Tag Archives: Media relations

DHEC In the News: Overdose deaths in Horry County, Stricter Fecal Bacteria Standards, Fireworks Safety

Leave a reply

Here’s a look at health and environmental news around South Carolina.

Overdose deaths on the rise in Horry County

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) Overdose deaths are on the rise in Horry County. Coroner Robert Edge said there have been around five so far in June.  “It’s not slowing up at all,” he said.  Despite an increase in the use of the drug Narcan, overdose deaths continue to spike along the Grand Strand.

 

Lowcountry group pushes for DHEC to give Shem Creek stricter fecal bacteria standards

 

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) A Lowcountry advocacy group says current safety standards allow five-times more bacteria in Shem Creek than other waterways in the area.  Now they’re calling on the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to establish higher water quality standards.

DHEC officials:  DIY fireworks can lead to devastating burns…and even death

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) Fireworks have a become staple part of Fourth of July celebrations for many families, but first responders and emergency officials want you to remember to play it safe.  Assistant State Fire Marshall Nathan Ellis says, “Consumer fireworks are intended for the consumer to use but they are explosive devices. So, we have to keep safety in mind when we use fireworks.”

 

DHEC In the News:  Earthquake emergency preparedness, High Cancer Rates in Anderson County, & Swim Advisories

Leave a reply

Here’s a look at health and environmental news around South Carolina.

Training keeps first responders up to date with emergency response

KINGSTREE, S.C. (The Kingstree News) On May 16, the Williamsburg County Emergency Management/E-911 Division (EMD) held an Earthquake Tabletop Exercise for Williamsburg County agencies who continually update preparedness in case such an event occurs. There is not a completely reliable method for predicting the time, place and size of an earthquake, especially since the majority of earthquakes occur in the Coastal Plain. Experts do agree that where earthquakes have occurred before, they can again. Therefore it is always important to be prepared.

 

Anderson County cancer rates among the highest in South Carolina and nationally

ANDERSON, S.C. (Anderson Independent Mail) Over the past decade, Anderson County has consistently had more people getting cancer for the first time than the state and national average.

Anderson County is ranked eighth-highest out of the state’s 46 counties for incidences of all types of cancers, according to information provided by the State Department of Health and Environmental Control. Cancer was the leading cause of death in Anderson County, and the second in South Carolina, as of 2017.

 

Carolina This Week with DHEC’s Bryan Rabon

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE-ABC) Bryan Rabon, DHEC’s manager of aquatic science programs, sat down with “Carolina This Week” host Trey Paul to talk about beach monitoring season and the purpose of swim advisories.

Today is National Dam Safety Awareness Day

Leave a reply

Did you know there are more than 2,300 regulated dams in South Carolina? The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) oversees compliance for state-regulated dams through the Dams and Reservoirs Safety Program.

National Dam Safety Awareness Day encourages individual and community responsibility for dam safety, while promoting the benefits dams offer to communities.

Dam 1

“As a Dam Safety program inspector, I work with dam owners to ensure dams are safely maintained and identify issues that need to be addressed to prolong the life of the dam and protect downstream life and property.” –Chuck Owens, DHEC Dam Safety Inspector

Dam 3

Recently, the Dam Safety Program has incorporated the use of drones into their inspection process. Inspectors can utilize DHEC’s FAA certified drone pilots, who are able to fly the devices over those exterior features of the dam which are crucial to its safety and integrity but are not accessible by foot. Drones help keep our inspectors safe while improving their capability to survey dams of all sizes quickly and efficiently.

Dam 4Thank you to DHEC’s Dam Safety Program for your dedicated work on the tools, initiatives, and people that help make dam owners and the state’s dam safety program better prepared to handle significant rainfall and other events that have the potential to impact dams in the state.

Meet Jill Stewart, DHEC Director of Dam Safety and Storm Water Permits.

To learn more about DHEC’s Dams and Reservoirs Safety Program, visit https://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water-quality/dams-and-reservoirs/dams-and-reservoirs-safety-program-overview.

From Other Blogs: American Food Dollars, Stroke Risk Factors for Women, Prepare Your Health for Hurricane Season

Leave a reply

A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs.

Where Do Americans’ Food Dollars Go?

In 2017, consumers in the United States spent $1.2 trillion on U.S.-produced food. Nearly all food starts out on a farm, but did you ever wonder how the value added from processing, packaging, transporting, and marketing agricultural food products factors into the costs? – From U.S. Department of Agriculture’s blog

 

Risk factors for stroke every woman should know

More women die from stroke than breast cancer every year. Shocked? It’s true. In fact, stroke is the third leading cause of death in women, while it is the fifth for men, and women are more likely to have another stroke within five years of their first stroke. So what is it that makes strokes affect women differently than men? Anil Yallapragada, MD, Palmetto Health-USC Neurology, explained. – From Flourish, Prisma Health’s blog

 

Prepare Your Health for Hurricane Season

In all, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), of which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a member, has a list of 21 names that they will use this year to identify hurricanes during the Atlantic hurricane season.  What’s in a name? A major hurricane by any name is hazardous to public health and safety, potentially life threatening, and important to prepare for.

– From Public Health Matters, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Blog

May is National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month

Leave a reply

More than 60 million Americans have asthma and allergies!  About 1 in 12 children younger than 18 years old are affected.  Although there is no cure for asthma, the best way to manage asthma is to avoid triggers, take medicine to prevent symptoms, and prepare to treat attacks.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways in the lungs.  During an asthma attack, airways become inflamed, making it hard to breathe.  Asthma attacks can be mild, moderate, or very serious.

Symptoms include:

  • Coughing
  • Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
  • Wheezing
  • Tightness or pain in the chest

Asthma attacks are triggered by:

  • Allergens (like pollen, mold, dust mites, and animals)
  • Exercise
  • Occupational hazards
  • Tobacco smoke
  • Air pollution
  • Airway infections

SC Asthma stats

According to the found in children, as well as the leading cause of hospitalizations among children.  There was a 56% decrease in the asthma hospitalization rate among children five years of age and younger.  The asthma hospitalization rate was over four times higher among African-Americans and Other children (19.3 per 10,000) compared to White children (4.5 per 10,000).

For more information about asthma and allergies, visit https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/.