Nto offer a radon presentation

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1 NEVADA REPORT A partnership of Nevada counties; University of Nevada, Reno; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. NevadaRadonEducation Program A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM THROUGH THE NEVADA DIVISION of PUBLIC and BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Inside this Report NAACP learns about Radon 1 Great American Smokeout 1 Shine a Light on Lung Cancer 1 2 NRAM proclamations 2 Nevada Nurses Convention 3 Cancer Summit 3 National Radon Meeting 3 Sierra NV Health Center 3 Radon program impacts 4 Test kit distribution data 4 Radon in social media 5 Program numbers 5 Radon on the internet 6 Radon in newspapers 7 Radon in newsletters 7 State test results summaries 8 Volume 11 - Number 2 - FY 2018 October through December 2017 NAACP members learn about radon evada Radon Education Program (NREP) was invited Nto offer a radon presentation to the members of the Reno Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Dec. 14. The group listened with great interest to the presentation that was provided by Susan Howe and Nadia Noel. NREP participates in Renown s Great American Smokeout event Renown Health hosted a tabling event focused on lung health during the Great American Smoke Out on Nov. 16. The Nevada Radon Education Program (NREP) participated along with members of the American Cancer Society, and Renown s Cancer Institute lung cancer outreach program. The three groups provided free information and promotional items to visitors of the hospital. During the three-hour event, NREP staff spoke to more than 80 people about radon, and handed out at least 47 test kits during the event. The Great American Smokeout, which began in 1976, is an opportunity for smokers to quit the habit for one day with the hope that the action could lead to a permanent change. NREP distributes radon materials and test kits alongside Renown s Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society during the Great American Smokeout event. Several members asked thoughtful questions and offered to help spread the word about radon s health risk by posting social media messages for NREP. About 29 people attended the presentation. A number of attendees received test kits, and three percent of the test kits were used by the end of the year. Nadia Noel and Susan Howe educate 29 NAACP members about radon at the Dec. 14 meeting. Nadia Noel presents at the NAACP meeting Dec. 14. NREP helps Renown Health to Shine a Light on Lung Cancer Renown Regional held its annual Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event on Nov. 3 in recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The night included appetizers, music and testimonies from several lung cancer survivors. The Nevada Radon Education Program (NREP) was invited to table at the event because its mission is to prevent lung cancer through radon reduction. Dr. Christina Szot, MD, Pulmonologist with Renown Medical Group, was the keynote speaker for the event. As a pulmonologist, she works closely with the Renown Cancer Center, and was the driving force behind the lung cancer screening program at the hospital. Renown s Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event is one of 200 sites in the nation, and is the only one in Nevada. The goal (of the event) is to really Keynote speaker, Dr. Christina Szot, MD, Renown Medical Group pulmonologist, at the Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event Nov. 3. provide a voice for the millions of people that are impacted by lung cancer because lung cancer really does affect us all, Szot said. In this room, it s impacted all of us. No matter who you may be, if you re a nurse, a mother, if you re a daughter, if you re an administrator, if you re a» continued, See SHINE A LIGHT, Page 2

2 Page 2 NREP receives two NRAM proclamations in December The Nevada Radon Education Program (NREP) received two National Radon Action Month proclamations in December from local governing bodies in preparation for January s Action Month events. The first proclamation came from the Washoe County Health District on the morning of Dec. 14. Susan Howe shared radon information and statistics with the board before receiving the declaration. The second proclamation was from Sun Valley General Improvement District (SVGID) in the evening on Dec. 14. Howe accepted the proclamation after a brief presentation on the health risk of radon, how to test for the gas and the methods for reducing an elevated level. SVGID will again collaborate with NREP as a distribution point for free radon test kits during the months of January and February. The Washoe County Health District presents Susan Howe with a National Radon Action Month proclamation at their Dec. 14 meeting. Photo by Kelli Goatley-Seals Shine a Light Continued from Page 1 patient, we are all affected by this terrible disease. Most of the statistics are pretty grim, she said. Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the U.S. More people die of lung cancer than any other cancer, and that includes men and women. In fact, more people die of lung cancer than breast The Nevada Radon Education Program offers free cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer combined. radon test kits to Shine a Light on Lung Cancer attendees. Photo by Tori DellaRocca Szot said that statistics for lung cancer are underappreciated due to the blame stigma associated with smoking and lung cancer. But the reality is that cancer does not discriminate; lung cancer can certainly affect anyone, even if you have never smoked a cigarette in your life, Szot said. She spoke of the statistics of surviving lung cancer and the advances in medical technology used to treat the disease. Over 155,000 people are going to die of lung cancer this year, Szot said. That s the population of Sparks and Carson City combined. They estimate that one in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer at some point in their life. Up until now, lung cancer was typically diagnosed at a very later stage and therefore the survival rates were pretty grim. But the news is actually far from grim, she continued. We ve made advances in all aspects of lung cancer, starting with advances in lung cancer prevention. Szot mentioned that smoking cessation efforts have reduced smoking rates to 15 percent, down from 40 percent. She also included the radon education program among lung cancer prevention resources, as radon is a known risk factor for lung cancer. She encouraged attendees to get more information from NREP and consider taking a test kit to test their homes for radon. The most important medical advance is the screening tool for Sun Valley General Improvement District board members presents Susan Howe with a National Radon Action Month proclamation at their meeting on Dec. 14. SVGID will also offer radon test kits to residents for NRAM. Attendees release balloons in honor of individuals who lost their lives to lung cancer, survivors and people fighting their battle against the disease. Photo by Tori DellaRocca lung cancer. We ve had mammograms for breast cancer for years, we ve done colonoscopies for colon cancer for years, and it s only in the last two years that we finally have a screening tool for lung cancer, a low dose chest CAT scan. Szot said that X-rays are useless for screening for the disease because they don t pick up cancers until they are at an advanced stage. The point of screening is to find cancers in their earliest stages, when they are Stage 1 and curable. X-rays are not effective at doing that. It s been proven now, with the lung cancer, low-dose scans, that it can reduce mortality by 20 percent, and this is the reason why it finally got approved as a screening tool by Medicare and by insurance companies. Renown has been providing lung cancer screening scans for many years, as it was a part of the research phase. Szot continued, If all smokers and ex-smokers were screened appropriately, who are candidates for screening, it s estimated that we would save 12,000 people a year. I think it s going to make a huge impact in our statistics in our lives in the years to come. Szot mentioned other medical strides in lung cancer treatment and diagnosis, including genetic markers, molecular genetics, radiation therapies, non-surgical treatments, immunal therapy, blood tests and vaccines to prevent lung cancer. At the end of the event, balloons were released in honor of individuals who lost their lives to lung cancer, survivors and those fighting their battle against the disease.

3 Volume 11 - Number 2 - FY 2018 Page 3 Radon test kits offered at Nevada nurses convention Nevada Nurses Association/Nevada Organization of Nurse Leaders Convention held a combined nursing convention, Creating Our Vision for the Future, at the Grand Sierra Resort from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1. More than 220 nurses that attended the event were exposed to almost 40 vendors. Dr. Bernie Longo represented the Nevada Radon Education Program, offering free radon test kits and educational literature during the convention. Longo also Living With Fire program materials as part of the NNA Environmental Health Committee s efforts. Radon program staff assisted Longo for a few hours of the event. During that time, they also met the new State President, Dave Tyrell, for the Nevada Nurses Association. Tyrell is currently a clinical supervisor at the Center for Transplatation at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. During the convention, at least 34 radon test kits were given out. NREP attends national meeting in New Orleans Oct. 1 to 4 was the International Radon Symposium in New Orleans, La. The day before the symposium, Sept. 30, radon education coordinator Nadia Noel attended a pre-symposium course, NOLA Radon 301: Radon Mastery. Noel had the opportunity to sharpen her understanding of radon measurement and product varieties. Lin Marie Carey of Healthy Homes Training and Daryl Festa of Festa Technologies taught the course. During the symposium, Nevada Radon Education Program (NREP) staff were able to meet with Doug Kladder, director, Center for Environmental Research and Technology representatives from FT Lab, the makers of the radon monitor, Radon Eye