EPA 402-K-10-0011 March 2012 I www.epa.gov/iaq
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RADON: TEST FIX SAVE A LIFE
JANUARY IS NATIONAL
RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
We/come and Introduction
Thank you for your interest in National Radon Action Month. Radon is a serious health risk facing
tens of thousands of Americans. Exposure to radon gas causes more than 20,000 deaths annually and it is
the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The challenge is that we can't see, smell, or taste it,
so it's easy to forget that radon may be a problem in any home, school, or building in the country. The potential
exists to double the lives saved from radon exposure over five years. To protect the lives of all Americans, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January as National Radon Action Month. This is a great
opportunity to increase awareness of radon, promote radon testing and mitigation, and advance the use of
radon-resistant new construction practices.
The Kit includes helpful suggestions and many useful
templates for you to customize.
Ideas for radon outreach activities '.
Success story: Reaching out to Physicians and
Pediatricians •
Success story: Media and Mini-Grants Raise Radon
Awareness '
Steps for planning successful radon
outreach activities 1i
Radon poster contest tips 1!
Radon communication tips 1-
Success story: Making Radon Tests
Easily Accessible 1!
Web communication tips 1!
National Radon Action Month messages 1i
A radon fact sheet V
A radon fact sheet in Spanish 1!
Media outreach tips 2
Success story: Reaching Out to Non-Traditional
Radon Stakeholders 2'.
A sample press release 2(
A sample op-ed and letter to the editor 2i
Tips for working with your local official 3i
Success story: Successful Partnering Approaches
to Promote Radon Awareness 3i
A sample letter to a government official 3
A sample proclamation by a
government official 3,
An order form for EPA's
no-cost radon materials ... ...3.
Individuals, groups, and organizations concerned
about healthy people, homes, and communities are
the driving force in getting the message out to the
public about the dangers of indoor radon. Your
efforts are important, and EPA wants to do everything
possible to make it easier for you. That is why we
have developed this Event Planning Kit for your use.
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, combine
projects, or—even better—invent your own new
projects!
Radon can be deadly, but remember that the
message you are delivering is a hopeful one.
Testing for radon and addressing radon risk can
save lives. We wish you the greatest success with
your National Radon Action Month activities.
Please visit www.epa.gov/radon/nram for help
planning and publicizing your National Radon Action
Month activities.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Ideas for
Radon Outreach
Activities
January is National Radon Action Month—a perfect time to promote radon awareness, testing
and mitigation, and radon resistant new construction (RRNC). Radon testing is generally easiest
and most effective in cooler weather months when houses tend to be closed up for warmth.
Organizations just like yours are spreading the word about this preventable health risk. Find
inspiration from a sample of their events listed below. Consider contacting your state radon
program for help in planning your activities. You can find contact information for your state
program at http://epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html.
Choosing the Right Activities
7. Energize Your Partners and
Stakeholders
Unsure how to start planning your
radon outreach activities? The following
questions can help direct you to the right
activities for your organization and your
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.
Build a Radon Coalition in Your Community
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 to promote radon
awareness in your community. Every member of your
coalition will have unique ideas for radon 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.
Recognize Radon Champions
If you already have a radon coalition,
National Radon Action Month is an
excellent opportunity to recognize your
partners for their hard work. Host an
awards ceremony to honor exceptional
radon advocates. Use the opportunity to
inspire and energize your radon 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
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.
Please see pages 11
and 17 of this Kit
for information on
obtaining radon test
kits and ordering
customizable test kit
coupons for tracking
your activities.
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
Host a Radon Training Workshop
Provide 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 proclaim January as "Radon Action Month." Encourage all
community members to test for radon. Tips for working with local officials and a sample
proclamation that you can customize are included in this Event Planning Kit on page 30.
Ask Community Leaders to Spread the Word about Radon
Churches, community centers, 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 conduct radon outreach to their members. Provide them with educational materials and
information on test kits to make it easy for them to partner with you.
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 during National Radon Action Month
and to include information on radon testing in mailings or other
advertisements during January.
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. See page 4 for New
York State's experience interacting with health care professionals.
Coord/note with Your Local Utilities to Promote
Radon Awareness and Testing
Send a bill insert to your local utility providers (e.g. water, gas,
electric) and ask them to include it with their January bill statement
mailings. This is an easy, effective, and inexpensive way to reach the
vast majority of your community. For an example of reaching out to
non-traditional stakeholders, see page 25 for Tennessee's experience.
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.
You can contact local radon experts from
the Radon Professionals Speaker's Bureau
(through the National Radon Proficiency
Program) to participate in your event as a
speaker, conduct a radon test demonstration,
or field questions from the media. AARST has
the following Speaker's Bureau lists 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 during National
Radon Action Month, please send an email
to: director@aarst.com.
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Reaching Out to Physicians and Pediatricians
Nikolas Webster, of New York State's (NYS) Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection at the New York State
Department of Health (DOH), initiated an innovative program for National Radon Action Month. He began a
program for doctors dedicated to raising radon awareness among family physicians and pediatricians. He wanted to
reach areas that he and his staff are unable to personally visit. He believes that if the importance of radon safety is
communicated in a face-to-face manner by a scientific source within the community, the message will be more likely
to get across to community members.
