www.epa.gov/iaq
EBV
RADON: TEST
EPA 402/K-1 2/004 May 2013
IX SAVE A LIFE
NATIONAL RADON
PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
We/come and Introduction
Thank you for your interest in EPA's National Radon Program. Radon
is a serious health risk facing tens of thousands of Americans. Exposure
to radon gas indoors causes more than 20,000 deaths annually in the United
States, and it is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
The challenge is that we can't see or smell radon, so it's easy to forget that
radon may be a problem in any home, school or other building in the country.
Fortunately there are many opportunities and resources available to increase
awareness of radon, promote radon testing and mitigation, and advance the
use of radon-resistant new construction practices.
Individuals, groups and organizations concerned about healthy people,
buildings and communities are the driving force in getting out messages
about the dangers of indoor radon to various audiences, including the public,
policymakers, real estate professionals, and the medical community.
Radon-
Induced Lung
Cancer Kills
21,000
Americans
Each Year
You will find information and materials in this Kit that you can use to get the word out about radon. Use these
resources to conduct activities that will yield real
progress toward reducing radon risk. The materials
are designed to be customized, so please feel free
to add or delete language or make other changes to
better suit your needs.
The Kit includes helpful suggestions and many
useful templates for you to customize.
{ Basic Radon Facts
" Ideas for radon outreach activities ...
C Steps for planning successful radon
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outreach activities
Radon communication tips
Web communication tips
Media outreach tips
Additional outreach resources.
No-cost radon educational
materials
Radon can be deadly, but remember that the
message you are delivering is a hopeful one. Testing
for radon and taking action to reduce radon risk can
save lives. We wish you the greatest success with
your radon outreach activities.
Please visit www.epa.gov/radon for more information
about radon health risk and what you and others can
do to save lives from radon-induced lung cancer.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Basic
Radon Facts
Breathing radon in your home can cause lung cancer
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas released in rock, soil and water that can build up to
dangerous levels inside any home; this means new and old homes, well sealed and drafty homes,
and homes with or without a basement. Radon gas is
odorless and invisible and the only way to know if your
home has a radon problem is to test for it.
Breathing radon can increase your risk of lung cancer.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among
people who do not smoke. It is the second leading cause
of lung cancer for people who do. EPA estimates that
radon causes more than 20,000 deaths from lung cancer
each year in the U.S. If you smoke and your home has
a high radon level, your risk of lung cancer can increase
even more.
Radon has been found in every state
Homes with high levels of radon have been found in
every state. In fact, radon levels can vary greatly from
home to home-even levels next door can be very
different.
How to Get Radon Test Kits
To get an easy-to-use radon test kit,
you can:
0 Buy a test kit online or at your
local home improvement or
hardware store.
0 Order a test kit at www.sosradon.org
or by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-
800-767-7236); customizable radon
test kit coupons are available too.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L),
a measurement of radioactivity. In the United States,
the average indoor radon level is about 1.3 pCi/L. The
average outdoor level is about 0.4 pCi/L. The U.S.
Surgeon General and EPA recommend fixing homes with
radon levels at or above 4 pCi/L. EPA also recommends
that people think about fixing their homes for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L
0 Request a test kit from your state
radon program, which also has infor-
mation on radon testing companies
and laboratories in your area. Visit
www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.
html.
You should test for radon
Testing your house for radon is easy. If your house has a radon
problem, it can be fixed. Fixing a radon problem reduces the risk of
lung cancer for you and your family.
A simple test will tell you if your home has a high radon level. Most
radon tests last between 2 and 7 days. It's as easy as opening a
package, and putting the test kit in the right place. After sending the
test kit back to the address in the package, the company will send
your radon test results in about 2 weeks.
Customizable Radon
Fact Sheets are available
in English and Spanish.
Please visit www.
radonleaders.org/fact_
sheet.
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Basic Radon Facts (continued)
Many local home improvement or hardware stores sell test kits. Test kits can be ordered online too. Sometimes
you can get a test kit from your state radon office. You also can hire a qualified tester to do a radon test for
you. Your state radon program may keep a list of these professionals.
Kansas State University, under a cooperative agreement with EPA, provides national radon program services,
including selling radon test kits and answering toll-free radon hotlines. For more information about radon
testing call 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800 767-7236) orvisitwww.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html.
You can fix a radon problem
Help is available to fix a radon problem. You can
call your state radon office to find qualified radon
mitigators in your area. Also local companies with
radon mitigators are in the phone book or online.
The cost to reduce radon depends on how your
home was built and how you use it. Most homes can
be fixed for about the same cost as other common
home repairs.
New homes can be built with
radon-resistant features
Building new homes with simple and cost-effective
radon-resistant features can reduce radon entry.
Contact your builder or visit www.epa.gov/radon/
rrnc/index.html for more information.
Every home should be tested before, or soon after,
you move in. Even homes built with radon-resistant
construction features should be tested. If high radon
levels are found, it is easier and costs less to reduce
radon levels in homes that are built radon-resistant.
Radon is a serious
health risk. It can be
reduced easily and cost-
effectively. Take action
today. Encourage your
friends and family
members to do the
same!
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Ideas for
Radon Outreach
Activities
Every day is a good day to promote radon awareness, testing and mitigation, and radon-resistant
new construction (RRNC) practices. However, radon testing is generally easiest and most effective in
cooler weather months when houses tend to be closed up for warmth.
Many individuals, groups and organizations are spreading the word about this preventable health
risk. Find inspiration from a sample of events listed below. Consider contacting your state radon
program and others with radon expertise for help in planning your activities. You can find contact
information for your state program at www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html.
Choosing the Right Activities
Unsure how to start planning your
radon outreach activities? The following
questions can help direct you to the
right activities for your organization and
community.
1. Are you looking to form new
partnerships or seeking to mobilize your
existing partners? Read section 1 for tips
about fostering effective coalitions.
2. Are you aware of important opinion
leaders in your community? Section 2
contains ideas for how to engage them in
spreading the word about radon.
3. Looking for new ideas to jazz up your
community events? Learn what other
groups have tried in their communities in
section 3.
4. Does your group seek to reach families
and children with messages about
radon? If so, read section 4 for tips on
working with youth.
5. Do you seek to reach a wide audience
with specific key messages? Consider
implementing a media campaign. Check out
section 5 for tips on working with the media.
6. Are you looking to raise awareness
in the workplace? Section 6 can help
you communicate effectively in the work
environment.
7. Energize Your Partners and
Stakeholders
Include Radon in Your Community Health
Coalition
There are many individuals and organizations in your
community that have an interest in health topics. Hold
an open forum for interested individuals to attend and
then establish a coalition that includes promotion of
radon awareness and risk reduction in the fight against
lung cancer in your community. Every member of your
coalition will have unique ideas for radon and lung
cancer activities and will have access to different parts
of your community. Working together as a group will
be the most effective way to make radon
testing and mitigation a reality in all
buildings in your community.
Please see pages 3
and 13 of this Kit
Recognize Radon Champions
If you have a community health coalition
that promotes radon testing and risk
reduction as steps to help prevent lung
cancer as part of a healthier lifestyle,
then recognize your partners for their
hard work. Host an awards ceremony
to honor exceptional radon awareness
and risk reduction advocates. Use the
opportunity to inspire and energize your community
health partners.
Ask Local Chapters of Health and
Environmental Organizations to
Promote Radon Awareness
Many local organizations in your community have
regular newsletters, listservs or mailings that they
use to reach their members. Contact them to ask
for information on
obtaining radon test
kits and ordering
customizable test kit
coupons for tracking
your activities.
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
them to run an article on radon health risk, testing, mitigation, and radon-resistant new construction. Be sure to
include information on how to obtain additional radon information.
Support a Radon Training Workshop
Work with your state radon program to provide radon continuing education for key professionals such as
homebuilders, real estate professionals and environmental health professionals. Successful programs have
included lunch and learn seminars, training courses for governmental housing officials and
meetings about radon-resistant new construction.
2. Engage Community Leaders
Ask Your Mayor or City Council to Issue a Radon Proclamation
Invite your elected officials to encourage all community members to test for radon. Tips for working with local
officials and a template proclamation that you can customize can be found at www.radonleaders.org/local_
officials.
Ask Community Leaders to Spread the Word about Radon
Churches, community centers, and even local beauty salons and
barbershops, can be effective venues for reaching out to your
community. Contact ministers, community leaders and local civic
leaders and encourage them to include radon testing and risk
reduction information in outreach to their members promoting a
healthier lifestyle. Provide them with educational materials and radon
test kit coupons.
Work with Health Advocates and Educators
Coordinate with your local health care providers and other health-
focused groups, such as the American Lung Association, to have
booths, educational sessions and presentations on radon. Invite your
mayor or other officials to your event to issue a proclamation and to
conduct a press event.
Connect with Local Businesses
Home improvement and hardware stores may carry radon test
kits. Encourage them to promote radon testing in homes, schools
and other buildings. Ask them to create radon test kit displays in
prominent store locations and to include information on radon testing
in mailings or other advertisements.
Contact Your Local University Medical Schools and
Health Care Professionals
Health care students and practitioners can serve as speakers for your
health fairs and community events. You can also work with health
care providers to incorporate radon messages into their practices and
provide educational materials for their patients.
Coord/note with Your Local Utilities to Promote
Radon Awareness and Testing
Send a bill insert promoting radon testing in homes to your local
utility providers (e.g. water, gas, electric) and ask them to include it
with bill statement mailings. This is an easy, effective and inexpensive
way to reach the vast majority of your community.
Collaborate with Experts from the
Radon Professionals Speaker's Bureau
Coordinate with the American Association
of Radon Scientists and Technologists, Inc.
(AARST) for your community activities. AARST
members can make radon presentations;
conduct radon test demonstrations; or field
radon questions from the media. AARST has
the following list of speakers available:
Radon Professionals Speaker's
Bureau: An extensive database of radon
testers, mitigators and other industry
professionals across the country who are
available for speaking opportunities. All
experts have completed the National Radon
Proficiency Program. View the list at:
www.radongas.org/speaker.htm.
AARST Key Radon Subject Experts: A list
of selected national experts who are available
to speak about radon science and health
risk. View the list at: www.aarst.org/key_
radonscience_speakers.
If you have additional questions or requests
for coordinating with AARST for your
planned radon outreach activities, please
send an email to: director@aarst.com.
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
3. Take Your Message to the Community
Arrange a Display at Local Sporting Events
Set up a booth or display near a concession stand or ticket window and distribute radon
educational materials and test kit coupons. Work with the sporting venue to show radon
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) during half-time or other breaks in play. Visit
www.epapsa.com to view and order the PSAs.
Display Radon Information at Public Gathering Places
Libraries, community centers, malls and transit centers frequented by members of your community are perfect
locations to provide radon education and testing materials. Supply these locations with radon materials and ask
them to display materials in a prominent location. Be sure to check back with these locations frequently and
provide them with additional materials if necessary.
Provide Radon Education at Home and Garden Events
Incorporate radon-resistant new construction techniques into special events with a home
and garden theme. Groups have promoted radon awareness at a greenhouse or eco-house
exhibit at state fairs, green building shows, lawn and patio, and landscape shows. Work
with exhibit organizers to provide outreach and educational materials for visitors.
Coord/note with Welcome Wagon, Real Estate Agents and Other
New Home Programs
Your community may have a welcome wagon or other programs to welcome new residents. Provide these
programs with brochures and test kit coupons to include with welcome packages for new residents. Be sure
to include information about your coalition or program so that individuals can follow up with you if they have
questions.
Use Direct Mail Effectively
Bring your radon message directly to people's homes. Send test kit coupons to new parents or radon brochures
to new homeowners in your community. Target your list of names to the groups you most want to reach and
design attractive materials to attract their attention.
VI.MOST 8
MILLION
HOMES HAVE
RADON.
4. Reach Children and Their Families
Hold a Radon Poster Contest and Awards Ceremony
A radon poster contest is held each year.
Work with your local school(s) to get
students to design radon posters. For
more information on the radon poster
contest, visit www.sosradon.org.
Provide Creative Radon
Education Programs
Involve science students in conducting radon measurements. Sponsor
educational events in 4-H or other special classes. Offer incentives such
as t-shirts or parties for participating. Contact school leaders in your
community to arrange special radon events for students.
Host o Community Baby Shower
Many communities conduct community baby showers or other events
for new or expectant mothers. This is a perfect opportunity to provide
families in your community with information about a variety of
health topics, including the importance of testing for radon. Provide
educational materials and a test kit coupon to all attendees.
Conduct a Radon Test Challenge
Challenges are a fun way to encourage
testing within your community. Contact a
radon test kit manufacturer (a list can be
obtained from your state radon office) to
obtain test kits, possibly at a discounted
price, and offer a challenge and "reward"
for the most test kits distributed,
conducted and sent to the lab for
analysis. Challenges can be conducted
between cities (have your mayor
challenge a neighboring community) or
within your community (have schools in
your community challenge each other).
However you conduct your challenge,
offer a "reward" for the challenge winner,
but also acknowledge all participants.
Check your state laws on contests before
planning your radon test challenge.
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
5. Work with the Media to Promote Radon Awareness
Promote Radon Public Service
Announcements (PSAs)
EPA has a variety of print, radio and
television PSAs available at no cost to
educate your community about the dangers
of radon and the importance of radon
testing. Hand delivering PSAs to your local
media outlets is an effective way to reach
large portions of your community, and often
stations will run PSAs for free! Partnering
with your local movie theater provides
another opportunity to showcase the radon
PSAs before the feature film. Lastly, consider
contacting your state broadcast association
for help in getting the PSAs aired. Keep in
mind that people in your community may
speak languages other than English, so be
sure to use EPA's bilingual materials and
reach out to media outlets that serve non-
English speaking audiences. Visit www.epapsa.com to view and order PSA materials.
Moke Your Own Radon PSA
You can also create your own local radon PSA. Local news celebrities like meteorologists, radio
personalities and sports anchors will sometimes record PSAs about a worthy cause at their own facilities
as a public service. Approach the advertising department of local TV and radio stations to ask if their
broadcast personalities could record a short radon announcement for the station to air.
Once a local station has agreed to record the PSA with their talent and dedicate airtime to the PSA,
write a short script for the PSA. It should be brief, containing local references and key radon messages.
Work with the station's advertising department to make sure that your script's length matches the
available free airtime slot (i.e., 1 5 to 30 seconds).
SURGEON GENERAL'S
WARNING:
RADON CAUSES LUNG CANCER
YOU SHOULD TEST YOUR HOME
Radon is an invisible radioactive gas that
seeps into your home from underground.
Radon attaches itself to your childs lungs,
viliere it can begin the process of causing lung
home has dangerous levels of Radon is to test
for it. Once detected, homes vintti high levels of
Radon can be easily fixed.
For helpful information, call or visit:
1-800-SOS-RADON
www.epa.gov/radon
CanSAR
Cancer Survivors Against Radon (CanSAR)
is an organization made up of lung
cancer survivors and family members who
have lost a loved one to lung cancer they
believe resulted from living with elevated
levels of radon. Members present
personal stories to different communities,
make media appearances, create public
service announcements, and advocate
for radon laws on state and federal
levels. CanSAR is an excellent resource
for speakers and lung cancer survivor
stories. Please visit www.CanSAR.org for
more information.
Tailor the PSA script to match the type of local celebrity you've
secured. For instance, for a local sports anchor in Chicago, your
script might look like this:
Hey Bears fans! Winter is time for playoffs, but it's also the best
time to test your home for radon. Radon is a naturally occuring gas
that can build up to a dangerous level in your home. It can cause lung
cancer, and it causes about 20,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Buy a
radon test kit at a hardware store or on-line today and test your home.
Visit [your website or www.sosradon.org] or call [your phone number
or 1-800-SOS-RADON] for more information.
Conduct a Media Campaign
In addition to promoting PSAs, contact your local media and ask them
to run stories on radon. Provide the media with fact sheets and other
background materials and offer spokespeople for interviews. See page
17 of this Radon Outreach Kit for information on working with
the media.
January is National
Radon Action Month
January is National Radon Action
Month (NRAM). Consider ways
to take full advantage of this
month to support your radon
outreach efforts to the public and
the media. You can use much of
the information presented in this
kit not only for National Radon
Action Month but also for Lung
Cancer Awareness Month in
November, other health-oriented
special emphasis periods, and
year-round.
8
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
Develop a Compelling Local Story
Give radon a face in your community. Invite the media to talk with people who have tested their homes and
successfully mitigated a radon problem. Also connect the media with survivors (or their family and friends) who
believe their lung cancer was caused by radon (see CanSAR resource on page 8). Providing the media with local
radon data (available from your state radon program or testing companies) will also help you localize the story
for your community. Don't forget to provide information on test kit availability and qualified radon mitigation
professionals in your community.
Identify Key Spokespeople in Your
Community
Spokespeople can serve as recognizable and
respected "faces" for your radon program. Perhaps
you can engage local politicians, celebrities, scientists
or others that people in your community recognize
and trust. Use your Spokespeople for media
interviews and to publicize your radon activities.
Encourage your Spokespeople to publicly test their
homes for radon and publicize their results and
subsequent actions if their tests show radon in excess
of EPA's action level. If needed,
also contact your state radon
program or AARST to help
identify radon technical experts;
they, along with CanSAR, may
also be able to help identify
people willing to share their
radon-induced lung cancer
survivor story.
Press Release
Send a press release to the media to announce your radon campaign and increase your
community's awareness of radon issues. A well written press release can yield more
media coverage than any amount of advertising. Here are a few steps to take to ensure
you get the coverage you deserve.
Op-Ed and Letter
to the Editor
Write on Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor
grab the reader's attention and deliver ate message, up-eds ca
diffi
call to gauge interest. If th<
Write a Press Release
Write a press release about
radon and your radon activities
and distribute it to your
local media outlets. Please
visit www.radonleaders.
org/press_releases for press
release templates that you can
customize for your community.
Write an Op-Ed or Letter
to the Editor
Write a letter to the editor of
your local paper(s) to educate
your community about the
health risks of radon and to
encourage people to test their
homes. Tips for writing an op-
ed or letter to the editor, and
a template op-ed that you can
customize for your community,
can be found at www.radonleaders.org/op-edsjetters.
mpelling to the editoi
Letter to the Editor Temolate
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
6. Put Radon Awareness to Work
You can play an important part in raising awareness in the workplace and promoting testing for radon
among your colleagues by conducting a radon awareness and testing campaign in your workplace.
Get Employees' Attention
Through Email and Websites:
> Send an email message explaining radon and the risk of radon-induced lung cancer, and ask your
employees to test their homes and mitigate their homes if radon is detected above the EPA action
level. In the email, you may refer them to websites where they can get more information about
radon and reducing their risk from radon, such as your organization's website, your state radon or
public health website, and EPA's radon website at www.epa.gov/radon/index.html.
> Create a worksite radon testing campaign Web page on your intranet. This would contain links to
the EPA's radon website, company events you have planned that are related to the campaign or local
community radon events, information on where employees can obtain test kits, and recognition
of action being taken as a result of your campaign (i.e., a goal tracker showing how many in your
company have tested their homes for radon to date).
In Common Areas:
> Create flyers and hang them in high-traffic areas (e.g., kitchen, hallways, employee lounge,
storeroom) to publicize the campaign.
> Host a breakfast or lunch where an employee volunteer, a Human Resources representative, or a
community/state expert presents the basic risks of radon and what action can be taken to reduce
the risk of radon. Create a PowerPoint presentation to help educate your coworkers about the risks
of radon and distribute EPA's fact sheets for audience members to take home. Consider customizing
factsheets and other resources in the Radon Outreach Kit for your audience and your organization by
editing content, adding your organization's logo, personalizing contact information and more. This
could be combined with other health promotion initiatives taking place in your workplace.
> If your company has any smoking cessation efforts, make sure to include information on radon and
the higher associated risks of cancer for smokers.
Get Employees to Take Action
By Making it Easy:
> Consider including customized coupons for test kits in paycheck envelopes, paystubs or mailboxes.
Coupons can be customized with codes to track their use, providing you with results of your efforts.
Your organization can obtain customizable radon test kit coupons at www.sosradon.org. For more
information about the test kit coupon program, contact Bruce Snead (bsnead@ksu.edu) at 785-
532-4992 or Brian Hanson (bhanson@ksu.edu) at 785-532-4996.
By Motivating:
> Set a workplace-wide goal of having x% of employees test their homes. Encourage competition
(inter-office, inter-group, or even an inter-office-floor contest) competition for the highest number of
tested homes.
10
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
Basic Radon Facts
Radon fact sheets in English
and Spanish are available
for you to personalize and
disseminate to your audience
at www.radonleaders.org/
fact sheet.
> Motivate employees by recognizing their efforts and offering
prizes for participation. For example, you could offer a
complimentary radon mitigation if a home tests above the
EPA action level (consider partnering with a local mitigator at
www.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html to possibly offset the
cost of the mitigation). "Green" or "healthy home" products,
such as non-toxic cleaning products, window sealing kits,
energy saving light bulbs, or other practical products, are also
good prizes.
