ROCHESTER PROPERTY OWNERS URGED TO ATTEND FREE LEAD REMOVAL SEMINAR
ROCHESTER, November6, 2019 – The City of Rochester and the Strafford County Public Health Network are hosting a free educational program for property owners and managers in Rochester whose properties may contain lead. Residents owning property built before 1978 are strongly encouraged to attend this free program and dinner at the new Mitchell Hill BBQ, 50 North Main Street, Rochester, at 5:30pm on Tuesday, November 12.
Attendees will hear from NH state experts, Gail Gettens and Ross Malcolm from the NH of Division of Public Health Services on the dangers of lead as well as financial programs that will assist with removing lead. Attendees will learn about new laws like the one passed in 2018 in New Hampshire passed requiring providers to conduct blood lead level tests for all 1 and 2 year olds. It will also connect attendees with resources and information on things property managers and homeowners can do to test their homes for lead that may exist in interior paint, exterior paint and their water.
“In 2017 652 NH children were poisoned by lead. Lead is a toxic poison. It can slow growth and impair brain development, especially among children; the effects can be permanent and continue into adulthood. One of the most common source of lead exposure for children is lead paint and lead−contaminated dust in older homes, said Ashley Desrochers, Prevention Coordinator, Strafford County Public Health Network. “It only takes a speck of lead dust the size of a grain of salt to poison a child. We are working with some of NH’s highest risk communities so that we can prevent further lead poisoning in our children.”
The Strafford County Public Health Network, whose mission is to improve the health of all the individuals in Strafford County, is seeking individuals interested in joining both its Rochester and Somersworth Lead Safety teams. Anyone interested can contact Ashley Desrochers at 603-749-2346 x2579 or adesrochers@goodwinch.org. For more information about the free dinner and seminar, contact Julian Long at Julian.long@rochesternh.net.
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Media Contact: Lara Willard, 603-516-2558