In June of 2007, Nikolas began collecting contact information for physicians in high risk counties by utilizing a
database within the NYS DOH Website. He developed a NYS DOH tri-fold brochure highlighting the risks of radon
exposure. He then wrote a cover letter to physicians, asking if they would be interested in his National Radon Action
Month program which is trying to increase public awareness. In early December 2007, he and several voluntary staff
members in his office began to mail out over 3,000 thousand packets containing the physicians guide, the NYS
DOH tri-fold, an application for a test kit, and the letter.
About a week and a half after the letter went out, he started getting responses, and was invited to give a talk
about radon at St. Clare's Medical hospital in Schenectady County in April, 2008. During the talk he asked
physicians if they ever talked about radon with their patients, and he provided examples to emphasize that patients
would be more likely to take the risks of radon exposure seriously if the information was delivered directly by
their doctor, rather than via a pamphlet. His talk drew the Director of Family Medicine at the hospital, who was
interested in continuing to reach out to and inform new residents. The Director and Nikolas are currently trying to
schedule a yearly presentation for all new residents of the hospital.
Nikolas' talk was also effective in another way; people in the community were responsive. His office received many
calls asking questions about radon and test kits. When asked where they received their information, callers let him
know they had received it from their doctor. He cited one woman in particular as an example, who requested a kit
and found radon levels of over 100 pCi/L in her home, far above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L. She subsequently
ordered two more test kits to confirm her results, and then had her home mitigated. Taking it one step further, she
contacted her children's school to see if they would test for radon—demonstrating how one person can affect a
whole community.
Since January 2008, he has kept in contact with the doctors, asking them to update their contact information and
checking to see if they would like more application packets. Instrumental to the success of this project was the
tracking and evaluation of how many packets were sent out, and the results that came back. The radon test kit
applications sent back into the office had been assigned a special code so they were able to be tracked.
For January 2009, Nikolas plans to continue with the projects from National Radon Action Month 2008, and to
look for more avenues to reach even more physicians and pediatricians in a face-to-face capacity by attending
local county chapter meetings of physicians' professional organizations. He would also like to try to involve
counties who receive money through State Indoor Radon Grants to expand his efforts, and to engage local
county officials to generate proclamations to stress the importance of radon risk and testing.
Nikolas offers two key suggestions for anyone interested in implementing similar projects:
>• Allow a sufficient amount of time if you plan to make your own information packets.
>• Get out into the field and interface directly with people because personal interaction is a more effective way
of delivering your message.
The following link provides a PDF version of the NYS DOH tri-fold brochure: http://www.health.state.ny.us/
publications/3168.pdf (English/Spanish).
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
TO
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 the 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 construction techniques into special events with a home and
garden theme. Groups have promoted National Radon Action Month at a green house
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.
Coordinate with Welcome Wagon or 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.
4. Reach Children and their Families
Hold a Radon Poster Contest and Awards Ceremony
A radon poster contest is held each year during radon testing
season. Start early and 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.
Sara, Age 13 -Florida
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/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING 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
bi-lingual 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 throughout the radon testing season.
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).
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 occurring 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. Buy a radon test kit at a hardware store today and
make sure you're not at risk. Visit [your website] or call 555-555-5555 for more information.
SURGEON GENERAL'S
WARNING:
RADON CAUSES LUNG CANCER
YOU SHOULD TEST YOUR HOME
Radon is an invisible radioactive gas that
seeps into yout home from underground.
Radon attaches rtself to your child's lungs,
where it can begin the process of causing lung
cancer. The only way you can tell if your
home has dangerous levels of Radon is to test
for it. Once detected, homes with hgh levels of
Radon can be easily fixed.
For helpful information, call or visit:
1-800-SOS-RADON
www.epa.gov/radon
Conduct o Media Campaign
In addition to promoting PSAs, contact your local media
and ask them to run stories on radon during the radon
testing season. Provide the media with fact sheets and other
background materials and offer spokespeople for interviews.
See page 21 of this Event Planning Kit for information on
working with the media.
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. 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.
Radon Action Week
Radon Action Week is typically
the third full week in October.
Consider ways to use both
October and January to full
advantage in support of 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 Radon Action Week and
year-round.
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
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. You can also contact your state radon program to help identify radon technical
experts if needed.
Write a Press Release
Write a press release about radon and your radon activities and distribute it to your local media outlets. A
sample press release that you can customize for your community is included in this Event Planning Kit on pages
26-27.
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 and letter to the editor and a sample
op-ed that you can customize for your community are located on pages 28-29.
Media and Mini-Grants Raise Radon Awareness
To have a far reaching impact during 2008's National Radon Action Month, Steve Melia, from the Wyoming
Department of Health, focused his activities around a media outreach campaign, along with the distribution of
free, short-term radon test kits. Steve began by calling radio stations and requesting short interviews to explain
the dangers of radon. While on the radio shows, he was able to inform the public that the state was offering
free test kits throughout January in honor of National Radon Action Month. The local CBS television station
and several radio stations aired the interviews multiple times and broadcasted stories about radon during the
month of January.
Using the Internet as another outreach medium, Steve placed a radon link on the Wyoming Department of
Health's Home Page to provide easy access to the Radon Web page containing a downloadable coupon for a
free radon test kit. Members of the public could print out and mail in the coupon to receive their kit. As well
as working with television, radio, and Internet, Steve also coordinated with the Governor's office to release a
Governor's Proclamation for National Radon Action Month, as well as the Department's Public Information
Office to issue several press releases.