Get the Word Out
Through the Media:
> Publicize your efforts by writing a press release or letter to the editor of a local newspaper, explaining
your workplace's initiative and the results of your collective efforts. Template press releases and letters
are available at www.radonleaders.org/customizable_outreach_resources.
Through RadonLeaders.org:
> View and share stories and activities on RadonLeaders.org at www.radonleaders.org/nram/stories.
11
www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Steps for Planning Successful
Radon Outreach
Activities
Boost your efforts to educate your community about the dangers of radon throughout the entire year
and the importance of radon testing, mitigation and radon-resistant new construction as part of a
healthier lifestyle.
There are several key steps to conducting a
successful radon outreach activity or event.
These include:
Set goals for your activity/event
2 Plan your activities
3 Conduct your activity
4 Measure your results
Below we present ideas to help you think through, plan,
conduct, and evaluate your activities.
1. Setting Your Goals
Whether you are conducting a single radon outreach event,
or developing an entire radon risk reduction program for
your community, it is important to set goals to define what
you will achieve. Establishing goals will help you to think
through which activities provide the most potential for
reducing radon risk in your community.
Whenever possible, your goals should be measurable
(meaning you have ways to track your progress against
your goal) and should include a timeline for achievement.
Examples of radon goals that might make sense for your
community include:
> We are committed to testing 500 additional homes
for radon in my community. To achieve this, we will
hold three local events to educate the public about the
dangers of radon reaching 300 people, and work with
local media to direct people to our state radon hotline.
As a result, we expect a 50 percent increase in local calls
to the hotline, resulting in 700 discounted kits to be
requested by interested homeowners.
> By 20XX, 25 percent of all homes in my community will
have been tested for radon.
> By 20XX, 50 percent of homes in my community that
have radon levels in excess of EPA's action level of 4
picocuries per liter (pCi/L) will have been mitigated.
> By 20XX, 50 percent of all new homes in my community
will be built using radon-resistant new construction
techniques.
In order to establish your program goals, it is always a good
idea to know your baseline (i.e. where you are starting
from). Your local health department or state program may
be able to provide you with information on the number of
radon tests conducted in your area to date, the number
of homes tested that have radon levels that exceed EPA's
radon action level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and
information on the number of new homes built in your area.
This baseline information will help you set goals for your
program and activities that are reasonable and attainable.
In addition to your overall program goals, it is important
to establish other outputs and outcomes to measure the
success of your activities. You might choose to measure:
> # of people attending an event.
> # of radon educational materials distributed.
> # of radon test kit coupons distributed and collected
(redeemed).
> # of radon test kits distributed.
> # of calls to your or your state's radon program.
> # of "hits" on your radon website.
> # of articles about radon published in local media (and
how many people are reached).
> # of radon Public Service Announcements aired (and
how many people are reached).
> # of proclamations or radon challenges issued.
> # of media interviews conducted.
> # of radon presentations given.
For every activity you plan, you should consider what you
would like to measure and how each activity relates to your
radon risk reduction goals. This information will help you
determine which strategies produced the best results.
12
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RADON OUTREACH KIT
2. Planning Your Activities
Once you have decided on your goals and how you will measure
your effectiveness, the next step is to plan your activities. The
sooner you begin your planning, the more likely you will be able
to secure the people and resources you need to have it be a
success. Your activity plan should include:
> The action steps you will take to implement your activities.
> Assignment of responsibilities (i.e. who will help you in your
efforts and what will they do).
> Timeline.
> Resources needed (i.e. what people, materials, or other
resources will you need to plan and execute your event).
In planning your program or activity, there are several things you
might want to consider:
> Start Realistically. It is better to have a successful small
event than an unsuccessful large event. Know your available
resources and the time you have available so you can plan an
event that will maximize those resources. Your goal setting
and planning should help you decide the best size event(s)
for your community.
> Meet Your Audience's Needs. When planning your event(s),
keep in mind who you are trying to reach, how they like
to receive information, and who they most trust on issues
related to health. Locate your activity in a place that is
convenient for your target audience and consider how best
to promote it.
> Identify Key Speakers and Participants Early. If your event
requires an expert speaker or local official (e.g. a mayor or
local celebrity), the sooner you can contact them and get
your event on their calendar, the better. Talk with members
of your target audience to determine who they trust for their
health information. You are more likely to get participants in
your events if they are excited about the speakers. It is also a
good idea to identify back-up speakers.
> Promote Your Event Broadly. As part of your planning, determine how you will publicize your event. Consider
the outlets (media and other) and methods that are the most known to and trusted by your target audience.
Determine what lead time outlets need in order to publicize your event. And remember, not everyone gets their
information from the same source, so consider a variety of outlets for promoting your events.
> Make Your Event Interactive. Depending on your event, be sure to allow plenty of time for your participants to
ask questions and to interact with your speakers and other experts. If your activity includes information on radon
testing, be sure to have sample test kits available and to demonstrate how to use test kits. Events can also be a
good opportunity to form alliances and get commitments from partners.
> Have Plenty of Materials On-Hand. From health fairs to press events, it is critical that you have enough materials
available to meet your audience's needs. Be sure to anticipate how many people will attend your event and to
have materials on-hand for everyone. This is especially true for radon test kit coupons. Participants will be more
likely to test if they can get a coupon onsite at your event. Also, people are more likely to attend events if they
know they may receive free materials and giveaways. Publicize the free resources you will have at your event. (See
pages 22-25 for a list of EPA materials that we will send to you at no cost. In addition, your state radon program
may have radon informational materials and nominal giveaways for use at your event.)
Using Radon Test Kits to
Track Results
You can use test kits to track your program
results. To promote radon testing,
customizable radon test kit coupons are
available to community groups. Your
community (or even a specific activity) can be
assigned a specific test kit coupon number.
For more information about the test kit
coupon program, please contact Bruce Snead
(bsnead@ksu.edu) at 785-532-4992 or
Brian Hanson (bhanson@ksu.edu) at 785-
532-4996.
You can also contact your local test kit
manufacturer or provider for information
on ordering test kits or test kit coupons
with special codes or serial numbers linked
to your activity or program. With tracking
codes, you may be able to find out how
many test kits were purchased and sent to
the radon laboratory for analysis in addition
to determining radon test results. Contact
your state radon program, details available at
www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html,
for more information about obtaining test
kits from your state or from a radon testing
company or laboratory in your area.
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RADON OUTREACH KIT
3* Implementing Your Plan
Once you have set your goals and made your plans, it is time
to act! All of your advanced planning will help your radon
outreach activities come off more smoothly.
Successful events:
Are well publicized to ensure the
target audience knows where and
when the event is, how they get there,
and what to expect.
Have clear, achievable, and measurable
goals.
Involve careful, thoughtful planning.
Have built-in mechanisms for tracking
the activity's success in relation to the
established goals and objectives. (See
the following section on measuring
activity results.)