Plus. Insoo Park offered to provide free digital radon monitors for NREP and Nevada Radon Poster Contest winners. Howe and Noel attended a number of sessions during the conference. One of the presentations was by Doug Kladder, who spoke about Conducting Radon Surveys in Schools and Child Care Facilities. Kladder, a well known expert on radon mitigation and measurement in the radon industry, talked about the concern that children and teachers could be exposed to elevated levels of radon while they are at daycare or school. He emphasized that quality control and quality assurance is crucial in regards to radon measurement, stating, you need to be able to express confidence in the survey of the daycare or school. Kladder urged that radon professionals need to be adequately trained to test schools and daycares according to protocol. Nadia Noel, education coordinator, pictured with Bernie Longo, professor emerita, and Dave Tyrell, state president for the Nevada Nurses Association at the Nevada Nurses Association/ Nevada Organization of Nurse Leaders Convention, Nov. 30. Nevada Cancer Coalition holds Cancer Summit The Nevada Radon Education Program (NREP) manned an exhibit booth during the Nevada Cancer Control Summit, Nov. 6, at Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno. The allday event was packed with nationally known speakers and several breaks to interact with vendors. The radon program was able to network and speak to more than 48 attendees and Nadia Noel explains the radon test procedure to a 37 free radon test Cancer Summit attendee. kits. Dr. Tabor Griswold, University of Nevada Health Services Research Analyst in the School of Medicine, spoke about using data to tell the story of cancer in Nevada. She has created maps with data for the many health issues in the state. After her presentation, she talked with NREP Director Susan Howe and discussed displaying radon potential data in her mapping program. Adrian and Susan Howe pictured with R. William Field, Ph.D., internationally acclaimed radiation expert who spoke during the National Radon Meeting in New Orleans, La. NREP trains health center medical assistants about radon Susan Howe and Nadia Noel presented a radon education class to six medical assistants at Sierra Nevada Health Center (SNHC) on Dec. 12. The training was the first step in a collaboration project between the Nevada Radon Education Program and the health center. After taking part in the training on radon health risk, how to test for the gas, the process of reducing an elevated level and how to broach the subject of radon with a patient, the medical assistants were equipped to offer free radon test kits to health center patients during National Radon Action Month. If this pilot program at SNHC is successful, the radon program might offer free radon test kits through other health center sites throughout the state during the next NRAM.

4 Page 4 Radon program impacts Radon impact data is collected each quarter and reflects the impacts that the Nevada Radon Education Program have had statewide and within each county. Out of 21,847 valid results, 5,423 (24.8%) homes had an elevated radon level (at or above the EPA County # Valid ST tests* < 4 pci/l > 4 pci/l % Radon Average ST radon level pci/l Maximum ST radon level pci/l # long & shortterm test kits # test kits used Action Level of 4 pci/l). Of the 53,460 long- and short-term test kits, 54% have been used. Even though 26,578 homes have been, it amounts to a little more than 2% of Nevada housing units,» continued, See PROGRAM IMPACTS, Page 8 Nevada Radon Education Program's Impact Data as of % Radon of Usable ST Test Results % kits /used** % Homes % Mitigations % of test kits used # Real Estate # RRNC # Housing units * % Homes that need mitigated+ mitigated % Homes mitigated in a real estate transaction Carson City 1,749 1, % ,082 2, % 23,436 1, % % Churchill % , % 10, % % 14 5 Clark 3,277 2, % ,302 4, % 881,165 4, % % Douglas 4,031 2,503 1, % ,474 6, % 23,988 4, % 1, % Elko % % 20, % % 17 1 Esmeralda % % % 0 0 Eureka % % 1, % 8 0 0% 1 Humboldt % % 7, % % 4 2 Lander % % 2, % % 10 1 Lincoln % % 2, % % 1 Lyon 1, % ,362 1, % 22,541 1, % % Mineral % % 2, % % 6 Nye % % 21, % % 8 1 Pershing % % 2, % % 3 1 Storey % % 1, % % 1 1 Washoe 9,626 7,624 2, % ,743 12, % 191,383 11, % 1, % White Pine % % 4, % % 7 1 Unknown % % % 2 Statewide totals 21,847 16,424 5, % ,460 28, % 1,221,698 26, % 5,184 1, % *# Valid Tests and Tested: Data from the Nevada Radon Program's database of test results was combined with information provided from certified Radon Measurement and Mitigation Providers, as well as AccuStar Lab, Alpha Energy Laboratories, Pro Lab, Air Chek Inc., Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health-Radiation Control Program and the Washoe County District Health Department. The Housing units data is from 2016 Census data. **# Test kits Distributed: includes only short- and long-term tests by the Nevada Radon Education Program, Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health - Radiation Control Program, and the Washoe County District Health Department. + Homes that originally at or above the EPA Action