Transcript: Health and Safety Podcast

April 30, 2025

Hello, and welcome to the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast. Coming up, learn about the Medical Reserve Corps, fire safety and childhood lead poisoning. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.

 

Fairfax Health District's Medical Reserve Corps program has been awarded the 2025 Virginia EPIC Engage Award — a statewide recognition that celebrates excellence and innovation in volunteer engagement. Health Department receiving EPIC Engage Award.  Presented by the Virginia Department of Health, the EPIC Award, which stands for Engage, Partner, Innovate, and Champion, honors outstanding health district leaders who go above and beyond to strengthen their local MRC programs. The Fairfax Health District was selected for the Engage Award because of its strong, creative engagement of its volunteers. Over the past year, Fairfax MRC volunteers have supported a wide range of public health activities, from vaccination clinics to disaster preparedness outreach and training exercises. The team has also expanded its volunteer base and strengthened relationships with community partners across the county. You don't need to be a healthcare professional to make a difference in the MRC. In fact, you don't need to have any sort of medical background at all. The Fairfax MRC welcomes volunteers of all backgrounds and skill sets. Whether you're a teacher, retiree, or IT professional, your unique skills are valuable in supporting emergency responses and everyday public health efforts. Learn more online at fairfaxcounty.gov/health/medical-reserve-corps.

 

Kitchen fires are surprisingly common and can be incredibly dangerous. In fact, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Fire departments in the U.S. respond to an estimated 170,000 home cooking fires annually, resulting in 135 deaths, 3,000 injuries, and over $494 million in property loss. Nationwide, firefighters respond to 500 cooking-related fires every day with 49% of those house fires caused by cooking. More than a quarter of people who died in kitchen fires were asleep when the fire started. Meanwhile, stovetops are responsible for 61% of cooking fires, and adults aged 65 and over are 2.5 times more likely to die in a kitchen fire. The most common cause of kitchen fires is unattended cooking—leaving the stove or oven on while stepping away. Other risks include grease fires, flammable objects near heat sources, and faulty appliances. Our Fire and Rescue Department offers these tips:

• Never leave cooking food unattended. Unattended cooking is a leading cause of home fires and injuries in Fairfax County.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels — away from your stovetop.
• Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when cooking. Long loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles.
• Do not try to extinguish a grease fire with water. It will keep burning and may even spread. If possible, use a lid to cover the pan. If the fire gets out of control, get outside and call 911.

 

Childhood lead poisoning is considered the most preventable environmental disease among young children, yet nearly half a million U.S. children have elevated blood-lead levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lead is toxic to everyone, especially young children. Exposure to lead can lead to negative health impacts such as developmental delays, learning disabilities, reduced hearing, loss of appetite, behavioral issues, headaches as well as brain and kidney damage. Old paint, dust, soil, some imported candies, traditional medicines and toys are among the many common sources of lead. The Fairfax County Health Department is holding monthly lead testing events at Annandale Farmers Market and Mount Vernon Farmers Market from 8 a.m.-noon. During these events, you will be able to bring your household items for lead testing at no cost to you. Appointments are not required. Learn more on fairfaxcounty.gov; just search “New Opportunities for Lead Testing.”

 

Finally, Fairfax County's free alert system sends you important information during an emergency. Sign up for Fairfax Alerts at fairfaxcounty.gov/alerts. You can also get emergency preparedness information and emergency news by email from our emergency information blog at fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/blog.

 

That’s it for this edition of the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast, produced by the Fairfax County, Va., Government. Thanks for listening. Additional information about health and safety topics and emergency preparedness may be found on our emergency information blog at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/blog. Follow the Health and Safety podcast on soundcloud.com/fairfaxcounty and our podcasts webpage, fairfaxcounty.gov/podcasts. And remember, if you have a police, fire, or medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency needs, call 703-691-2131.