Keep in mind that increasing awareness and motivating
people to take action takes time. Creating increased
awareness about radon and the importance of radon testing
will not happen overnight. However, each event that you
plan or activity that you undertake will bring you closer to
your goal of safeguarding your community's health.
4. Measuring Your Results
Measuring the results of your program or activity is
important for determining success. When measuring the
success of your radon activities, ask yourself:
> How did my activities
contribute to achieving
my goals?
> What impact is
my program or
activity having in my
community?
> How can the experience
and the data I receive help me to improve my program?
* What other activities have proven to be the most
effective in educating my community about radon and
the importance of radon testing and mitigation?
Measuring results can be relatively simple depending on
the activity or event. Consider administering a simple
questionnaire or survey to participants. You can also use an
event log or other tracking sheet at your event to keep track
of:
> How many people attend (and their contact
information).
> How many materials are distributed, especially if you are
giving out radon test kits or test kit coupons.
> How many members of the press your event attracts and
how much media coverage your event generates.
> How many requests for follow up or additional
information you receive.
> How many people pledge to test their home for radon.
Ultimately, your goal is to achieve as many mitigations of
high radon homes and new homes built radon-resistant as
possible, as these are the long-term results that save lives. If
your state program has reporting requirements, determine
what data may be available to you. Use this information
when setting your goals and measuring your results. You
may also consider partnering with local mitigators and
builders to host your events and activities and measure
results of your outreach efforts. By helping you achieve your
goals to educate the public about radon they will be helping
create more demand for radon servicesa possible win-win
situation for everyone.
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RADON OUTREACH KIT
Radon Communication
The following tips will help you develop radon messages and materials that will appeal to your
audience.
> Be accurate: Scientific accuracy is vital to your program's credibility and will help you achieve desired outcomes. Using
EPA's key messages will help you ensure that you are communicating the most accurate, up-to-date radon information.
Please see Basic Radon Facts on page 3 for EPA's key messages. You can also visit www.epa.gov/radon for additional radon
information.
> Be credible: Recent EPA market research revealed that
many Americans respond more favorably to messages
about radon when they are delivered by credible sources.
This research informed EPA's PSA campaign promoting the
Surgeon General's warning about radon and lung cancer.
(Visit www.epapsa.com for more information about
radon PSAs.) Other familiar experts in your community
can also be highly effective when communicating about
radon. Think about credible sources including celebrities,
government officials, health professionals, and other
individuals or organizations who can effectively deliver
radon messages in your community.
> Be clear: Keep it simple. Clear messages for lay audiences
contain as few technical and scientific terms as possible.
Eliminate any information that the audience does not need
in order to take action against radon.
> Be consistent: Messages and graphics should reinforce
each other, not send different signals. Make sure your
messages and graphics are consistent across all your
communications.
> Be relevant to your audience: One size does not fit all. Consider the needs of your different audiences when
disseminating messages and materials. For example, if you are conducting outreach in a county with a large Spanish-
speaking population, try to provide Spanish materials. Please visit www.radonleaders.org/fact_sheet for a customizable
Basic Radon Fact Sheet in Spanish.
> When conducting outreach to families with young children, you may want to combine radon messages with information
about other children's health issues that your organization addresses. Children's Health Month in October would be an
ideal time to bundle radon messages with other children's health issues like asthma or lead.
Helpful Resources
EPA offers the following tools to help you create
your radon outreach messages and materials:
> Templates: To get started on your materials,
use EPA's templates including a customizable
fact sheet available at www.radonleaders.
org/customizable_outreach_resources.
> Boilerplate messages: Use the boilerplate
radon risk reduction messages found in the
Basic Radon Facts on pages 3-4 or online at
www.radonleaders.org/fact_sheet for your
website or print materials.
Radon Communication Tips adapted from: National Cancer Institute. (2001). Making Health Communications Programs Work.
Rockville, MD.
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RADON OUTREACH KIT
Web Communication
Basic Website Tips
Social Media
Whether you are updating your radon website or
adding some new information about radon risk
reduction, these basic guidelines will help you create
appealing website content:
> Create content that is accurate, credible, consistent,
and clear.
> Design pages with a clean and consistent design
(e.g., a simple background, legible type, a few
carefully selected colors, predictable headers).
> Utilize bullets to highlight main points and steer
clear of large text blocks. Use plenty of white space
to give readers' eyes a break.
> Use captioned images that convey your message in
graphical format.
> Use small graphic files to ensure fast display of
pages.
> Make it easy for users to logically move from
section to section with simple navigation tools
(e.g., side or top bars).
> Track site usage and invite user response. Not only
will you know more about activity on your site, but
your users will feel more involved if given regular
opportunities to submit comments.
> Visit www.usability.gov for more helpful tips on
developing website content.
Social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter, are great
tools for raising awareness about radon and educating
your audience about how to protect themselves.
Use the sample Facebook and Twitter messages below
in your social media efforts, or create your own:
> Your family may be breathing radon, the second
leading cause of lung cancer! Test your home for
radon gas. 1.800.SOS.RADON.
#cancer #radon
People who don't smoke can
still get lung cancer. Protect your
family. Test for radon, www.
epa.gov/radon/radontest.html.
#cancer #radon
Help prevent radon-induced lung
cancer. Protect your family and test
your home for radon gas today!
1.800.SOS.RADON. #cancer '
#radon
* Did you know that radon is the second leading
cause of lung cancer? Test your home today! www.
epa.gov/radon/radontest.html. #cancer #radon
> Breathing radon gas can cause lung cancer. Protect
your family by testing your home's air today.
1.800.SOS.RADON. #cancer #radon
Sample social media messages are also available at
www.radonleaders.org/social_media.
Re-postable Radon Blogs
Blogging is another great way to help raise awareness about radon in a longer format than social media messaging.
Blogs also allow your audience to search for content on specific subject matters. EPA has a series of radon-related
blogs available to be re-posted, with attribution, which can be found at http://blog.epa.gov/blog/?s=radon
Web Communication Tips adapted from: National Cancer Institute. (2001). Making Health Communications Programs Work. Rockville, MD.
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RADON OUTREACH KIT
Media Outreach
A successful media outreach approach can increase the success of your event. The following tips will
help you capture media attention for your radon activity, event, or program.
Tell the radon story.
The best way to gain the media's attention is to provide facts
about the dangers of radon to public health. Radon is the
second leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking,
and radon exposure is the number one cause of lung cancer
among non-smokers.
> Remember to involve the media in all radon-related
activities, such as testing demonstrations and poster
contests.
> Invite the media to talk with people who have tested their
homes for radon and successfully mitigated the radon
problem, or whose homes were built radon-resistant.
> Arrange for interviews with doctors and other respected
experts and spokespeople who can discuss the dangers of
radon and steps to mitigate health risks.
> Plan a press conference at an "on-the-scene" location,
such as at a home that will be tested for radon to
demonstrate how easy it is to test and to provide the
media with a visual for publicizing the issue.
Once you have designed an interesting event, there are a few
general steps you can follow to ensure that you get the best
coverage possible.
Please see pages 19-20 for more specific ideas on telling the
radon story in your community.
Build successful relationships with the
media.
