'Flying Start' Lead Poisoning Prevention Team, Putnam County Department of Health

Pictured:

• Rick Carano, Lisa Seymour, Brian Stevens, Mitchell Lee

Lead exposure is recognized as one of the most common environmental toxins for young children. It can have devastating lifelong consequences and yet it is entirely preventable. The “Flying Start” Lead Poisoning Prevention team — Mitchell Lee, Public Health Technician, Lisa Seymour Public Heath Sanitarian II, Brian Stevens, Public Heath Sanitarian I, and supervisor Rick Carano, Associate Public Health Sanitarian—take steps to find the sources of potential lead exposures and remediate them before children are affected. Since 2008 they have brought 416 hazards in child-occupied settings such as daycares, pre-schools and nursery schools into compliance. This has been accomplished through completion of 52 lead hazard risk assessments at 28 separate locations. This voluntary program is exemplary, even in the absence of funding, they are able to work collaboratively with facility owners to complete remediation. This effort epitomizes the best in public health initiatives.

Learn more about Public Health Sanitarians.