hd&boatrider
09-17-2003, 08:32 AM
State Report Cites CO As‘Public Health Hazard’
Samples taken at Rotary Beach Memorial Day weekend
By Brian Wedemeyer
The Arizona Department of Health Services determined back in June that carbon monoxide exposure in and aruond the Bridgewater Channel over Memorial Day weekend posed a public health hazard.
The report, dated June 18, was provided to the Mohave County Health Department without public notification. A local radio news affiliate posted a copy of the report on its Web site Tuesday.
Both county and Lake Havasu City officials have been involved in a public awareness campaign warning citizens about carbon monoxide poisoning from boat exhaust. However, flyers distributed to boaters this summer do not specifically mention the Channel.
“The cumulative carbon monoxide exposure increased as the day progressed,” the report concluded. “The (carboxyhemoglobin) levels observed late in the day posed a public health hazard.”
Will Humble, bureau chief for epidemiology and disease control, said Tuesday that the state health department assisted with testing at Rotary Community Beach near the south entrance to the Channel over Memorial Day weekend at the request of county officials.
“We really try to work closely with the counties without stepping on their toes,” Humble said. “They asked us to come and help out because they don’t have some of the technical expertise or the equipment.
“Only one conclusion can be made from what we saw out there on Memorial Day, and that is there is definitely a public health hazard on those busy weekends.”
Jennifer McNally, spokeswoman for the county health department, said a copy of the report was provided to the Board of Supervisors as backup for a July 21 special meeting, making it a matter of public record.
“This is a report from the Department of Health Services,” McNally said. “We don’t issue press releases on their behalf.”
Supervisor Buster Johnson confirmed that he did receive a copy of the report during the meeting.
“It was handed out while we were sitting on the bench, and it’s my fault for not reading it afterward,” Johnson said. “I put this issue on the agenda three or four times to make sure the county was doing its job. The last time I was told it was not their responsibility. I haven’t been able to convince the other board members to take any action.”
According to the minutes from the board meeting, Health Director Patti Mead advised that the state health department sent an interim report to the city regarding its studies and conclusions.
However, spokesman Charlie Cassens said the city was unaware the report existed.
“We knew that state officials assisted with some of the data gathering over Memorial Day weekend, but we were not expecting a separate report.”
According to the state report, exhaled air samples were taken from 62 participants at Rotary Beach. An investigator also administered a short questionnaire, which included whether or not the person was a smoker, what kinds of recreational activities he or she was involved in, and how many hours the person was in the area.
For non-smokers, the amount of carboxyhemoglobin in each participant averaged 1 percent from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 11 percent from 6 to 8 p.m. For smokers, the average increased from 3 percent to 13 percent during those same periods.
Alcohol consumption, which causes similar symptoms as carbon monoxide, was common among the participants.
“The combination of alcohol consumption and carbon monoxide exposure likely creates a more significant health hazard,” the report stated. “In addition, the recreational activities conducted during the investigation were predominately in or near water, creating a drowning hazard for those with impaired judgment ...”
Last December, the city received a report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, which conducted some preliminary tests in the Channel over Labor Day weekend in 2002. The same agency was involved in a highly publicized investigation of carbon monoxide poisoning from houseboat exhaust on Lake Powell.
That report, which called for further testing in the Channel, was first made public by TodayÂ’s News-Herald in February.
In April, the city hired Sonoma Technology, Inc., of Petaluma, Calif., to assist with an air quality evaluation in the Channel. City officials hope to have a final report sometime in October.
NIOSH participated in some additional testing over Memorial Day weekend. Of the 77 public safety employees that took breath tests, 54 exceeded federal safety limits. That same weekend, 31-year-old Mark Tostado of Huntington Beach, Calif., drowned in the Channel. A medical examiner later determined carbon monoxide as a secondary cause of death with alcohol listed as a contributing factor.
Over this past Labor Day weekend, the body of 26-year-old Timothy Eugene Heck of Fontana, Calif., was found in the Channel in an apparent drowning. The results of the autopsy were unknown at press time.
Cassens said the state health departmentÂ’s report would be included as part of the evaluation.
“This is just one piece of the puzzle,” Cassens said.
Cassens said the consultantÂ’s informal results are consistent with both the NIOSH and the state report.
“The longer you’re in the Channel, the more carbon monoxide gets in your blood stream,” Cassens said.
McNally said public information released so far on carbon monoxide poisoning does not mention the Channel for a reason.
“We don’t want people to think that the only risk is in the Channel,” McNally said. “We want to stress to the public that carbon monoxide emissions from boats are a threat no matter where you’re at.”