The roughly 100 to 1 50 postal requests per day (totaling more than 4,000 requests) for a radon test kit reveal
the community's overwhelmingly positive response to the campaign.
Taking his outreach campaign one step further, Steve made several mini-grants available to Wyoming science
teachers to conduct radon projects with their science classes. He hopes to attract further media coverage to
help spread his message about radon and the importance of radon testing.
Wyoming's National Radon Action Month 2008 Press Release is available at:
http://wdh.state.wy.us/news.aspx?NewslD=140.
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
6. Put Radon Awareness to Work
During National Radon Action Month, 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 the 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. Use EPA's National Radon Action Month PowerPoint presentation template to
create your presentation. Then, distribute EPA's fact sheets for audience members to take home.
Consider customizing the PowerPoint, factsheets, and other resources in the Event Planning Kit to the
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 effort, 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.
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Ideas for Radon Outreach Activities (continued)
> 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.
By Making it Fun
>• Ask parents in your workplace to get their children involved by participating in the National Radon Poster
Contest for children ages 9-14. This contest asks children to create a poster portraying radon hazards
and safety, and is held annually to generate interest, enthusiasm, and action about radon safety and to
increase the number of homes tested for radon.
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. Sample press releases and letters are
available in the Event Planning Kit.
Through EPA:
>• View the activities in your state on EPA's Activities Web page at www.epa.gov/radon/nram/activities.
html and on www.radonleaders.org/nram/events. Then share your workplace activities and events by
filling out the online Activity Submittal Form at www.radonleaders.org/nram/addevent .
> Share your efforts and the results of your workplace activities with the radon community nationwide
by completing the online Feedback Form after National Radon Action Month. Your efforts may be
recognized in the National Radon Action Month newsletter or Website!
Piloting New Methods to Reach Employees
For John Hultquist and David Neville of the Utah Division of Radiation Control, the key to a successful
2008 National Radon Action Month involved brainstorming in unique ways to inform employees
about radon testing. John and David realized in January that the text block on their paystubs could
be used for messages, so they sent a message about radon testing (including details about kit
purchasing) to the payroll department and asked to have it placed into the state employees' pay
stubs. Because of the positive response from state employees, John and David also decided that
January would be the right time to devise a way for all people to be informed about radon test kits.
John and David contacted the Public Information Officer to set up a link on the State's Department
of Health Web page where employees and the general public could go to request a radon test
kit. The Web page resulted in 131 requests for test kits. The Department of Facilities Construction
and Management also helped spread the word by distributing radon posters to building facility
coordinators to place on bulletin boards. The Utah Division of Radon Control also worked with local
television stations to run stories throughout January on the risks of radon and issued a press release
in an effort to launch a successful media outreach campaign. The Division also collaborated with the
Utah Safety Council. The media outreach and collaboration with the Utah Safety Council resulted
in 2,851 unique visitors to the Utah Division's Website, and a sale of 1,700 radon test kits to Utah
citizens in January of 2008.
For more information on Utah's radon efforts, visit www.radon.utah.gov/index.htm.
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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EVENT PLANNING KIT
Steps for Planning Successful
Radon Outreach
Activities
Start the New Year off right by conducting a National Radon Action Month activity or event. A
successful National Radon Action Month will 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.
There are several key steps to conducting
a successful National Radon Action Month
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 National Radon Action
Month 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. The U.S. EPA, the
states, industry leaders, and partner organizations have set
a national goal of doubling the number of lives saved from
radon exposure in five years. You can make an important
contribution to this national effort by setting an ambitious
goal for National Radon Action Month and the year ahead.
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:
> During National Radon Action Month, 500 additional
homes will be tested 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% increase in local calls to the hotline, resulting
in 700 discounted kits to be requested by interested
homeowners.
>• By 2010, 25% of all homes in my community will have
been tested for radon.
> By 2011, 50% 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 2012, 50% of all new homes in my community will be
built using radon resistant 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.
10
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING 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.
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
http://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.
>• 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. Visit
www.nram.cadmusweb.com to publicize your event on the National Radon Action Month Website.
> 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 33-34 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.)
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING 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 National
Radon Action Month 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 services—a possible win-win
situation for everyone.
EPA is particularly interested in hearing about your
successful activities and your results so we can share
great ideas and effective activities with our nationwide
network of radon partners. Please share information
about your events using the Activity Submittal Form at
www.radonleaders.org/nram/addevent. After your
event, please respond when we follow up with you to
get information about your results. You will also have an
opportunity to learn more about successful strategies your
colleagues from across the country are using to save lives
from radon exposure.
12
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Radon Poster Contest
Raise awareness about radon and recognize poster contest winners by hosting an awards ceremony
for your state or local poster contest winners. An awards ceremony reaches families, motivates
children, and offers a compelling story for the media. The following tips provide guidance for holding
a successful awards ceremony.
>• Grants up to $1,000 are available (as funds allow) for
every state, territory, and tribal nation that has a radon
poster contest.
> Conduct your radon poster contest during the time
period specified in the contest guidelines at www.
sosradon.org. Consider hosting the awards ceremony in
conjunction with National Radon Action Month.
>• Once the posters have been judged, confirm the
availability of key individuals. Invite poster contest
winners, parents, teachers, principals, and government
officials, and obtain permission from parents for the use
of their children's photos.
>• Secure a location, such as a school auditorium or city
hall, for hosting the event.
