Track or Treat

October 17, 2023

Radon, arsenic, lead, ticks… these are just a few of the public health frights that may be haunting your neighborhood! Check out these Halloween cards and learn ways we can all keep safe from public health frights!

 

Halloween candy with text saying the Maine Tracking Network has some sweet environment and health data.

The MaineTracking Network has health and environmental data on 9 different topics. It’s the only place in Maine where you can find town-level data about tickborne diseases and childhood lead poisoning in one place! What a treat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture of a witch

Don't fall off your broomstick at this news: pollutants like ozone and particulate matter (like smoke or dust) can cause lung and other health problems. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may not be able to see carbon monoxide but it's still scary with a picture of a ghostMake sure your carbon monoxide (CO) detectors aren’t playing a trick on you. Check the batteries regularly. If the alarm goes off, assume it is because of CO and not a dead battery and leave the house immediately. Once outside, call the fire department or 911. Protect your health from CO and other public health frights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A healthy environment keeps kids smiling with a picture of a girl in a butterfly costume.The environment affects children differently than adults. Because their bodies are still growing, children are at greater risk if they are exposed to environmental hazards. Protect your kids from public health frights and test your well water for arsenic and other common contaminants every 5 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Maine Tracking Network has data so good you feel it in your bones with a picture of a skeletonThe MaineTracking Network has data on 7 well water contaminants – and you don’t need eye of newt to explore them, just an internet connection. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't lose your head in an emergency. Be prepared. With a picture of a headless horseman holding a jack-o-lanternLast year, 200 people visited the emergency department for cold-related illness between October and January. By preparing your home and car ahead of winter storms or other winter emergencies, and by taking safety precautions during extremely cold weather, you can reduce your risk of developing health problems related to cold weather. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get a bird's-eye view of the health in your community with a picture of a ravenSee how you can use data and tools on the MaineTracking Network to learn more about environmental health in your community, and then use that data to help solve public health problems. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carve out some time to check out the Maine Tracking Network with a picture of a jack-o-lanternWe dare you to make a map and share it with your friends and family! The MaineTracking Network allows you to make customizable maps, charts, and tables on 9 environmental health topics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where you live can affect your health.Is your home haunted by radon? The only way to know is to test it! The MaineTracking Network has data showing the percentage of homes that have tested and found unsafe levels of radon in air. Learn how common high levels of radon are in your town, and discover how to protect yourself from public health frights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn More: