Certified Lead Risk Assessor Jeff Mitchell tests a Jamestown home for lead paint.

The 14701 zip code has the seventh highest number of lead poisoned children in New York State outside of New York City.

That data is according to New York State Department of Health’s 2020 data and being shared by the Healthy at Home CHQ Coalition for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week to raise awareness of the childhood lead poisoning problem plaguing communities.

Healthy At Home CHQ Coalition Director Lisa Schmidtfrerick-Miller said that, “Every year, an average of 85 Chautauqua County children are testing at blood lead levels exceeding the New York State action threshold of 5 micrograms per deciliter, and about 60 of those children are in the City of Jamestown.”

Schmidtfrerick-Miller encourages folks to learn about the hazards of lead, to test older homes for lead, and to make sure that children are getting recommended blood tests to detect lead.

The most common source of lead exposure locally is from lead-based paint, which was used in many homes built before 1978. Chautauqua County, and Jamestown in particular, have some of the oldest housing stock in the United States.

Tiny amounts of lead can often cause loss of IQ, learning disabilities, and behavior problems in children.

For more information on free home testing for families with children under age six, and free EPA training and certification for contractors and landlords, visit https://chqgov.com/environmental-health/lead-poisoning-prevention or call 716-753-4489.

To learn more about Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. HUD Lead-CHHP program which removes and repairs lead paint at no cost for qualifying tenants and homeowners, visit https://www.chautauquaopportunities.com/lead-program/.

WATCH

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on both WRFA’s Facebook Page and Youtube Channel.

A virtual Q&A was also available for audience members.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

Jamestown City Council

The two resolutions were first discussed at Council’s May 16 work session. The Senior Citizen Home Improvement Incentive Program would target homeowners who are currently receiving or would qualify for the Aged Exemption. The second proposed rebate program is a Residential Home Improvement Incentive Program for all other homeowners and landlords with properties that contain three or less units. Council members had requested additional guidelines be added to the programs.

Council also will review a resolution to install six surveillance cameras on utility poles that look like electrical transformers. $50,600 in ARP funds would go toward four cameras with $25,300 in Federal drug seizure funds going to the other two. The purchase would also require a monthly data plan of $37.99 per camera for a total of $227.94. This expense would be paid out of the City of Jamestown IT budget.

A resolution to hire a recruitment firm to find a replacement for Department of Public Works Director Jeff Lehman is on the agenda.

The city is proposing contracting with Pracademic Partners for $15,000 to hire a Deputy Director of Public Works/Professional Engineer who would take over as Director when Lehman retires in Spring 2023. Whoever is hired would also be expected to establish residency in the City.

The staff report cites the recruitment is needed due to “the complex nature of the position, the lack of local candidates, and the importance of the position.”

There are no internal candidates for the job and an initial job advertisement did not find a suitable candidate pool.

Funding would come from the contingency account.

The Public Safety Committee will act on several special event application permits including a Juneteenth Movie Night to be held at the National Comedy Center on June 17, a Hello Summer event on June 24 on Lafayette Street, a Christmas in July event at Diethrick Park July 22 and 23, and the Downtown Cruise-In set for August 12.

An informational report by Lisa Schmidtfrerick-Miller will be presented before the Housing Committee as well.

The Housing Committee meets at 6:45 p.m. with other committees meeting at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth floor of City Hall. The full work session begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Police Training Room on the fourth floor of city hall. All meetings are open to the public and the full work session will be livestreamed on jamestowny.gov.

• MOBILE APP USERS: LISTEN VIA SOUNDCLOUD

Originally airing Thursday, July 18, 2019

Local health officials discuss Lead Poisoning and the effort to remove lead from homes within the community. Guests include Dr. Lillian Ney with the city’s Health Care Action Team, Natalie Whiteman – the county’s Lead Program Coordinator, and Lisa Schmidtfrerick-Miller – Chautauqua County Health Department Healthy Communities Consultant.

The WCA Hospital Wellness, Cardiology, and Chautauqua County Health Action teams will join this effort by offering the general public FREE BLOOD PRESSURE checks during the month of May. No appointment is necessary and walk-ins are welcomed Monday – Friday, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

To get your blood pressure checked, stop by the WCA Hospital Cardiology Department located at the main campus, 207 Foote Avenue, Jamestown, and check-in with the receptionist. The Cardiology Department is located on the 2nd Floor of the hospital, adjacent from the Auditorium. Blood pressures will be checked by a registered nurse. The screening only takes a few minutes. Anyone with a high blood pressure result will be referred to the Emergency Department or his/her primary care physician.

Blood pressure is commonly associated with narrowing of the arteries, which causes the heart and blood vessels to overwork. Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers: the systolic pressure (as the heart beats) over the diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats).

“Most people cannot tell if their blood pressure is high because there are typically no symptoms,” said Toni DeAngelo, RN, WCA Community Health and Wellness Director.  “High blood pressure is a common disease in which blood flows through blood vessels (arteries) at higher than normal pressures and can increase the risk of heart failure, heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.  The good news is that we have the ability to lower our blood pressure through lifestyle modifications and medication.”

Brenda Fitzgerald, RN, cardiac rehab specialist at WCA, tells us that high blood pressure can be prevented—and lowered—if people take the following preventative steps:

• Follow a healthy eating plan and reduce your salt intake.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Be moderately physically active for at least 30 minutes per day.
• Reduce your stress.
• Drink alcohol in moderation and don’t smoke.
• Take your medications and follow-up with your doctor.

“Approximately 1 in every 4 American adults has high blood pressure,” Brenda said.  “Fortunately, you can find out if you have high blood pressure by having your blood pressure checked regularly.  If it is high, you can take protective steps to lower it.  Just as important, if your blood pressure is normal, take healthy steps to keep it from rising.”

In conjunction with the free blood pressure screening program at WCA, the Chautauqua County Action team will be on hand at the WCA Cardiology Department to offer participants education on the NEW Hands-Only Community CPR program.  Lisa Schmidtfrerick-Miller, CHQ 250 coordinator, will be available on Friday, May 13, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Monday, May 16, from Noon to 3 p.m. to educate the public on the new initiative.

Educational resources to prevent and/or control blood pressure will be made available during the screening.  Printable patient information sheets are also available by visiting the American Heart Association at  www.heart.org or contacting WCA Hospital Wellness at (716) 664-8677.