> Establish a list of national and local media, taking note of
beat reporters. Beat reporters are assigned to a specific
area or topic, such as community health and science.
> Contact beat reporters and editors to introduce yourself
and to establish a point of contact for information.
> Think of reporters as avenues for getting radon
information to the public.
Start with a good media list.
A good list is one that is relevant. In choosing whom to
approach, it is important to consider who is likely to want to
tell your radon story, as well as whom you would like to do it.
You may want to include small newspapers and community
newsletters in addition to major newspapers and television
and radio stations. While you want to cast a broad net, you
do not want to waste time and resources with media outlets
or reporters who are not right for the event.
At major newspapers and television and radio stations, in
most cases, it is appropriate to contact the assignment desk
or assignment editor. The assignment editor will usually give
you the name and contact information for the beat reporter
who covers topics related to radon.
In radio, you should contact the news director. Your local
library may have a media guide listing names and addresses
of the people you may want to contact. You can usually get
this information from the website of the radio station as well.
Be sure to get your contact's email address. Many reporters
prefer to get releases and other background materials by
email rather than hard copy.
Please see page 20 for a list of relevant media outlets
to consider.
A good list is an accurate list. Once you have developed
a list of potential contacts to target, double check that list
for accuracy by calling the publication or station. Call the
main number to make sure the person you have selected
to contact is still in that position, and that the contact
information you have is accurate.
Write a good pitch letter.
After you have a targeted list of reporters and editors, you'll
need to write a pitch letter. The pitch letter alerts editors and
reporters to your story and tells them why they should cover
radon issues. Please check out the www.radonleaders.org/
pitchjetter for tips on writing a pitch letter.
Write a press release.
A well written press release can yield more media coverage
than any amount of advertising could bring to radon. Please
visit www.radonleaders.org/press_releases for press release
tips and a template press release.
Write an op-ed or letter to the editor.
Publications' opinion sections are another great place to
promote radon awareness. Author an op-ed describing
your experience with radon and encourage others in the
community to conduct radon tests. Writing an op-ed
17 www.epa.gov/radon
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
introduces the publication's readership to radon, puts a local
angle on the issue, and helps readers learn what they can do to
prevent exposure to radon. If the publication has written about
radon or related topics recently, you can respond to the article
with a letter to the editor. Please visit www.radonleaders.org/
op-edsjetters for an op-ed template.
Develop a media kit.
Make it as easy as possible for the media to do their jobs.
Provide them with statistical information about radon from
reputable sources and provide simple graphics if you have
them. Anything you can do to make it easy for reporters to
write a story will help. Put together a media kit with a full range
of information about radon issues, testing and mitigation,
radon-resistant new construction, and the specifics of your
radon event. A media kit can include the following materials:
* Pitch letter
> Press release*
* Radon fact sheet*
> Radon materials order form*
> Biography or background information of speakers and
experts available to talk about radon issues
> Proclamation*
> Calendar of events
> List of radon kit manufacturers and laboratories and their
toll-free numbers
> List of local stores that carry radon kits, complete with
contact information
> Your contact information
> State radon program contact information
> website addresses as appropriate
Follow up.
You've sent your materials out to the reporters and editors
on your list and allowed time for them to look over the
information. Now it's time to make follow-up calls. During your
follow-up calls, you should:
> Be prepared. Make notes for your calls and be prepared to
take notes during the calls. Plan what you are going to say
ahead of time and stick to it. Try to anticipate any questions
or objections you might hear and have an answer prepared.
Always remind the media that radon is a serious health risk
that is easy to overlook because it is an odorless, invisible,
and tasteless killer. Also remember to send the message that
radon testing and mitigation is convenient and cost-effective.
> Be polite and brief. Editors and reporters are usually on a
very tight schedule and they will appreciate it if you get right
to the point. Identify yourself, tell them why you are calling,
and offer to answer any questions they may have.
> Ask for coverage. After you have confirmed receipt of
your letter and answered any questions, ask for coverage of
your event.
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Remember these points.
Timing is everything. Consider the editor's
schedule when you place your calls. Newspapers
are usually working on a mid-afternoon deadline
for the next day, so late afternoon is the best
time to call. Call the staff of noon news programs
after 3:00 p.m. and call the evening news in the
morning.
More than one call may be required. This
is especially true with television stations. Often
the assignments for a given day are not made
until that morning. The station's ability to send
a crew to your event can be affected by other
events taking place that day. If a media outlet has
expressed interest in covering your event but has
not committed to it, call on the day of the event
and ask again for their coverage and remind them
of the details.
Don't get discouraged. You are competing
against other story ideas and current events. You
might feel as though you are getting the run-
around. It's possible that one person will tell you
to speak to another or to call back at another time.
If so, follow their directions. It is also possible that
people will be short with you because they are
busy. The best strategy is to be courteous, helpful,
creative, and most of all, persistent. Remember
that the media needs news to fill their programs
and newspapers. Let them know why your story is
worthy and make it as easy as you can for them to
Reporters may not attend your press
conference as a matter of policy. This is where
personal relationships help in convincing them
to make an exception. However, if a reporter tells
you in advance that he or she will not be able to
make it to your press conference, send them a
press release anyway and encourage them to use
the information to build a story with their own
sources. Determine the point of contact reporters
may attempt to call for additional information
and discuss with these individuals the importance
of providing a clear message that emphasizes the
health risks and the opportunities for managing the
risks. The best way to establish good relationships
with the media is to offer them opportunities for
interesting and newsworthy stories. Offer a hard-
to-get interview, local human interest stories,
eye-catching visuals or pictures, and good audio
for those in radio news. Always present your
information as something that readers, listeners,
and viewers deserve to learn.
"Templates of these materials can be found at www.radonleaders.org/
customizable outreach resources.
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Telling Your Radon Story
How to Pitch a Story
Pitching a news story to a reporter, editor, or producer
can seem intimidating, but it is not difficult if you prepare
yourself adequately. The most effective way to contact the
media with a story idea is through a "pitch letter," which
provides the reporter or media with all the information they
need to pursue the story.
Use the following tips to write a good pitch letter:
1 . Email is often the best way to get your letter in front of
the right person. Plan to follow up your email with a
timely phone call.
2. Keep it short. Journalists don't have much time to
spend each day reading pitches. Begin your pitch with
your most compelling information to grab the reader's
interest, and explain the story in just a few paragraphs.
If you have a news peg (see below), make it clear at the
beginning of the letter.
3. Provide all the information journalists need to cover the
story. Make sure your pitch covers the "Who, What,
When, Where, Why, and How" of the story. Include your
contact information, list possible sources, and include
any relevant background material. If you have written a
press release, paste that into the email.
4. If you are pitching a broadcast outlet, remember that
they are interested in gathering video footage. Tell them
about possible photo-ops or events.
News Pegs
Journalists often look for "news pegs," which make a
discussion of a broad issue relevant to the moment and
"newsworthy." When trying to obtain coverage of radon
issues, look for news pegs and point them out to the media
when you speak to them. News pegs can be breaking news,
or a simple event that brings a story into focus or makes it
more timely. Below are some possible radon-related news
pegs that can help frame other media pitches and guide
your discussions with reporters.