Level of 4 pci/l, that subsequently below the action level using a long-term test device, were subtracted from the list of homes > 4 pci/l. Radon test kit distribution data for quarter The data in the charts below show the number of test kits at various events for the October through December quarter. They show the number of kits as well as the number of kits used by Dec. 31 in each category. The percent columns represent the percent of usage or success rate within the activity or test kit distribution location. At least 364 short-term test kits were during the quarter and 100, or 27.5 percent, were used by Dec. 31. Special Projects, Partners and Cooperative Exension offices Partners and Cooperative Extension offices provided a total distribution of 197 short-term radon test kits. Of those kits, at least 79 or 40 percent were used. Partnerships with Incline Village Recreation Center and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency continue to be year-round resource locations for local residents. Radon mitigators, Norm Denny, Jim Gorman and Derrick Carpenter distribute NREP test kits to homeowners of Short-term test kits from Special Projects, Partners and Cooperative Extension offices from Oct - Dec 2017 Distribution point No. kits No. % Carson City County Cooperative Extension % Clark County Cooperative Extension % Douglas County Cooperative Extension % - Tahoe Regional Planning Agency % Lyon County Cooperative Extension % Pershing County Cooperative Extension 1 0 0% Washoe County Cooperative Extension % - Incline Village Recreation Center % - Washoe County Community % City of West Wendover 1 0 0% Mitigator Derrick Carpenter kit distribution % Mitigator Norm Denny kit distribution % TOTALS % built RRNC mitigated homes. Statewide program presentations and events NREP provided an exhibit booth at several events: Renown Regional s annual Shine a Light on Lung Cancer, Nevada Cancer Coalition s Cancer Summit, Renown Health s Great American Smokeout, and the Nevada Nurses Association Conference. Two presentations were made to the Sierra Nevada Health Center and NAACP members. Eleven percent of the kits at these events were used by Dec. 31. Mail order requests NREP received 14 requests for test kits by mail: six using website coupons and eight via Eventbrite online ordering. Four kits were used. Short-term test kits at Programs and Events from Oct - Dec 2017 Date Program No. kits No. % 11/3/17 Shine the Light on Cancer-Renown % 11/6/17 NCC Cancer Summit % 11/16/17 Great American Smokeout-Renown % 11/30/17 NNA Conference % 12/2/17 Sierra NV Health Center training 5 0 0% 12/14/17 SVGID proclamation 2 0 0% 12/14/17 Washoe County Health District % 12/14/17 NAACP Program % TOTALS % Short-term test kits by Mail with Coupons, or Online orders from Oct - Dec 2017 Distribution point No. kits No. % Mail requests - by Eventbrite online order % Mail requests - by Website coupon 6 0 0% TOTALS %

5 Volume 11 - Number 2 - FY 2018 Page 5 Radon in social media Facebook reached 84 likes/loves/comments 22 shares, 476 post clicks Facebook reached 4 likes/loves, 53 post clicks, 4 shares tweet 1370 impressions, 30 engagements 8 likes, 11 retweets tweet 3177 impressions, 7 engagements 2 likes, 3 retweets Facebook reached 33 likes/loves, 7 shares, 26 post clicks retweet 434 impressions, 3 engagements 1 retweet Radon Education Program Numbers UNCE Radon Program prior to Jul Oct FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 Sep 07 Sep 17 Dec 17 Numbers Totals Radon phone and inquiries 2,136 2,688 1,911 2,209 1,946 3,148 1,893 1,349 1,814 1, ,525 Direct contacts promoting radon testing and mitigation 3,259 14,000 10,428 7,862 7,768 8,416 9,205 9,107 8,633 4,139 1,268 1,044 85,129 Newspaper/magazine articles Radon publications/information 2,798 67,071 59,378 58,545 99, , , , , ,033 19,543 26, ,753 Radon exhibits TV reports TV PSAs ,178 Radio PSAs ,755 5,926 6,435 4,848 2,954 24,157 Website pages of NV Radon information Social media reach (Facebook) 1,922 2,912 9,912 19, ,651 39,368 Twitter Impressions (begun ) 29,402 3,902 9,050 42,354 Twitter Engagements (begun ) Eventbrite page views ,980 Website page hits 29,466 59,288 75,920 85, , , , , ,278 65,266 86,291 1,582,888 Test kits 971 2,469 8,208 5,321 4,829 3,993 4,929 5,219 5,346 5,712 5, ,461 Homes newly -Short-Term 1,574 1,316 4,062 2,590 2,339 2,025 2,043 2,436 2,350 2,358 2, ,267 Homes newly -Long Term School buildings School buildings mitigated Homes mitigated ,170 Homes with repaired mitigation system or fan replacements Large buildings Large buildings mitigated Homes in Real Estate transaction ,170 Homes built with RRNC features Certified Mitigators Builders using RRNC Realtors promoting Radon testing

6 P a g e 6 Radon on the internet RadonNews.org RecordCourier.com CarsonNow.org NevadaAppeal.com unce.unr.edu rgj.com

7 Volume 11 - Number 2 - F Y Radon in newspapers... Page 7 Dec. 20, 2017 Lovelock Review-Miner Oct. 18, 2017 Record Courier Oct. 19, 2017 Mineral County Independent-News Dec. 30, 2017 Nevada Appeal Dec. 7, 2017 Reno Gazette-Journal Radon in newsletters... Oct. 18, 2017 Nevada SITREP Mike Alger mentions radon in his Weather Talk article!