*• Arrange travel and special activities for the winners, such
as a tour of state capital and meetings with officials.
>• Notify local and state press about the event and prepare
photos of the winning posters for the media. See the
Media Outreach section on page 21 for more tips on
reaching out to the media.
> Arrange event logistics. There are numerous details to
consider for a successful awards ceremony. Some to
consider include: send invitations; create certificates
or plaques for the winners, prepare speakers; write a
program; hire a
photographer;
prepare the
posters to be
displayed, and
assemble a press
kit to give to any
media that attend
the event.
If you would like more information on planning and implementing a radon poster contest awards
ceremony, please contact Bruce Snead (bsnead@ksu.edu) at 785-532-4992 or Brian Hanson (bhanson®
ksu.edu) at 785-532-4996 to receive a copy of the Poster Contest Awards Ceremony Toolkit on CD-Rom."
13
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING 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 17 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. See
page 1 9 for a Basic Radon Fact Sheet in Spanish.
Helpful Resources
EPA offers the following tools to help you create
your National Radon Action Month messages and
materials:
>• Templates: To get started on your materials,
use EPA's templates including a customizable
fact sheet available at www.epa.gov/radon/
pdfs/nram/basic_radon_f act_sheet.doc.
>• Boilerplate messages: Use the boilerplate
National Radon Action Month messages on
page 1 6 for your Website or print materials.
>• Graphics: National Radon Action Month
graphics are available for you to use for a
variety of materials. Visit www.epa.gov/
radon/nram/event_kit.html to download
Web and print versions of the National Radon
Action Month banner which appears in this
Kit.
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.
Radon Communication Tips adapted from: National Cancer Institute. (2001). Making Health Communications Programs Work.
Rockville, MD.
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Web Communication
If you use the Web to communicate with your
audience, make sure to include information
about National Radon Action Month. Link to
EPA's National Radon Action Month public
Website page. It is designed for individuals who
would like to know more about how they can
take action during National Radon Action Month:
www.epa.gov/radon/nram/public.html.
You can also create your own National Radon
Action Month page on your Website. Here are
some tips and tools for creating a Web page
dedicated to National Radon Action Month:
* Use EPA's National Radon Action Month Website as a
model for creating your own Web page: www.epa.gov/
radon/nram/public.html.
> Use the boilerplate National Radon Action Month
messages provided on page 16 of this Event Planning
Kit. Also make sure to include local radon statistics and
information on National Radon Action Month events and
activities in your state.
>• Use EPA's National Radon Action Month graphics for your
Website. Web graphics are available for download at
www.epa.gov/radon/nram/event_kit.html.
Making Radon Tests Easily Accessible
Basic Website Tips
Whether you are updating your radon Website or
adding some new information on National Radon Action
Month, 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.
The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services really took Missouri residents into account when it created a new
online registration tool on its Website for residents to order a free radon test kit. In the fall of 2007, Carol Bell and her
colleagues proposed this online registration system to ultimately save time and money that would otherwise be used to
manually register citizens wishing to receive a radon test kit.
On January 1, 2008, just in time to promote the new service available to Missouri residents during National Radon
Action Month, the online registration tool was made available. Registration numbers were low for the first few days, but
increased throughout the month as more citizens became aware they could request a radon test kit in such a convenient
manner. Visit this site to register: http://www.dhss.mo.gov/Radon/FreeTestKit_Registration.html.
Missouri received an overwhelmingly positive response to this new on-line registration system. During the first six
months of 2008, Missouri had a 300% increase in requests for radon test kits compared to the same period last year,
and the state processed over 6,000 online requests.
With the state and other support, Carol and her team provided enough radon test kits and educational materials to
meet the overwhelming demand at no cost to Missouri residents. By creating an online registration system for radon
test kits, Carol successfully utilized a new tool to reach out to the community and make an impact lasting well beyond
National Radon Action Month.
Web Communication Tips adapted from: National Cancer Institute. (2001). Making Health Communications Programs Work. Rockville, MD.
15 www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
National Radon Action Month
Messages
The brief messages below are designed to help you communicate with the public and stakeholders
about National Radon Action Month. You can use this language for your Website, newsletters, flyers,
and other materials. Feel free to customize the messages to suit your communication goals.
Consumer Message
You can use the following message to encourage individuals in your community to take action against radon during National
Radon Action Month.
January is National Radon Action Month
Test Your Home. Protect Your Health.
During January's National Radon Action Month, the U.S. Surgeon General and
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urge all Americans to protect their
health by testing their homes for radon. Radon is a natural radioactive gas that
you can't see, smell, or taste but could be present at a dangerous level in your
home. As the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. and the
first leading cause among non-smokers, radon claims more than 20,000 lives
annually. If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix
it to protect yourself and your family. For more information about what you can
do to protect your health and take action against radon during National Radon
Action Month, please visit www.epa.gov/radon/nram/public.html.
Basic Radon Facts
Radon fact sheets in English
and Spanish are provided in
this Kit. You can use the PDF
versions on pages 17-20 to
disseminate to your audience
or you can add your own logo
and contact information to the
customizable English version
available at: www.epa.gov/
radon/pdfs/nram/basic_radon_
fact sheet.doc.
Stakeholder Message
As part of your radon outreach activities, you may want to encourage other
stakeholders to get involved in efforts to increase radon outreach in January. The
following message can be used to promote National Radon Action Month to a wide range of community partners and other
radon stakeholders.
