest finding allowed by IMPEP. The review team made one recommendation in regard to program performance by the State and also identified one good practice that will be shared with all other Agreement States and NRC regions. Based on the results of the current IMPEP review, the next full IMPEP review will take place in approximately four years.
According to IEMA Director Andrew Velasquez III, "The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is very pleased with the results of the NRC review of its program and will continue to ensure Illinois has the highest quality radioactive materials regulatory program for the protection of Illinois citizens and the environment."
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Illinois' Homeland Security Program Rated in Top 4 Percent in Nation
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Governor Pat Quinn announced that Illinois' homeland security program ranked in the top four percent of state programs in a recent review of program effectiveness by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Illinois received an overall effectiveness score of 91 out of 100. The national average effectiveness score was 71.
FEMA scorecard gives Illinois program exceptional marks for effectiveness...read full press release
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Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP)
Illinois' first-ever Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP) was approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and has been officially accepted by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois State Police, Illinois Terrorism Task Force, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Emergency Services Management Association, Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, and Chicago/Cook County Urban Area.
The plan identifies a statewide strategy that focuses on establishing a single platform so all public safety agencies can share emergency information. The development of the SCIP was a cooperative effort by a consortium of federal, state, and local public safety practitioners working through the Illinois Terrorism Task Force’s Communications Committee and the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee. Annual reviews/updates to the SCIP will be conducted under the auspices of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
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