8 Page 8 Nevada counties Total number of usable tests per county Carson City 1,749 Churchill 473 Clark 3,277 Douglas 4,031 Elko 404 Esmeralda 3 EPA Action Level <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 No. of short-term radon test results 1, , ,503 1, % of homes that have elevated radon levels Nevada counties Total number of usable tests per county Eureka 26 Humboldt 249 Lander 138 Lincoln 79 Lyon 1,093 Mineral 98 EPA Action Level <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 No. of short-term radon test results % of homes that have elevated radon levels Nevada counties Total number of usable tests per county Nye 173 Pershing 174 Storey 42 Washoe 9,626 White Pine 208 TOTALS 21,847 EPA Action Level <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 No. of short-term radon test results ,624 2, ,424 5,423 % of homes that have elevated radon levels Nevada Radon Short-Term Test Results* From 1989 to December 31, % 15.43% 10.41% 37.91% 37.13% 30.77% 30.92% 17.39% 30.38% 26.90% sample size too small 39.80% 8.09% 56.90% 28.57% 20.80% 29.81% 24.82% *State data provided by the Nevada State Health Division, Nevada certified radon testers and the following labs: AccuStar Labs, Alpha Energy Laboratories, Air Chek, Inc. and Pro Lab. Results based on independently homes. When known, post-mitigation results are not included and usable results are valid tests, one per home, using an average of multiple tests from the lowest level of the home. (Schools & large buildings not included.) Nevada counties Nevada Radon Long-Term Test Results** Carson City From January 2001 to December 31, 2017 Churchill Clark Douglas Elko Humboldt Lander Lincoln Lyon Mineral Pershing Washoe Total number of usable tests per county EPA Action Level <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 <4.0 >4.0 No. of long-term radon test results % of homes that have high 54.2% 14.3% 20.8% 25.2% 45.5% 40.0% 33.3% 33.3% 19.5% 100% 25.0% 25.7% 25.0% 28.46% radon levels White Pine TOTALS **State data provided by RSSI, Alpha Energy Laboratories and AccuStar Labs. Results based on independently homes. When known, post-mitigation results are not included and usable results are valid tests, one per home, using an average of multiple tests from the lowest level of the home. (Schools & large buildings not included.) Program Impacts Continued from Page 4 according to 2016 U.S. Census figures. At least 1,170 homes have been reported fixed or mitigated for radon, amounting to 22.6% of the homes whose results indicate the need. In addition, more than 2,170 homes have been for radon during the purchase process and 457 new homes had radon systems installed. Zones Zone 1 High Zone 2 Moderate Zone 3 Low Radon Zone Summaries Nevada Radon Zone Short-Term Test Result Summary Counties Carson City, Douglas, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine Total Tests Tests > 4 pci/l % high radon 17,783 4, % Churchill, Clark, Lander 3, % Nye, Esmeralda % Statewide statistics 21,847 5, % Nevada Radon Zone Long-Term Test Result Summary Zones Counties Total Tests Tests > 4 pci/l % high radon Zone 1 High Zone 2 Moderate Zone 3 Low Carson City, Douglas, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine Churchill, Clark, Lander % Nye, Esmeralda 592 NA % Statewide statistics % The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person s age, disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race, or religion. Where discrimination is found to have occurred, the University will act to stop the discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, to remedy its effects, and to discipline those responsible. This publication is supported by the Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health through Grant Number K from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official views of neither the Division nor the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.