You may contact the reporter at bwedemeyer@havasunews.com.
Samples taken at Rotary Beach Memorial Day weekend
By Brian Wedemeyer
The Arizona Department of Health Services determined back in June that carbon monoxide exposure in and aruond the Bridgewater Channel over Memorial Day weekend posed a public health hazard.
The report, dated June 18, was provided to the Mohave County Health Department without public notification. A local radio news affiliate posted a copy of the report on its Web site Tuesday.
Both county and Lake Havasu City officials have been involved in a public awareness campaign warning citizens about carbon monoxide poisoning from boat exhaust. However, flyers distributed to boaters this summer do not specifically mention the Channel.
“The cumulative carbon monoxide exposure increased as the day progressed,” the report concluded. “The (carboxyhemoglobin) levels observed late in the day posed a public health hazard.”
Will Humble, bureau chief for epidemiology and disease control, said Tuesday that the state health department assisted with testing at Rotary Community Beach near the south entrance to the Channel over Memorial Day weekend at the request of county officials.
“We really try to work closely with the counties without stepping on their toes,” Humble said. “They asked us to come and help out because they don’t have some of the technical expertise or the equipment.
“Only one conclusion can be made from what we saw out there on Memorial Day, and that is there is definitely a public health hazard on those busy weekends.”
Jennifer McNally, spokeswoman for the county health department, said a copy of the report was provided to the Board of Supervisors as backup for a July 21 special meeting, making it a matter of public record.
“This is a report from the Department of Health Services,” McNally said. “We don’t issue press releases on their behalf.”
Supervisor Buster Johnson confirmed that he did receive a copy of the report during the meeting.
“It was handed out while we were sitting on the bench, and it’s my fault for not reading it afterward,” Johnson said. “I put this issue on the agenda three or four times to make sure the county was doing its job. The last time I was told it was not their responsibility. I haven’t been able to convince the other board members to take any action.”
According to the minutes from the board meeting, Health Director Patti Mead advised that the state health department sent an interim report to the city regarding its studies and conclusions.
However, spokesman Charlie Cassens said the city was unaware the report existed.
“We knew that state officials assisted with some of the data gathering over Memorial Day weekend, but we were not expecting a separate report.”
According to the state report, exhaled air samples were taken from 62 participants at Rotary Beach. An investigator also administered a short questionnaire, which included whether or not the person was a smoker, what kinds of recreational activities he or she was involved in, and how many hours the person was in the area.
For non-smokers, the amount of carboxyhemoglobin in each participant averaged 1 percent from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 11 percent from 6 to 8 p.m. For smokers, the average increased from 3 percent to 13 percent during those same periods.
Alcohol consumption, which causes similar symptoms as carbon monoxide, was common among the participants.
“The combination of alcohol consumption and carbon monoxide exposure likely creates a more significant health hazard,” the report stated. “In addition, the recreational activities conducted during the investigation were predominately in or near water, creating a drowning hazard for those with impaired judgment ...”
Last December, the city received a report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, which conducted some preliminary tests in the Channel over Labor Day weekend in 2002. The same agency was involved in a highly publicized investigation of carbon monoxide poisoning from houseboat exhaust on Lake Powell.
That report, which called for further testing in the Channel, was first made public by TodayÂ’s News-Herald in February.
In April, the city hired Sonoma Technology, Inc., of Petaluma, Calif., to assist with an air quality evaluation in the Channel. City officials hope to have a final report sometime in October.
NIOSH participated in some additional testing over Memorial Day weekend. Of the 77 public safety employees that took breath tests, 54 exceeded federal safety limits. That same weekend, 31-year-old Mark Tostado of Huntington Beach, Calif., drowned in the Channel. A medical examiner later determined carbon monoxide as a secondary cause of death with alcohol listed as a contributing factor.
Over this past Labor Day weekend, the body of 26-year-old Timothy Eugene Heck of Fontana, Calif., was found in the Channel in an apparent drowning. The results of the autopsy were unknown at press time.
Cassens said the state health departmentÂ’s report would be included as part of the evaluation.
“This is just one piece of the puzzle,” Cassens said.
Cassens said the consultantÂ’s informal results are consistent with both the NIOSH and the state report.
“The longer you’re in the Channel, the more carbon monoxide gets in your blood stream,” Cassens said.
McNally said public information released so far on carbon monoxide poisoning does not mention the Channel for a reason.
“We don’t want people to think that the only risk is in the Channel,” McNally said. “We want to stress to the public that carbon monoxide emissions from boats are a threat no matter where you’re at.”
You may contact the reporter at bwedemeyer@havasunews.com.