Our Mission

Hello!
 
I am a student in the College of Public Health at Ohio State In Columbus.
 
My interest is in the prevention of Legionnaires Disease in Ohio. In response to an outbreak in New York City last year, the State of New York Health department passed strict regulations for cooling towers/internal water systems that are now in effect.
 
New York is the only state to issue anti-legionella regulations that are enforceable under their public health law with criminal penalties.  Ohio has had the worst record for Legionnaires  Disease in the nation, yet there are no plans for similar anti-legionella regulations here. Ohio legionella prevention is voluntary, and will remain so.
 
* The purpose of my letter, which was sent to over 600 school superintendents in Ohio, is to get information into the hands of school districts regarding the prevention of Legionnaires Disease by delivering documents to use as guidance.
 
* I have sent the link to the New York Coolong Tower regulations, the CDC Tool KIt, the anti-legionella plan used by Ohio State University Hospitals, and a sample water safety plan sent to me by an actual school district in Ohio.
 
My next step is to work with school boards to eliminate some of the known causes of Legionnaires Disease such as hot water tanks.
 
Thanks for your interest ! Feel free to contact me anytime.
 
Sincerely,
 
Michael Zachary Korzen
Student,
College of Public Health
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Facilitator of The Ohio Legionella Prevention Initiative
email: korzen.1@osu.edu

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