OSWEGO COUNTY- In recognition of National Public Health Week, the Oswego County Health Department is celebrating each of its divisions, starting with Public Health Education and Emergency Preparedness. National Public Health Week takes place from April 7-13 and serves to recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication that goes into maintaining and promoting public health.
“This year we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of National Public Health Week, an initiative focused on recognizing public health contributions and addressing key health issues,” said Oswego County Director of Public Health Vera Dunsmoor. “To help celebrate our successes, this year we will be recognizing our divisions by highlighting the vast programs and services they each offer to the community.”
The Public Health Education Division promotes and educates people about environmental, physical, social and emotional health. Staff offer presentations and trainings to residents and groups on a variety of topics, such as disease management, Naloxone (Narcan) training, mental health, suicide prevention, poison prevention, rabies, vaccines and immunizations, nutrition, car seat inspections and installations, and more.
“Our staff visits schools, senior communities, businesses, community centers, and other locations to educate the public on important health-related topics,” said Oswego County Associate Public Health Educator Diane Oldenburg. “We also offer multiple workshop series that residents can sign up for, including our ‘Stepping On’ fall prevention and ‘Living Well’ classes. Presentations and workshops are free, and we encourage anyone interested in either to reach out to us.”
Upcoming “Living Well” workshops include “Stepping-On Fall Prevention” and “Living Well with Chronic Disease.” The “Stepping-On” classes are designed for adults looking to improve balance and reduce their risk of falling, while “Living Well with Chronic Disease” teaches skills to manage the challenges that come with chronic health conditions, including fatigue, pain, shortness of breath, stress and difficult emotions.
Workshop schedules are as follows:
- “Stepping-On Fall Prevention”: Classes will meet every Wednesday for seven weeks, beginning April 2 from 1 to 3 p.m. Classes take place at Springbrook Apartments, 4920 N. Jefferson St., Pulaski.
- “Living Well with Chronic Disease”: Classes will meet every Thursday for six weeks, beginning April 17 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at ConnextCare, 61 Delano St., Pulaski.
To register for one or more of the “Living Well” workshops, call Zachary Kingsley at 315-349-3382 or register online at www.health.oswegocounty.com.
For more information on available health presentations or workshops, visit the Health Education webpage at https://health.oswegocounty.com/programs/1_health_education/index.php
The Emergency Preparedness Division falls under Public Health Education and involves planning and implementing programs to rapidly detect, investigate and control threats that may endanger public health. Threats include emerging infectious diseases, pandemics, disease outbreaks, chemical or radiological exposures, and bioterrorism.
“We work closely with medical and emergency response partners at the local, state and federal levels to ensure the most effective response to public health threats,” said Oldenburg. “We participate in numerous emergency preparedness drills, including the yearly radiological drills led by the Oswego County Emergency Management Office. In an emergency, our staff would be responsible for public health asset distribution, meaning that we receive, inventory, sort, store, and ship medical supplies to our local healthcare providers.”
Staff also compile lists of cooling and warming centers for residents in need. Cooling centers are places where residents can go to cool down during warm weather and are typically located at air-conditioned facilities like libraries, community centers, senior centers, and others. Warming centers are heated public facilities that provide temporary shelter from extreme cold weather.
Both lists are available online on the Emergency Preparedness webpage. To view the lists or for more information, visit https://health.oswegocounty.com/programs/1_emergency_preparedness/index.php.
Throughout Public Health Week, the Oswego County Health Department will offer a number of free activities, including CPR training, mammogram screenings from the Upstate University Hospital Mammography Van, a Mental Health Art Show, and a Kids’ Day Beach Party. For the full schedule of events, visit https://health.oswegocounty.com/national_public_health_week.php.
For more information on the Oswego County Health Department and its programs, visit https://health.oswegocounty.com/ or call 315-349-3545.
Discover more from Oswego County Today
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.