January is National Radon Action Month
Join the Effort to Prevent Lung Cancer Deaths from Radon
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January as National Radon Action Month. In January, communities
lead activities and host special events to raise awareness of the health effects of radon exposure, promote testing and
mitigation, and advance the use of radon resistant new construction. Join the national outreach efforts today and help
prevent thousands of lung cancer deaths from radon! EPA offers free tips and tools to help you plan and implement radon
outreach activities in your community. Visit www.epa.gov/radon/nram/partners.html to learn more about how you can
get involved.
16
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Basic
Radon Facts
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas released in rock, soil, and water from the natural decay of
uranium. While levels in outdoor air pose a relatively low threat to human health, radon can accumulate
to dangerous levels inside buildings. You can't see, smell, or taste it, but an elevated radon level in your
home may be affecting the health of your family.
Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the
United States and the number one cause among non-smokers. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon causes
more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the country each year. Only
smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your
home has radon, your risk of lung cancer can be higher.
Radon is found all over the United States.
Radon has been found in elevated levels in homes in every state. No area of the country is free from risk.
Indeed, two homes right next to each other can have vastly different radon levels. Just because your
neighbor's house does not have an elevated level of radon does not mean that your house will have a low
radon level. The only way to know if your home is under the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L is to test.
High levels of radon in homes usually come from the surrounding soil. Radon gas enters through cracks
and openings—such as sump pump lids and plumbing features—on the lower levels of your home. Hot
spots include basements, first-floor rooms, and garages, but radon can be found anywhere in your house.
You should test for radon.
The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon. Testing your house
for radon is easy to do. If your house has a radon problem, you can take steps to fix it to protect yourself
and your family.
How to Obtain Radon Test Kits
To obtain an easy-to-use radon test kit, you can:
>• Purchase a test kit from your local home
improvement or hardware store. Many kits are
priced under $25.00.
>• For information on obtaining test kits and test kit
coupons, visit www.sosradon.org.
>* Contact your state radon program, details available
at http://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.
You can find out if your home has an elevated radon
level by conducting a simple test. If the results of the
short-term test (less than 90 days) are at or above 4
pCi/l a follow-up test should be conducted to be sure.
If the radon test is part of a real estate transaction and
results are needed quickly, the averaged results of two
short-term tests can be used in deciding whether to
mitigate. For more information, visit epa.gov/radon.
Radon test kits are available at your local home
improvement or hardware store, or in some cases
from your state radon office. You can also order
www.epa.gov/radon
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Basic Radon Facts (continued)
them from Kansas State University (KSU) or radon testing
companies. Another option is to hire a qualified tester to
do a radon test for you. Contact your state radon office
about obtaining a list of qualified testers. Information about
testing your home for radon and finding a test kit is also
available by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), a
measurement of radioactivity. EPA and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention recommend that homes
with radon levels at 4 pCi/L or higher should be fixed. EPA
also recommends that Americans consider fixing their
homes for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L. Based
on a national residential radon survey completed in 1991,
the average indoor radon level is about 1.3 pCi/L in the
United States. The average outdoor level is about 0.4 pCi/L.
Living Healthy and Green
Starts from the ground up.
Test your home for Radon.
www.epa.gov/radon
You can fix a radon problem.
The cost of making repairs to reduce the radon level depends on several factors, including how your
home was built. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs,
like painting or having a new hot water heater installed. Look in your local phone book or call your
state radon office to locate radon mitigators in your area if you find an elevated radon level in your
home.
New homes can be built with radon-resistant features.
Radon-resistant construction methods can be effective in reducing radon entry. When used properly,
these simple and cost-effective techniques can help reduce the accumulation of radon gas in homes.
Every new home should be tested after occupancy, even if it was built using radon-resistant
construction methods. If radon levels above EPA's action level at or above 4 pCi/L are detected, it is
easier and less expensive to reduce radon levels in homes that have been built with radon-resistant
construction techniques.
Radon presents a serious health risk, but it can be controlled 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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MES NACIONAL DE RADON
KIT DE PLANIFICACION DE EVENTOS
Hoja de datos sobre el radon
El radon es un gas radiactivo que causa cancer.
El radon es un gas radiactivo que proviene de la descomposicion natural del uranio un elemento que
esta presente en las rocas, el suelo y el agua. Los niveles de radon al aire .^B^IH^^H^^H 1
libre representan un riesgo minimo para la salud humana, sin embargo este
puede acumularse en el interior de cualquier edificio hasta alcanzar niveles
perjudiciales para la salud. Usted no puede verb, olerlo ni probarlo, pero
cuando su nivel es elevado dentro del hogar, puede afectar a la salud de
toda su familia.
La exposition al radon es la segunda causa principal de cancer pulmonar en
los Estados Unidos y la principal en las personas que no fuman. De acuerdo
con la Agencia de Proteccion Ambiental (EPA, por sus siglas en ingles) de
los EE.UU. el radon es el causante de mas de 20,000 muertes anuales en el
pais. Solamente el fumar causa mas muertes debido al cancer pulmonar. El
riesgo de contraer este tipo de cancer es mayor si usted es un fumador y si
hay niveles altos de radon en su hogar.
El radon se puede encontrar por todo los Estados Unidos.
En todos los estados se han encontrado hogares con niveles elevados de radon. No hay un area que
este exenta de riesgo. La unica manera de saber si el nivel de radon en su hogar esta dentro de los
limites establecidos por la EPA, o sea 4 pCi/L, es haciendo la prueba para detectarlo.
