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February 2024 Public Health E-Newsletter |
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Heart disease is the #1 cause of death both in the U.S. and worldwide. The good news is you have the power to protect your heart so you can be here for the ones you love for years to come! The Public Health Department is observing American Heart Month this February to raise awareness about the steps Oak Parkers can take to reduce their risk of heart disease.
There are things you can do, both big and small, to help you keep your heart as healthy as possible. A few examples include cooking a couple of heart health recipes each week, taking small walk breaks during the day and keeping your yearly medical and dental appointments.
Click here to read more about ways to support your heart health.
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Catch us in the community
Wednesday, Feb. 21 – Walk with a Nurse at the Community Recreation Center at 229 Madison. St. from 10 a.m. to noon. Special heart health resources will be available at our table on the first floor.
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Toy tiara recalled due to lead
Yaomiao Children’s Rhinestone silver tiaras were recalled on Jan. 25, 2024. The stones in the tiaras contain lead above the legal limit and can be harmful to children’s health if swallowed. These tiaras were sold exclusively on Amazon. Click here to learn about this recall.
The Health Department offers case management services to children under 7 years old in Oak Park with elevated blood lead levels. Because of the age of the homes in Oak Park, this area is considered high risk for lead exposure.
Lead exposure can interfere with brain development in children and slow physical growth, leading to learning disabilities and other issues.
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How to send rats packing
If you want to keep rats off of your property, our Environmental Health team offers guidance to stop rats from treating your yard like an all-you-can-eat buffet. The most effective things you can do are to properly manage refuse containers, which are the most common food source for rats, and removing clutter from garages, outdoor walls and near fences. For more detailed guidance, click here.
If you do happen to have rats on your property, our Environmental Health Division provides free external inspections and rodent baiting to residents of Oak Park. To request rat abatement services, call 708.358.5480 or email health@oak-park.us.
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Black History Month: Onesimus, one of America's first public health heroes
In honor of Black History Month, we are highlighting Black public health heroes who have made important contributions to the field.
One such figure is a man named Onesimus, who was born in Africa and then enslaved and sold to prominent Puritan minister Cotton Mather in the early 1700s.
In his home country, Onesimus had learned the practice of variolation, a method used to immunize people before vaccines were developed. Onesimus taught Mather the practice, who in turn shared the information with a local physician, Zabdiel Boylston. When a smallpox epidemic hit Boston in 1721, Boylston inoculated more than 250 people using the variolation method. Of those who received this procedure, about 98% survived the epidemic. This success helped pave the way for the smallpox vaccine and the eventual eradication of the disease due to worldwide vaccination efforts in 1980.
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Serve the community on the Medical Reserve Corps or Community Emergency Response Team
The Public Health Department has multiple teams of volunteers that we call upon for support during times of emergency and special events. We are always welcoming new team members!
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is made up of individuals with both clinical and non-clinical backgrounds, who primarily support health and medical activities. These activities include vaccine clinic operations and staffing first aid tents during events.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) provides general support, such as assisting with traffic control during parades and staffing emergency warming shelters during extreme cold.
The Oak Park MRC and CERT members are provided opportunities for free training in topics such as CPR, first aid, Naloxone administration and disaster preparedness. Joining our emergency teams is a great way to support your community and your neighbors. If these volunteer opportunities interest you, click here to sign up!
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ICYMI (In case you missed it!)
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On Feb. 6, we visited the Oak Park Township’s Senior Services Center to present a Heart Health month lunch and learn program.
More than 25 older adults received goodie bags that included heart healthy recipes, exercise guides, resistance bands and water bottles.
Public Health Department staff also provided blood pressure screenings and free blood pressure trackers.
We cannot wait to go back next month!
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Ask the Health Department
Q: I heard you are not supposed to put medication down the drain or flush it down the toilet. How should I get rid of it?
A: If you would like to safely dispose of medications, you can drop them off in the lobby of the Oak Park Police Station, which is downstairs at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. You can also drop off medications in a disposal box in the Oak Park Township parking lot located at 105 S. Oak Park Ave. Neither box accepts liquids or sharps/needles. Medication does not need to be in its original container, but it can be. There is no need to sort pills. They can be combined in a container or Ziplock bag.
Do you have a question for the Public Health Department? Email us at
health@oak-park.us to see your question answered in the next newsletter!
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