Contributed by Lynn Hudak, Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH)
A 2016 update from the Connecticut Radon Program includes news about promotions, education, media outreach, National Radon Action Month, test kit distribution and other important topics.
The annual “Radon Measurement in Connecticut Schools” course was held in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 12, 2016. This one-half day course is mandatory for individuals to be eligible to conduct radon measurement in Connecticut public schools. This training is a National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) and American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) [AARST-NRPP] approved radon training course. Four (4) continuing education units (CEUs) were available after successful completion of the course.
In June 2016, the Connecticut DPH Radon Program updated the “Radon in Your Well Water” fact sheet. Connecticut guidance for radon in water remains at 5,000 pCi/L. The updated document provides links to the Connecticut DPH Private Well Program website which provides the public with more detailed information on the various mitigation systems for well water.
In January during National Radon Action Month (NRAM) 2016, 13 local health departments partnered with the Radon Program to conduct radon outreach activities for NRAM. Their activities included such things as:
• distribution of promotional items and educational materials;
• website postings;
• radio interviews;
• newspaper articles;
• posters displayed at public libraries; and
• town halls, as well as social media messaging.
Media consultant were hired by the Radon Program to promote NRAM. Digital marketing, targeted billboards, mall dioramas, 30 second cinema spots, and 30 second radio spots helped to increase traffic to the CT DPH Radon Program website. A Google Analytics report showed a definite spike in website traffic during the campaign. The most engaged audience was females with household incomes of $150,000 in the age group 35 through 39. People were most likely to click between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The “awareness” themed text ads generated higher interaction rates than the “environmental health” or “radon testing” themes. Engagement was less on the weekend and increased from December to January, which was indicative of increased awareness and interest.
The Radon Program distributed free test kits directly to Connecticut residents through an online request form located on the Connecticut DPH website. The Radon Program conducted follow-up reminder calls and emails in hopes of to increase the rate of return on the test kits. To date, out of the 2,434 test kits sent out, 1,178 were returned to the laboratory for analysis, which is a return rate of 48%. The increase in return rate from previous years is attributed to follow-up reminders to residents to deploy their tests.
Radon Resistant New Construction features were included in the Connecticut State Building Code draft (June 2016) for one and two family homes and townhouses.
The Katherine A. Kelley State Public Health Laboratory in Rocky Hill, Connecticut is now equipped with the resources to offer local health department/districts and CT DPH Radon Program partners radon test analysis using the liquid scintillation method.
For more information, contact:
Lynn Hudak
CT Department of Public Health
Lead, Radon, Healthy Homes Program
450 Capitol Avenue, MS# 51-RAD
PO Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134
Ph: 860-509-7299
www.ct.gov/dph/radon
United States