Los niveles altos de radon que se encuentran en los hogares usualmente provienen del suelo de los
alrededores. El radon penetra a los pisos mas bajos de su hogar a traves de grietas y aperturas tales
como tapas de pozo de sumidero, y canenas. Aunque el radon se puede encontrar en cualquier
parte de su hogar los lugares mas propensos son el sotano, los cuartos del primer piso, y los garajes.
Como obtener el kit de las pruebas
de radon
Para obtener un kit o paquete de las pruebas de
radon, usted puede:
>• Comprar el kit o paquete en la ferreterfa de su
localidad. Muchos de estos kits generalmente
cuestan menos de $25.00.
>• Para obtener informacion adicional de como
hacer la prueba en su hogar, visite la pagina del
web www.sosradon.org.
>• Comunicarse con el programa de radon de su
estado para obtener mas informacion sobre
como obtener la prueba de deteccion de radon.
Vea mas detalles en la pagina web en
http://epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html.
Usted debe hacer la prueba de
radon.
El Cirujano General de los EE.UU. recomienda
que se haga la prueba de radon en todos los
hogares, la cual es facil de hacer. Si usted tiene
problemas de radon en su hogar, puede tomar
medidas para su propia proteccion y la de su
familia.
Con una simple prueba de deteccion de radon
usted puede saber si en su hogar hay niveles
de radon elevados.
19
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MES NACIONAL DE RADON
KIT DE PLANIFICACION DE EVENTOS
Hoja de datos sobre el radon (continued)
Usted mismo puede hacer la prueba o contratar una persona calificadaen radon para que la haga por
usted. La oficina a cargo del programa de radon en su estado le puede proveer una lista de personas
calificadas en radon y en algunos casos el kit o paquete con la prueba.
Tambien puede pedir la prueba de Kansas State University (KSU).
El radon se mide en unidades de picocuries por litro (pCi/L) de aire,
que es una medida de radiactividad. La EPA y los Centres para el
Control y la Prevencion de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en
ingles) recomiendan reducir los niveles de radon en los hogares
que tengan una concentracion de 4 pCi/L o mas. La EPA tambien
recomienda que se reduzcan los niveles de radon entre 2 pCi/L y 4
pCi/L.
Usted puede solucionar el problema de
radon.
El costo de las reparaciones para reducir la concentracion de radon
en su vivienda depende de varios factores, incluyendo la manera
en que fue construida. En la mayoria de los hogares el problema se
puede resolver por una cantidad de dinero similar a la que costaria pintar la vivienda o instalar un
sistema de agua caliente nuevo (calentador de agua). Para localizar los contratistas calificados busque
en la guia telefonica local o comuniquese con el programa de deteccion de radon de su estado.
r
Las casas nuevas pueden ser construidas con caracteristicas
resistentes al radon.
Utilizar tecnicas de construccion resistentes al radon puede ser un metodo efectivo para prevenir que
este gas entre en las casas. Cuando estas tecnicas simples y de bajo costo se aplican apropiadamente
pueden reducir el nivel de radon acumulado en los hogares.
Aunque se hayan utilizado tecnicas resistentes al radon al momento de la construccion despues de
mudarse a una casa nueva usted debe hacer la prueba de radon. Si los niveles de concentracion de
radon son iguales o superiores a los 4 pCi/L recomendados por la EPA, sera mas facil reducirlos si se
emplearon tecnicas de construccion resistentes al radon.
El radon representa un riesgo muy serio para la salud, pero puede ser controlado
facilmente y a bajo costo. Tome medidas hoy mismo. iAnime a sus amistades y
familiares para que hagan lo mismo!
20
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING 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 23-24 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 24 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 see page 23 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
see pages 26-27 for press release tips and a sample 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
21 www.epa.gov/radon/nram
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
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 see pages 28-29 for a sample
op-ed.
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.
EVENT PLANNING 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.
"Samples of these materials are included in this Event Planning Kit.
22
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
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.
>• January is National Radon Action Month! This "month"
is a great reason to promote radon awareness, and
reporters will use that information to guide their
coverage. Why is January a good time to take action
against radon? Because it's an ideal month to test for
radon in your home.
> 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
EVENT PLANNING KIT
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 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,
nonsmokers 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
23
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
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
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Personal Story - Did you test your home for radon as
part of National Radon Action Month? Whether the test
revealed an elevated level or not, offer to tell your story to
the media. Remind them that you tested as part of National
Radon Action Month, and describe why you tested. Did you
do it for your children? Do you know someone who had
lung cancer? 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.
24
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Reaching Out to Non-Traditional
Radon Stakeholders
PROCLAMATION
ACTION MONTH
Amy Inabinet of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) wanted to try something
different in 2008 to promote National Radon Action Month. Knowing that many
homes throughout Tennessee still needed to be tested for radon, and that most
people receive an electric bill every month, Amy reached out to 20 electric utility
cooperatives in smaller counties, hoping they might incorporate radon messages
into their customer communications. She sent them a variety of basic radon
information and images allowing the cooperatives to choose formats best suited for
delivery along with their particular customer bills or newsletters.
