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 towns 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.
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).
2009-2010 H1N1 Immunization-
Report to Town Residents
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 Western 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.