> Death of someone from lung cancer that was thought to
be radon-related.
> Any speech, rally, event, or meeting can be an
opportunity to involve the press.
> Any national coverage of radon, cancer-causing agents,
or other health/air-quality disaster can be an opportunity
to remind readers that people can be exposed to a
high level of radon every day, without knowing it. Local
outlets look for ways to make national stories more
relevant to local readers.
> Adoption of a radon-resistant new construction code.
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Radon Story Pitches
Here are some ideas for pitching the radon story to your
local health, parenting, real estate, government, and other
media outlets.
Nonsmokers Are at Risk for Lung Cancer - Although
many people may be concerned about cancer prevention,
non-smokers may think they are not at risk for lung cancer.
Is there someone in your area that has been diagnosed
with lung cancer but never smoked? Work with local cancer
advocacy groups to identify potential interviewees who
would be willing to tell their stories. Tell the media about
your spokesperson's life, battles, and provide tips on testing
for and reducing radon levels in homes and other buildings.
Pitch to: Health outlets
Preventing Radon Exposure Can Help Prolong Your
Life - Longevity is a popular consumer theme that can
be leveraged to tell the radon story. Like diet, sleep, and
exercise, having a healthy home and preventing radon
exposure can have a positive effect on long-term health.
This story would be particularly appealing to publications
promoting natural health/lifestyles. Pitch to: Health
outlets
Prevent Radon for Healthier Homes - Because most
people spend so much time inside, homes typically account
for a major share of exposures to toxics that are harmful for
families. Unlike other environmental hazards like lead paint,
mold, moisture, and pests, you can't see or smell radon.
Radon is a preventable health threat in the home. Pitch to:
Health, parenting, home/real estate outlets
Getting Your Home Ready for Winter - When a home
is closed up during cooler weather months, radon can soar
to a harmful level. Winter is usually an ideal time to test a
home for radon. Editors may be interested in including this
information in tips, columns, or articles about getting one's
home ready for the winter.
Pitch to: Home/real estate outlets
Child-Proofing Your Home - Radon is often an
overlooked health threat for parents who are concerned
about creating a safe environment for their infants and
children. Babies and children spend most of their time
indoors and they are especially vulnerable to environmental
health threats. Editors may wish to include information
about the dangers of radon into stories about baby/child-
proofing or tips for home health and safety. Pitch to:
Parenting outlets
Radon Testing in Action - If a well-known local business,
organization, or government official is going to conduct a
radon test, make it a media event. Invite the local press to
observe the test beginning, and have officials and sources
available for comment on the importance and ease of radon
testing. When the test results are ready, invite the media
back for an announcement of the results.
Pitch to: Local government, health outlets
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Personal Story - Have you tested your home for radon?
Whether the test revealed an elevated level or not, offer
to tell your story to the media. Remind them that you
tested and describe why you tested. Did you do it for your
children? Do you know someone who had lung cancer?
RADON OUTREACH KIT
How are you taking action to fix your home if radon is
present? A compelling, emotional angle to radon coverage
helps put a human face on the issue. Pitch to: Health,
home/real estate, parenting outlets
Media Outlets
Consider the following outlets for pitching your local
radon story.
Health
> Local newspaper health reporter/health department
Health producer at local news station
> Health reporter/producer at radio station
Hospital medical newsletters
Natural health publications
> Local retiree/senior publications
> To find other local health publications, reach out to
your local hospital, clinic, gyms, and nursing/senior
homes to see what publications they subscribe to or
stock in their lobbies.
Children/Parenting
> Local newspaper education/youth reporter
> Newspaper columnists who write on parenting/
children's issues
. Local newspaper's "Kids" section
> News desk at a local TV or radio station
Local parenting magazines
> School newsletters
To find publications in your area that focus on
children's issues or parenting, reach out to your
school board. Ask if they circulate newsletters to
which you could contribute an article.
Home/Real Estate
" Real estate reporter/section of local newspaper
> Real estate listings magazines
> Local construction, real estate, or broker trade
publications
Local decorating/architecture/home and garden
magazines
> If you're having trouble locating local real estate
publications, reach out to a real estate professional
and ask what publications they read or advertise in.
Local Government
> Metro section or local government reporters and
columnists at newspapers, TV stations, and radio
stations
> Local government website (city, county, state)
> Online bulletin boards for your neighborhood or
Other Local Outlets
> Local consumer magazines like The Virginian, The
Washingtonian, Cleveland Magazine.
> Local blogs are a top source for area outreach. Try
to find a blog dedicated to covering local news,
parenting, or local politics for radon outreach.
> Does your area include Hispanic or Asian media?
Don't forget to reach out to Spanish-language or
other media targeted toward an ethnic or non-
English-speaking demographic.
> If there is a university or college in your area, contact
their student newspaper(s).
> Cable channels and public broadcasting often offer a
variety of local home, parenting, or news programs
that might be amenable to a discussion on radon.
> Check talk radio listings for similar local programming
options.
> If you don't get much response from local
newspapers or broadcast outlets, try contacting their
Web page staff. Often, outlets employ reporters for
Web-only content.
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Additional
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Outreach Resources
For additional tips and tools to help you plan radon outreach activities for your community,
visit www.radonleaders.org/customizable_outreach_resources.
On this Web page you will find:
Tips and Templates for Writing Press Releases
Tips and Templates for Writing Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor
is
Tips and Templates for Working with Your Local Officials
ฎ
Customizable Radon Fact Sheets in English and Spanish
ซป
RADON'
MOM Ot DATOt *OMI n K*OON
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Additional Outreach Resources (continued)
Customizable News Articles
Sample Radon Poster Materials
Take the National Radon Test
~y^ffi
Radon Media Campaigns with Free Public Service Announcements
Give Green For Life.
E-Cards
Sample Radon Social Media Messages / Re-postable Radon Blogs
pi,. ,.
.. ..: -,
22
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RADON OUTREACH KIT
Radon Educational Materials
EPA has both print and electronic materials available to you at no-cost Some materials have limited quantities.
Make sure you get your materials requests in early so you have them when you need them.
Publication
Basic Radon Facts
Use the Basic Radon Fact Sheets in either English or Spanish to customize your radon
outreach materials.
PDF version: www.radonleaders.org/fact_sheet
Breathing Easy: What Home Buyers and Sellers Should Know About Radon
This short, educational video covers how to address radon in residential real estate transactions.