Tennessee Magazine, with a subscriber base of 770,000, highlighted Amy's efforts
with the cooperatives in their January 2008 issue, which led to an overwhelming
response of nearly 4,000 requests for free radon test kits—nearly six times the
number of requests received for the entire year of 2007! Requests were received
from 90 of 95 Tennessee counties, demonstrating the reach of the article and
Amy's other outreach efforts.
To continue building awareness about radon and radon testing throughout the
year, Amy helped coordinate a highly publicized Governor's Proclamation for
National Radon Action month. She and her colleagues also created a tri-fold
brochure offering information on the dangers of radon and free test kits to be
distributed at conferences around the state, as well as to non-traditional radon stakeholders, including rural health
associations and the Tennessee Bee Keepers.
TDEC is also working to expand a program they implemented with the Department of Health during the 2008
National Radon Action Month. The Department of Health periodically offers "exchange stations" where mercury
thermometers can be exchanged for digital thermometers. During National Radon Action Month, TDEC partnered
with the Department of Health to offer radon test kits at these exchange stations. TDEC and the Department of
Health are now working to establish a pilot project to have kits offered at the exchange on a regular basis.
25
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Sample
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.
> Keep your press release concise. Reporters and editors don't have
time to read through lots of text. Your press release should be no
longer than one page and should focus on the facts and the call to
action for your community.
> Grab their attention. At the upper left-hand margin, just under your
letterhead, you should have the words "For Immediate Release" in
bold, capital letters.
>• Make it easy for them to learn more. Somewhere near the top of
the page, list your contact information including your name, title,
telephone numbers, fax number, and email address. Also, indicate if
you have health or other experts on hand to provide interviews.
>• Include a headline such as "Health Risks in Our Community: How You Can Protect Your Family".
> Include a dateline or the city and state from which the press release is issued.
> Craft a lead paragraph. The first paragraph should grab the reader's attention and contain relevant
information, such as the five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why) if you're publicizing an
upcoming event.
The sample release on the next page can serve as a guide for creating your own. Be sure to time the
release during or near National Radon Action Month. Or, if your radon campaign activities will occur
during an alternate time, send this out to fit your schedule. Print the letter on your organization's
stationary and fill in local information where [indicated]. You may also wish to tailor this release to
announce a special event, press conference, or other local campaign activity. See the Media Outreach
Tips section on page 21 of this Kit for more information about working with the media.
26
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Sample Press Release (continued)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: [Point
int of contact's name and phone number]
'"«"— •
under $25.00. Radon P^^^^^havmg a new water heater installed.
www.epa.gov/radon/nram.
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Sample
Op-Ed and Letter
to the Editor
Write an Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor
A well-written op-ed or letter to the editor can raise awareness in your community by helping readers understand
what they can do to prevent exposure to radon. Write an op-ed when you want to introduce radon issues to your
community and/or describe a personal experience with radon. An op-ed is your opinion and should be written to
grab the reader's attention and deliver an accurate message. Op-eds can vary in length between 400-750 words
long. You can write a letter to the editor when you want to respond to the publication's coverage of radon or add a
different perspective on related topics. A letter to the editor is shorter than an op-ed, usually 1 50-200 words. Here
are some tips on submitting an op-ed or letter to the editor:
>• Personalize your submission. It will be more compelling to the editors and the readers if your submission
resonates with your community.
> Include your contact information when submitting your op-ed or letter—include your address, phone number,
and email.
>• Initially, send your op-ed
or letter to just your first
choice publication. Wait a
few days after submission
and follow up with a phone
call to gauge interest. If the
publication has decided not
to run your op-ed or letter,
go ahead and submit it to
another publication.
>• Always follow-up with a
phone call a few days after
submitting your op-ed or
letter. If your writing is
rejected, ask editors what
was lacking in your piece
so that you can revise or be
better prepared for the next
submission opportunity.
The following letter to the
editor is an example of how you
can respond to a publication's
coverage of relevant topics in
order to highlight your radon
message. The op-ed on page 29
can be used as a template and
you can personalize your own
introduction.
Sample Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
cancer caused by a dangerous gas.
,P U S Environmental Protection Agency as an at-
Townsville is described by the U.b. ti buildings
risk area for elevated radon levels. Radon isa *s t * -«n P <
from the earth, accumu,,, and po. ^ cance,
that 20,000 people die in the U.b. et
with prolonged radon exposure.
offering coupons for reduced
Thank you,
Jane Doe
Radon Campaign Organizer
radon
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Sample Op-ed (continued)
TOO MANY THINGS THREATEN OUR HEALTH -
DON'T LET RADON TAKE ITS TOLL
radon testing.
U.S. each year-a number that could be
d ause
^^
people don't know abou, radon because you
cause of
' e is
the lowest for those with cancer.
29
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EVENT PLANNING KIT
Tips for Working with Your
Local Officia
Engaging Your Elected Officials to Promote Radon Awareness
National Radon Action Month is the perfect time to get your local and state officials involved in radon outreach programs.
Elected officials can be valuable allies in educating the public about the health affects of radon and the importance of testing.
Use the customizable sample letter to an elected official on page 31 to recruit him or her to be a radon leader and help save
lives. Examples of actions your elected official could take include the following:
>• Issue a proclamation to proclaim January as National
Radon Action Month and hold a proclamation signing
ceremony (see below).
> Issue a press release and conduct interviews with local
media about the importance of testing homes for
radon and fixing homes with a problem.
>• Record a radio or video public service announcement
to promote radon awareness and testing. Contact
the National Council of State Legislatures for more
information.
