HomeMy Public PortalAboutWatertown Health Department Annual Report 2013_201503030812076882WATERTOWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
The Health Department staff consists of one full-time Director (position vacant through most of
the year), one full-time Chief Environmental Health Officer, two full-time Health Officers, one
full-time Head Clerk, one full-time Public Health Nurse, one full-time Animal Control
Officer/Jr. Health Officer and one part-time Veterinarian.
The Board of Health consists of three members that are appointed for three year terms by the
Town Manager.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
The Health Department conducts numerous mandated inspections throughout the year according
to local and state mandates. These inspections include, but are not limited to, food
establishments, including grease trap maintenance, housing, hazardous materials establishments,
body art establishments, indoor air quality at skating rinks, tanning establishments, swimming
pools and whirlpools, group homes and motels.
Environmental Inspections: 2013
Food Establishment Inspections
648
Housing Inspections
144
Swimming Pool/Whirlpool Inspections
57
Hazardous Materials Inspections
58
Tanning Establishment Inspections
4
Body Art Establishment Inspections
5
Nuisance Inspections
139
Food Complaint Inspections
20
Animal Complaint Inspections
371
Tobacco Compliance Checks
37
Total Inspections
1,564
During 2013, the Health Department provided eight Person In Charge (PIC) trainings for food
handlers in Watertown. Under the Massachusetts Food Code, the PIC is "the individual present
at a Food Establishment who is responsible for the operation at the time of inspection." These
trainings are offered by the Health Department in order to provide food handlers with the tools
necessary to operate in compliance with the Food Code. Topics covered during these PIC
trainings include appropriate cooking and reheating temperatures, when and how to wash your
hands, and cleaning and sanitizing requirements.
Another portion of the Health Department's work involves complaint investigation including, but
not limited to, solid waste, dust, odors, noise, rodents, nuisances, hazardous waste incidents, food
establishments, food -borne illnesses, tobacco, housing, and problem animals. In response to
complaints involving rubbish and garbage left out at the curb at non -collection times or days, the
Health Department distributed bright green door hangers reminding citizens of how and when to
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place garbage and rubbish out for collection. In 2013 the Health Department investigated 674
complaints. There were 124 administrative order letters as a result. Six of these complaints
resulted in filings at Waltham District Court.
In conjunction with inspectional work, the Health Department issues numerous permits. Before
a permit can be issued, the permit holder/applicant submits a completed plan review application.
The Health Department reviews plans for all new and renovated food establishments, hazardous
materials establishments, tanning establishments, body art establishments, swimming pools, and
Community Development and Planning projects.
Total Environmental Permits: 2013
Food Service Establishments
194
Swimming Pools/Whirlpools
19
Retail Food Establishments
47
Body Art Establishments
4
Caterers
4
Body Art Practitioners
10
Bakery
7
Tanning Establishments
2
Mobile Foodservice
15
Funeral Directors
13
Temporary Food Events
251
Motels
1
Tobacco & Nicotine Delivery
Products Establishments
44
Hazardous Materials
Establishments
150
Household Hazardous and Medical Waste Collection
Watertown residents took household hazardous waste to the Minuteman Regional Household
Products Facility in Lexington. Pre -registration at the Health Department was required before
any resident could enter the site on one of the eight collection days during the year. In 2013, 132
Watertown residents visited the facility to dispose of household hazardous waste.
Household Sharps Collections were held quarterly in 2013 at the Administration Building
parking lot. 78 residents brought 345 pounds of needles, syringes, and lancets in sharps and
puncture proof containers for sanitary disposal. Eliminating these materials from the municipal
waste stream reduces the potential for accidental needle sticks.
Animal Control
The Animal Control Officer / Jr. Health Officer's (ACO) duties include, but are not limited to,
patrolling the town, participation in a rabies/West Nile Virus task force, investigation of vector
control and solid waste complaints, swimming pool inspections, food establishment inspections
and the enforcement of all pertinent state animal laws, Keeping of Animals and Fowl Regulation
and the Watertown Animal Control Ordinance. Enforcement action includes the issuing of
citations (tickets) for non-compliance, responding to emergency dispatch calls and the
prosecution of animal cruelty violators in District Court. The ACO responded to three hundred
and seventy one (371) animal calls in 2013. The ACO continues to educate the public regarding
health and safety concerns involving animals.
