Sun Safety:

To avoid excessive exposure to the sun, the Board of Health recommends wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher daily and reapplying sunscreen after you have been in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off. The Board also recommends staying in shaded areas to avoid sun exposure and wearing protective items such as hats and sunglasses to reduce sun exposure to the face and eyes. More sun safety information can be found on CDC’s Sun Safety Facts website. 

Cookout Food Safety:

Cookouts are a popular summer activity. To help you have a safe and enjoyable cookout experience, here are some important tips:

• Separate raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs from ready-to-eat foods.
• Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a temperature hot enough to kill germs.
• Germs that can make you sick grow quickly when food is in the “Danger Zone,” between 41°F and 135°F.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Divide leftovers into smaller portions to cool faster.
• Wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds before preparing, eating, or handling food. Wash your hands after using the bathroom and touching pets.
• When lighting a gas grill, keep the lid open and only turn on the gas burner after the igniter is activated. For charcoal grills, use long-reach lighters or long matches to ignite the charcoal. Avoid leaning over the grill while lighting it.
• Never leave a lit grill unattended. Assign someone to be responsible for the grill while it is in use and keep children and pets away from the cooking area.
• Use long-handled grilling tools to prevent burns. Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling accessories that may catch fire. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. 
• When not in use, store propane tanks outdoors in an upright position, away from direct sunlight, high temperatures, and ignition sources. Ensure the tank valves are securely closed. 
• Regularly clean your grill to remove grease buildup, which can lead to fires.

More guidance can be found on the CDC’s food safety website parties and grilling.

Mosquito Safety

The Board wants to remind residents of these important mosquito safety and prevention tips. 

Avoid Mosquito Bites:

• Use mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient according to the directions.
• Clothing can help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it is hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants, and socks outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
• Be aware of peak mosquito hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. When risk is increased, consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during the evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors, covering up and/or wearing repellant.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home:

• Drain standing water - many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty unused flowerpots and wading pools and change water in birdbaths frequently. 
• Install or repair screens - some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly fitting screens on all your windows and doors.

While the Dedham Health Department works closely with the MA Department of Public Health and other agencies, locally the Norfolk County Mosquito Control District provides various services to the Town for mosquito treatment and prevention.

The District provides the following services to Dedham: 

• Weekly mosquito sampling between June - October
• Waterway management to eliminate stagnant water conditions conducive to larval mosquito development.
• Catch basin treatment
• Tire removal
• Weekly spraying (on Wednesdays Memorial Day - September)

Residents can request spraying in their area by calling the Mosquito Control District at (781)762-3681 or visiting their website. 

If residents would like to opt out to exclude their property from area-wide truck spraying, please visit the State's website.

Respectfully submitted by the Board of Health, 

Emma Reidy, Chair
Leanne Jasset, Vice-Chair
Bernadette Chirokas, Member