El Paso County residents participated in a public health survey April 12 and 13, 2013 to determine the community's readiness for an emergency, such as flash flooding.

Read the final report and summary of results.

The recent Waldo Canyon Fire has significantly changed the landscape, presenting risk of debris flow and flooding.

Residents both in the burned area and those downstream of those areas should be prepared for potential flooding.

Remember to the five D's to prevent West Nile Virus this summer: Wear insect repllant with DEET, dress in pants and long sleeves if possible when outdoors, take greater precautions at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active, and drain standing water. 

We all share the water we swim in, and we each need to do our part to keep ourselves, our families, and our friends healthy. To help protect yourself and other swimmers from germs, there are a few simple and effective steps all swimmers can take each time we swim.

Human infections with a new avian influenza A (H7N9) virus continue to be reported in China. The virus has been detected in poultry in China as well. While mild illness in human cases has been seen, most patients have had severe respiratory illness and some people have died. No cases of H7N9 outside of China have been reported. The new H7N9 virus has not been detected in people or birds in the United States.

Help support Nurse-Family Partnership moms! Join the Boppy Effect: Get One, Give One movement. For every Boppy Pillow purchased at a Babies"R"Us or babiesrus.com in May, The Boppy Company will give a Boppy Pillow to a NFP mom. 

April 1-7 is National Public Health Week. Learn more about how Public Health protects and promotes public health and environmental quality in the community by reading our 2012 Annual Report. 

El Paso County Public Health is partnering with the El Paso County Food Safety Advisory Group (FSAG) to recognize licensed retail food service establishments which maintain superior food safety practices. This effort will be known as “Excellence in Food Safety.” 

An epidemic number of pertussis (whooping cough) cases are spreading in Colorado. To protect infants and toddlers from the disease, caregivers are urged to get the Tdap vaccine.

The latest revision of the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations are now available. The revisions will be in effect March 1, 2013.  Retail Food Operators and Owners are urged to review these regulations and take the online revisions training course before they go into effect.

Public Health works to protect you from foodborne illness by conducting detailed health inspections and educating staff members in about 2,300 food establishments in El Paso County, including: restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, school kitchens, hot dog stands, burrito vendors and other mobile units. Search the inspection reports online.