Welcome to the July edition of the Happenings!

This month, we're diving into a variety of timely updates and resources to help keep you informed, safe, and healthy all summer long.

Learn how to enjoy a safer fish dinner with the 2025 updated Eat Safe Fish Guides, and brush up on essential rip current safety tips to stay protected at the beach. With rising temperatures, the summer food safety reminders can help prevent foodborne illness during barbecues and cookouts.

We're also celebrating progress within our agency. RISE: Otsego Substance Free Coalition recently received a grant from the Otsego Community Foundation to support youth-focused, substance-free initiatives. Meanwhile, our Executive team has been participating in Emergency Preparedness Training to stengthen community readiness. HDNW has launched a Fundamental Reboot, aimed at enhanching out internal culture and core values.

Thank you for staying connected and committed to building a healthier, safer community together!

Show Us Your Best & Brightest

If you're a shutterbug who would like to share one of your best photographs, please email it to Olivia at o.vanelslander@nwhealth.org for potential inclusion in the next edition of HDNW Happenings.

If you have questions about HDNW and the programs we offer, please reach out to us through our socials, calling staff at 800-432-4121, or by emailing media@nwhealth.org.

Leadership in Public Health

Staying Safe at the Beach

Spending time at the beach is a summer favorite—but water safety is key. Rip currents are strong, narrow channels of fast-moving water that can quickly pull swimmers away from shore. Follow these tips to protect yourself and others:

Swim in Designated Areas

• Before entering the water, check with lifeguards about current conditions or hazards.

Never Swim Alone

• Rip currents can form suddenly. Always swim with a buddy so someone can help or call for help in an emergency.

If You’re Caught in a Rip Current

• Stay calm: Panicking uses energy and makes the situation worse.
• Don’t fight the current: Instead, swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current’s pull.
• Swim at an angle back to the beach once you’re free.
• Float or tread water if you can’t escape—conserve energy and signal for help by waving your arms and calling out.

Food Safety in the Summer

As temperatures rise, so does the risk of foodborne illness. Whether you're barbecuing in the backyard or packing a picnic, follow these essential food safety tips to keep your summer meals safe and enjoyable.

Cook to Safe Temperatures

Using a food thermometer is the best way to ensure your food is safely cooked—color alone isn’t a reliable indicator. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone or fat.

Safe internal temperatures:

• Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, veal: 145°F (63°C), with a 3-minute rest
• Fish: 145°F (63°C)
• Ground meats (beef, pork, etc.): 160°F (71°C)
• Poultry (whole or ground): 165°F (74°C)

Prevent Cross-Contamination

Keep harmful bacteria from spreading by following these simple rules:

• Separate raw and cooked foods: Always use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils.
• Marinate safely: Marinate in the refrigerator, never on the counter. Discard marinades that touched raw meat—or boil them before reuse.
• Pack with care: Store raw meat in sealed containers at the bottom of your cooler to avoid leaks onto other foods.

Keep Hot Foods Hot & Cold Foods Cold

Temperature control is key when eating outdoors:

• Hot foods: Keep cooked food at 140°F (60°C) or warmer using warming trays, side burners, or insulated containers.
• Cold foods: Use ice packs or coolers to maintain foods at 40°F (4°C) or lower. Don’t leave food out for more than 2 hours—or 1 hour if it’s over 90°F (32°C).
• Thaw safely: Defrost meats in the fridge, cold water (change every 30 minutes), or the microwave. Cook immediately after thawing.
• Use clean serving dishes: Never place cooked food on plates or trays that held raw meat.

Cleanliness is Key

• Wash hands often: Scrub with soap and water before and after handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood.
• Clean your grill: Scrape grill grates before and after each use to remove food residue and reduce contamination.
• Sanitize surfaces: Use hot, soapy water to clean any tools or surfaces that touched raw meat.

Leaving perishable food out for more than 2 hours—or just 1 hour when it’s over 90°F—can allow bacteria to grow to dangerous levels.

Congratulations to RISE: Otsego Substance Free Youth for being awarded a $2,500 grant through the Summer Community Choice Grant Program from the Otsego Community Foundation.

This award is made possible thanks to the Funds for the Community of the Otsego Community Foundation along with support from generous donors who believe in building a brighter future for Otsego County.



Together, we're creating a stronger, healthier, and more connected community.

Strengthening Our Foundation, One Step at a Time

To foster a positive and thriving workplace cutlure, we're taking a focused approach—one month at a time. Each month, throughout the agency, we will spotlight one of our 25 core fundamentals that guide how we work, collaborate, and serve the public. During the month of June each office had a fundamental reboot workshop ran by Jane Sundmacher, Special Projects Administration, who is trained in Technology of Participation (ToP). ToP training is a structured facilitation method that transforms the way groups think, talk, and work together.

This Month's Fundamental Focus: We live the mission in our daily (work) life.

It's our mission to serve out entire community, and to acheive health equity through partnerships, innovation and excellence in public health practice. We believe all residents should have the oppotunity to attain their highest level of health.

HDNW Conducts Measles Outbreak Response Training

In June, Chloe Capaldi, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, led a comprehensive training exercise to evaluate how Health Department of Northwest Michigan (HDNW) would respond to a measles outbreak. The training was divided into four key parts: understanding measles, initiating the response, managing ongoing cases, and deploying medical countermeasures.

The goal was to test and strengthen HDNW’s response protocols for handling a measles case. The exercise also fostered potentially needed collaborations between internal staff and external partners to ensure timely, accurate, and consistent communication with the public in the event of an outbreak. 

As spring blossoms, it's the perfect time to connect with Community Connections, a free program that helps residents access vital resources for adults, children, and families. Get support with medical care, transportation, food 🍲, utilities 💡, education 📚, and so much more!

Answer: 145 Degrees Fahrenheit

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