STAFFING
Beverly Hirschhorn, Health Director
The Board of Health is responsible for administering state health laws, adopting town health regulations, and addressing the health concerns of town residents. The Board of Health is also responsible for recording, reporting, and following up on communicable diseases within the community. Together with the town’s health director, the board enforces sanitary codes and regulations. It conducts inspections and issues permits for various food establishments, businesses, and institutions. The board develops and enforces tobacco related policies. It enforces stat regulations regarding TitleV: septic tanks and home sewers. The Board of Health sponsors a flu clinic and a rabies clinic each year, and serves as a resource for the Town for health promotion activities and technical assistance.
The board consists of five members appointed by the Board of Selectmen for three-year, staggered terms. Members serve without compensation.
Attached please find new Guidelines for the Operation of Chimineas, Fire Pits, and Outdoor Fireplaces that were jointly developed by the Longmeadow Board of Health and the Longmeadow fire Department.
Longmeadow Board of Health Public Advisory #1: June 11, 2011
West Nile Virus
Read the latest information from the Longmeadow Board of Health.
Visit the Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services website for additional information on the West Nile health threat.
Guidelines for Operation of Chimineas, Fire Pits, and Outdoor Fireplaces
In recent years the use of such devices have become increasingly popular; the increase in usage has also resulted in complaints from neighbors of residents using these devices regarding improper use relative to fire safety hazards or conditions potentially injurious to the public health. These new guidelines hopefully serve as a useful checklist for the proper and safe operation of these devices.
Although these guidelines are not regulations and, therefore, not enforceable, both the Fire Department and the Board of Health already have the authority to enforce existing state regulations within their scope (the Fire Department enforcing fire safety regulations; the Board of Health enforcing air pollution regulations and state laws in regard to pubic health nuisances).
Permit Applications
Residential Kitchen: Food Preparation
Residential Kitchen No Food Preparation
Lyme Disease
Lyme Disease continues to be an important public health risk in Massachusetts. Lyme Disease is a bacterial disease spread by ticks (deer ticks) that can affect the joint, heart, or central nervous system, The key to prevention is wearing protective clothing and repellents when outdoors and the prompt removal of any ticks fastened onto the skin upon returning indoors.
Below are some links to important information about this disease.
Lyme Disease Public Health Fact Sheet- source: Mass. Dept of Public Health
Lyme Disease/ Frequently Asked Questions- source: Mass. Dept of Health and Human Services
Printed copies of this information are available at the Storrs Library, Council on Aging and at the Board of Health Office (Community House, lower level).
Western Massachusetts Medical Reserve Corps
The Wes
tern Massachusetts Medical Reserve Corps is a coalition of Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) serving the western Massachusetts counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden. There is a MRC group located in Longmeadow led by Beverly Hirshhorn- Director/ Longmeadow Board of Health. You may submit a volunteer application on line, or by downloading a copy and submitting a hard copy.
Longmeadow Board of Health License Fees- effective 7/1/11 Below are forms from the Longmeadow Board of Health Department:
For email access to Board Of Health Dept, send correspondence to:
townhall@longmeadow.org