The primary audiences are home buyers and sellers, real estate sales agents, and brokers. Home
inspectors, mortgage lenders, other real estate practitioners, and radon services providers will also
find the video helpful. This publication is available in VMS, CD and DVD. [EPA 402-V-02-003 (TRT
13.10)]
Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Build Radon-Resistant Homes
This 81-page, fully illustrated guide contains all the information you need to educate home
builders about radon-resistant new construction (RRNC). [EPA 402-K-01 -002, April 2001 ]
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/buildradonout.pdf
Buying a New Home: How to Protect Your Family From Radon
This introductory brochure provides basic information on radon-resistant construction in new
homes. [EPA 402-F-98-008, April 1998]
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/rrnc-tri.html
A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The guide to protecting yourself and your family from radon
This recently revised guidance offers strategies for testing your home for radon and addresses
what steps to take after you have tested, the risk of radon, and radon myths. [EPA 302-K-09/001,
Revised January 2009]
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/citizensguide.pdf
Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix Your Home
This recently revised booklet is for people who have tested their home for radon and confirmed
that they have elevated radon levels. [EPA 402/K-10/005, September 2010]
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/consguid.pdf
El Radon: Guia para su proteccion y la de su fami Ha
"A Citizen's Guide to Radon" in Spanish. [EPA 402-K-93-005, September 1993]
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/elradon.html
EPA Map of Radon Zones
The purpose of this map is to assist national, state, and local organizations to target their
resources and to implement radon-resistant building codes. This map is not intended to be used
to determine if a home in a given zone should be tested for radon. Homes with elevated levels of
radon have been found in all three zones. All homes should be tested regardless of geographic
location. [EPA402-F-93-013]
Print-quality versions in JPG and PDF: www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Radon Materials Order Form (continued)
Publication
Guia del Radon para el Comprador y Vendedor de Viviendas
"Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon" in Spanish. [EPA 402-K-02-001, Julio de 2002]
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/hmbyguidsp.html
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/hmbuyguidsp.pdf
Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon
This booklet is intended for anyone who is buying or selling a home, real estate and relocation
professionals, home inspectors, and others. [EPA 402/K-09/002, January 2009]
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/hmbyguid.html
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/hmbuygud.pdf
Learning about
RADON
A p.irt of njtun*
Learning About Radon A Part Of Nature
Written for Native Americans, this 18-page booklet discusses radon's place in the world, the
basics on testing, and how homes can be fixed to reduce radon levels. [EPA 402-K-02-002,
February 2002]
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/learning_about_radon.pdf
RadonA Physician's Guide: The Health Threat With A Simple Solution
This booklet enlists physicians in the national effort to inform the American public about the
serious health risk posed by indoor radon gas. [EPA 402-K-93-008, September 1993]
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/physic.html
Technical Support Document for the 1992 Citizen's Guide to Radon
The document summarizes extensive technical analyses of the data that have been gathered over
the past years.
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/index.html
Local Efforts to Reduce Exposure to Radon
Every day in the United States someone is exposed to radon gas in their home. EPA and its
partners are working to inform and educate citizens of the dangers associated with exposure to
radon gas. Read about some outstanding examples and lessons learned of the successes achieved.
PDF Version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/success_stories.pdf
ASTM's Standard Practice for Radon Control Options for the Design and Construction of
New Low-Rise Residential Buildings
A single free printed copy of ASTM E 1465-08a is available from EPA upon request. Use EPA's
document number (402-K/10/006) when ordering. Copies of E1465-08a may be purchased from
ASTM International, or from the American National Standards Institute.
Passive Radon Control System for New Construction
These architectural drawings are intended for use by architects, homebuilders, designers, radon
mitigators and other interested in the installation of passive radon control systems in one and
two-family dwellings.
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/archdraw.pdf
Model Standards and Techniques for Control of Radon in New Residential Buildings
This document is intended to serve as a model for use by the Model Code Organizations, States
and other jurisdictions as they develop and adopt building codes, appendices to codes, or
standards specifically applicable to their unique local or regional radon control requirements.
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/newconst.html
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/model_standards.pdf
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM
RADON OUTREACH KIT
Radon Materials Order Form (continued)
Publication
Managing Radon in Schools
As part of an effective IAQ management program, schools should test for radon to know if radon
levels are elevated and if so, reduce risks to occupants through radon mitigation. Many schools
have successfully applied radon mitigation strategies to control indoor radon levels.
HTML version: www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/managing_radon.html
PDF version: www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/pdfs/kit/managing_radon.pdf
Radon Measurement in Schools (Revised Edition - Second Printing)
This report was prepared to provide school administrators and facilities managers with
instructions on how to test for the presence of radon. The findings from EPA's comprehensive
studies of radon measurements in schools were incorporated into these recommendations. This
report superseded Radon Measurements in Schools - An Interim Report.
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/radon_measurement_in_schools.pdf
(This document is only available online)
Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings
It is typically easier and much less expensive to design and construct a new building with radon-
resistant and/or easy-to-mitigate features, than to add these features after the building is
completed and occupied.
Get this document from NSCEP
Reducing Radon in Schools: A Team Approach
This document will assist you in determining the best way to reduce elevated radon levels found
in a school. It is designed to guide you through the process of confirming a radon problem,
selecting the best mitigation strategy, and directing the efforts of a multidisciplinary team
assembled to address elevated radon levels in a way that will contribute to the improvement of
the overall indoor air quality of the school.
Get this document from NSCEP
ASTM E2121-12 Standard Practice for Radon Mitigation Systems in Existing Low-Rise
Residential Buildings
A single free printed copy of ASTM E 2121 -09 is available from EPA upon request. Use EPA's
document number (402-K-10-007) when ordering. Copies of E2121-09 maybe purchased from
ASTM International, or from the American National Standards Institute.
Protocol for Conducting Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurements in Multifamily
Buildings (MAMF-2010)
To purchase a copy, visit www.aarst.org/bookstore.shtml
Radon Reduction Techniques for Existing Detached Houses: Technical Guidance (Third
Edition) for Active Soil Depressurization Systems
This technical guidance document has been prepared to serve as a comprehensive aid in the
detailed selection, design, installation, and operation of indoor radon reduction measures for
existing houses based on active soil depressurization techniques. It is intended for use by radon
mitigation contractors, building contractors, concerned homeowners, state and local officials and
other interested persons. Office of Research and Development
Use EPA's document number [EPA 625/R-93-011, October 1993] when ordering.
Indoor Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurement Device Protocols
This document provides information, recommendations, and technological guidance for anyone
providing measurement services using 1 5 radon and radon decay product measurement methods.
These protocols provide method-specific technological guidance that can be used as the basis for
standard operating procedures.
HTML version: www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/device_protocols.html
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NATIONAL RADON PROGRAM RADON OUTREACH KIT
Radon Materials Order Form (continued)
Publication
Protocols for Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurements in Homes
This document presents the U.S. EPA's technical guidance for measuring radon concentrations in
residences. It contains protocols for measuring radon for the purpose of deciding on the need for
remedial action, as presented in the 1992 A Citizen's Guide to Radon, and in the Home Buyer's
and Seller's Guide to Radon.
PDF version: www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/homes_protocols.pdf
Ordering Radon Materials
EPA has a variety of print, radio, and television PSAs available in English and Spanish. View and order Radon PSAs
at www.epapsa.com.
EPA publishes a variety of documents in both print and electronic formats. Order materials online at
www.epa.gov/epahome/publications.htm.
You may also order the EPA materials listed in the Radon Outreach Kit by contacting:
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Fax: (301) 604-3408
Email: nscep@bps-lmit.com
Or by calling:
(800) 490-9198 (Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. eastern time)
For Further Information:
Contact your state radon program director, available at www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html, to find out about
additional radon materials to help you educate your community.
26 www.epa.gov/radon
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