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As Inspector of Animals the ACO carries out the isolation and quarantine of suspected rabid
animals, animals with wounds of unknown origin and animals bitten by suspected or confirmed
rabid animals. The ACO carried out forty-nine quarantines in 2013. These findings are reported
to the Massachusetts Bureau of Animal Health.
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Abandoned Animals Now in Homes
Rabies Clinic
The rabies clinic is held annually with Thomas Cusick, DVM, participating. Dogs and cats are
vaccinated for rabies the first Saturday in April each year at the Watertown Administration
Building. This past year a total of thirty-seven animals received rabies vaccinations at the clinic.
Microchip Clinic
The Health Department held the first annual low cost microchip clinic for pets with Dr. Deborah
Campbell from The Boston Pet Haven. Microchipping assures that lost pets always find their
way home. Ten animals were outfitted with microchips during this event.
Mosquito Control
The Board of Health worked in conjunction with the East Middlesex Mosquito Control
Commission (EMMCP) in planning larvicide, adulticide and surveillance activities throughout
the town. In 2013 the threat of the West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis
(EEE) continued to rise in Massachusetts and the Nation. As a result of the WNV and EEE
threat, the EMMCP applied larvicide to 3,812 catch basins in order to control the emergence of
vector mosquitoes. In addition, the Health Department applied larvicide to 400 catchbasins on
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Town streets and Town parks. The Health Department and EMMCP continually monitor the
emergence of these viruses and adjust plans accordingly to maintain comprehensive intervention,
education and surveillance programs.
In addition the Health Department distributed bright blue door hangers to area homes with
information about West Nile Virus, removal of standing water serving as breeding areas for
mosquitoes, and personal protection from mosquitoes when outdoors.
Wildlife
The ACO responds to calls about sick or injured wildlife. The ACO also responds to and
educates residents on wildlife issues. In recent years there has been an increased presence of
wildlife in Watertown. Wildlife concerns in Watertown involve, but are not limited to, coyotes,
foxes, deer, hawks, geese, snapping turtles and wild turkeys.
Mink
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Orphaned Opossums
The incorporation of emergency preparedness responsibilities has significantly increased the
workload of the health department staff. Watertown is one of twenty-seven cities and towns that
comprise Region 4B of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) emergency
preparedness district. There are fifteen statewide coalitions in all. Through Watertown's
participation in Region 4B, Watertown has developed an emergency preparedness plan that
includes, but is not limited to, an Infectious Disease Emergency Plan, Emergency Dispensing
Site (EDS) Plan, Animal Disaster Plan, Individuals with Functional and Access Needs,
Radiological Response Plan, Isolation and Quarantine Plan, a Risk Communication Plan, a
Continuity of Operation Plan (CoOP), and a Mutual Aid Agreement (MAA). In 2013, the Health
Department received a total of $8,769.57 in Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)
grant funding.
In 2013 the Health Department continued to expand the coalition with Perkins School for the
Blind, VinFen, Residence at Watertown Square and Beacon High School to further develop the
sections addressing Individuals with Functional and Access Needs in the EDS and Emergency
Shelter plans. The Health Department meets monthly to address the Centers for Communicable
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Disease and Prevention's (CDC) Emergency Preparedness deliverables for 2013. The Watertown
Health Department continues to recruit and train a volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). In
the spring of 2013 the MRC Region 4B held its annual day long training for MRC volunteers at
Olin College and hosted MRC's "Small Animal Handling during an Emergency and First Aid for
Pets" seminar at the Watertown Police Station.
COMMUNITY HEALTH
Seasonal Influenza Clinics
In 2013 the Health Department purchased $5,000.00 of the seasonal influenza vaccine. There
were seven public Seasonal Influenza/Pneumonia clinics scheduled for the 2013 season. Two
clinics held at Watertown Senior Center were designated to address the high risk elder
population. Homebound, elderly, and disabled residents received flu shots via home visits by the
Public Health Nurse and MRC volunteer nurses. In addition eleven clinics were hosted for first
responders and at some of Watertown's Individuals with Functional and Access Needs locations.