> Feature National Radon Action Month activities, links to
your state radon program, and National Radon Action
Month banners that link to www.epa.gov/radon, on
your Website.
>• Attend a radon poster contest award ceremony or sign
a certificate of recognition for the winner. View the
winners of the National Radon Poster Contest at
www.sosradon.org.Hold an event in your city during
National Radon Action Month and provide free or low-
cost test kits.
If you are seeking a proclamation:
> Contact your mayor's or governor's office to
determine how proclamations are issued and to
get your proclamation on the schedule in January
(proclamations can take several months so plan early).
If your governor is issuing a proclamation, encourage
your mayor to do the same.
>• Write a sample proclamation and send it with a request
letter (see page 32) to the appropriate person in the
official's office.
> Provide the official's office with information about
radon, health statistics, and National Radon Action
Month community activities. Follow up with the
official's office to check on the status of your request.
>• Coordinate a proclamation signing ceremony and
invite the media and community stakeholders. Press
coverage can attract attention to the proclamation and
radon issues. Ask the official's office if you can post the
proclamation in public places.
Successful Partnering Approaches to
Promote Radon Awareness
To promote the 2008 National Radon Action Month, Cindy
Ladage and her team at the Illinois Emergency Management
Association (IEMA) partnered with the American Lung
Association of Illinois (ALA) and the American Respiratory
Health Association (ARHA). The team coordinated successful
activities to raise radon awareness and promote free radon
test kits.
The Illinois Radon Awareness Act went into effect January 1,
2008; just in time to pique media and consumer interest in
radon risk awareness during National Radon Action Month.
The governor announced the new law as he issued the
proclamation, drawing more attention to January efforts.
IEMA hosted four continuing education courses for real
estate agents, utilizing its partnership with the Association
of Realtors to create a curriculum, approved it for continuing
education credits, and promote the courses to realtors. The
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
approached IEMA to create a course focusing on radon and
radon-resistant building. Cindy and her team presented this
course to employees of the construction and demolition
industry, home inspectors, developers, realtors, code officials,
and property managers.
Cindy and ALA also presented radon risk information and
gave away test kits to EPA Region 5 and ALA employees.
She and her partners conducted a media campaign on the
distribution of free radon test kits during January and sent
a press release that was picked up by local newspapers,
magazines, and other publications. ARHAworksed with news
media contacts to publish coupons for free test kits from
IEMA, receiving attention in markets of over nine million such
as Chicago.
The results were astounding! In January, the IEMA distributed
over 8,000 test kits. So many test kits were requested, IEMA
was backlogged until February when they distributed another
8,000 test kits and in March, over 7,000. IEMA distributed
more than 33,000 radon test kits to date in 2008.
30
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Letter
to Government Official
[Date]
[The Honorable and full name of official]
[Address of official]
Dear [Title (e g , Senator, Mayor, Governor) and last name]:
-—-"'•»-''——•'"-""•""""
sample proclamation page XX); Acfcl| Month. Provlde a
Use your Website to let you. ™f ^S^ „ web banners available online at
EPA's radon page and use the National Radon Mon^ ^ . and
feature National Radon A«
the danger of radon. Thank you
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Organization]
[Phone Number/Email Address]
31
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Proclamation Letter
to Government Official
[Date]
[The Honorable and full name of official]
[Title of official]
[Address of official]
Dear [Honorific and name]'.
radon office).
r^;:^tom,n,m,Ze the health nskfrom
exposure to elevated levels of indoor radon As part of
our educate efforts we w,ll. [insert activities].
, have enclosed a fact sheet that will give you more
information about the dangers of exposure to indoor
iri have also taken the l,berty of draft,ng a sample
proclamat,onforyourcons,derat,on.Wewouldbt.l
honored to have your support. Please contact me you
require any additional information. Thankyou for your
consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Title]
[Organization]
[Phone number/Email address]
YOUR CITY, COUNTY, OR STATE
YOUR GOVERNMENTAL OFFICE
[County Executive's, Mayor's, Governor's] Proclamation In Support of
Radon Action Month in [County, City, and/or State]
WHEREAS, radon is a colorless, odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas that threatens the health of
our citizens;
WHEREAS, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States and the
number one cause among non-smokers;
WHEREAS, one in 15 homes across the U.S. has an elevated radon level;
WHEREAS, any home in [community] may have an elevated level of radon, even if other homes in the
same neighborhood do not;
WHEREAS, testing for radon is simple and inexpensive;
WHEREAS, identified radon problems can be fixed;
WHEREAS, [your organization] and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are supporting efforts
to encourage Americans to test their homes for radon, mitigate elevated levels of radon, and build new
homes with radon-resistant materials and features.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, [name], [title] of [county, city, and/or state] do hereby proclaim:
JANUARY [Dates], [Year]
Official Radon Action Month
In [County, City, and/or State]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this [date] day of [month], in the year [year].
(Signature of Official)
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Radon Materials
Order Form
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 your materials for National Radon Action Month.
Publication
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: http://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: http://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: http://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
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: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/hmbuyguidsp.pdf
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NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH
EVENT PLANNING KIT
Radon Materials Order Form (continued)
Publication
11
CLT
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: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/hmbuygud.pdf
RADON
• • .» : »t nature
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: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pdfs/learning_about_radon.pdf
Radon—A 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
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 Event Planning 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 http://epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html, to find out about
additional radon materials to help you educate your community.
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