QUEENSBURY – Warren County Health Services will host a wide-ranging panel discussion Thursday, April 7 on the local impacts of climate change on public health.
The program is open to the public, and will run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Queensbury Community Center. The discussion will be livestreamed on Warren County’s YouTube page for those who cannot attend in person, and the video will be archived on this page for viewing later as well.
As part of the local observance of National Public Health Week, a panel of experts will discuss the impacts that warming temperatures are having on public health in our region, such as air quality effects on respiratory diseases, increasing numbers of disease-carrying insects and prevalence of severe weather.
They also will look at what is being done locally, and how residents can get involved to address changes and safeguard themselves from some of the impacts.
Organized by Warren County Health Program Coordinator Dan Durkee, the presentation will include:
- Kathy Bozony, coordinator of the Town of Queensbury Clean Energy Community Committee, will discuss actions being taken locally to try to counteract the effects of climate change;
- Ann Marie Mason, Warren County Director of Emergency Services, will discuss hazard mitigation from weather changes from warming temperatures;
- Dr. Richard Leach, a physician specializing in infectious diseases, to discuss the impact of warming temperatures on chronic and vector-borne diseases;
- Claudia Braymer, Glens Falls 3rd Ward Supervisor and member of New York State Association of Counties Climate Action Standing Committee, will talk about the committee’s efforts;
- Ethan Gaddy, Warren County Assistant Planner and member of Warren County Climate Task Force, will discuss the task force’s efforts;
- Dan Durkee, Warren County Public Health Program Coordinator, will talk about how climate change impacts chronic diseases, including heart disease, COPD, and asthma.
Said Warren County Health Services Director Ginelle Jones: “Our changing climate is having wide-ranging effects on the health of residents of our region, and the trends indicate it is going to get worse before it gets better. Bringing together this panel to discuss what impacts we will see locally, and what we can do to address them on the local level, is a good step toward raising awareness about this major issue for the future of our region, nation and planet.”
What: Panel discussion on climate change impacts on public health
Who: Warren County Public Health staff and guests
When: Thursday, April 7, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Queensbury Community Center, 742 Bay Road, Queensbury
Livestream/video archive: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SisJfFwcn34