Over 650 doses of seasonal influenza vaccine were administered by the Public Health Nurse and
Watertown's Medical Reserve Corps volunteers.
Communicable Diseases
In the year of 2013 there were 209 confirmed, suspect, and probable communicable/reportable
diseases reported to the Health Department through the Department of Public Health's disease
surveillance and monitoring system "MAVEN". Information is obtained through phone
interviews with cases and is uploaded into the MAVEN database that is used in the surveillance,
control and prevention of diseases. The following chart shows the total for all confirmed,
suspect and probable diseases reported in Watertown in 2013.
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Confirmed, Suspect & Probable
Communicable Diseases 2013
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Campylobacteriosis
Cryptococcus Neoformans 1 1
Enterovirus 1
Giardiasis
Group B Streptococcus
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis
Influenza
Legionellosis
Lyme Disease
1
M 1
5
-4 11
9
19
2
Salmonella min
Shigellosis 1 1
Streptococcus Pneumoniae mi 3
TB -Active 1.11 2
TB-LTBI
Toxoplasmosis 1 1
Varicella 3
Vibrio sp. I= 3
•
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Health Promotion
In 2013 The Health Department organized or presented several health related topics for the
Watertown Mall, who hosted these educational sessions for the community on a monthly basis.
Some of the topics presented included: "Watertown Alert System", "Tobacco", "Healthy
Homes", and "Bats and Rabies".
In 2013 the Health Department participated in town wide health initiatives such as Wayside's
Youth and Family "Massachusetts Opioid Abuse Prevention" grant and the Watertown Public
School's "Wellness" related grant and health fair.
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Watertown Task Force
The Health Department assisted residents who needed help in resolving housing and public
health/medical related issues. The Health Department's inter -departmental task force continued
to address the needs of residents in crisis. The task force included members from the Police
Department, Fire Department, School Department, Health Department, Housing Authority,
Council on Aging, Food Pantry, Veterans Office, Housing Authority, Advocates Inc., Mt.
Auburn Hospital, Springwell Social Services, and Residence at Watertown Square. These
departments, agencies and Mount Auburn Hospital continued to collaborate in 2013 to provide
needed services for Watertown residents.
In the year 2013 the Health Department continued with the implementation of a grant from the
Marshall Home, Compassionate Connections III. This grant program provided needed social
work and clean-up services for residents who find themselves in a hoarding situation with
excessive amounts of materials in their homes. The grant funded community awareness lectures
and a support group for friends and family members of people with significant clutter concerns.
Patty Underwood, an experienced licensed social worker from Riverside Community Center
began the community lectures with "What is Hoarding" and "How to Help" which raised
awareness in the community of the safety risks associated with hoarding conditions and available
services.
Tobacco Control
The Health Department continued its tobacco compliance program to help reduce youth access to
tobacco and nicotine delivery products. In 2013 there were two rounds of tobacco compliance
checks conducted which involved a minor entering a permitted establishment in an attempt to
buy a tobacco product. In total, there were thirty-seven completed checks and seven violations.
The violators were issued a non -criminal ticket and were educated concerning the Tobacco and
Nicotine Delivery Products Regulation including how to check for proper identification.
TOTAL MONEY RECEIVED FOR 2013
January
$ 2,246.75
February
$ 2, 369.35
March
$ 1,195.00
April
$ 1,837.00
May
$ 4,454.35
June
$ 2,271.15
July
$ 1, 849.80
August
$ 1,577.40
September
$ 7,788.91
October
$ 14,280.00
November
$ 13,095.00
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December
$ 10,755.00
Total
$63,720.61
Seasonal Influenza
Reimbursement
$ Figure not
available at this
time.
Emergency
Preparedness Grants
$ 8,769.57
Community Health
Grants
$ 10,000.00
Total
$ 82,490.18
* Special thanks to, Maria Chiavelli, Head Clerk, Wil vanDinter, Public Health Nurse, Karen O'Reilly, Animal
Control Officer/ Jr. Health Officer, Dan Repella, Health Officer, and Kristel Bennett, Chief Environmental Health
Officer for collecting data, formatting and crafting this report.
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