ALERTS - HEALTH - SAFETY and YOU

This page provides to the citizens of Merrimack news that may affect you directly, including HEALTH related warnings, recent discoveries of important information, SAFETY notices, Product Safety Recalls and more. When reviewing this page please scroll all the way down as information is added to various locations and we do not want you to miss anything. Thank you for visiting and come back often.

On this page below you will find:

SEASONAL HEALTH ALERTS

HEALTH AND SAFETY NOTICES

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY RECALLS

RELATED RECALL RESOURCE LINKS

SEASONAL HEALTH ALERTS

NH Department Health and Human Services, “Advises Residents to Prepare For Fall Flu Season (7/30/2009)

NH Department Health and Human Services, “Issues Public Health Advisory for Swimmers at Silver Lake State Park in Hollis” (7/30/2009)

NH Department Health and Human Services, “Warns Consumers of Egg Salad Contaminated with Listeria” (7/30/2009)

TICKS - Prophylaxis following tick bites (5/7/09)

TICKS - Tick-borne disease update, State of New Hampshire (5/7/09)

HEALTH AND SAFETY NOTICES

Spring Time and Children's Health

Insect Repellents for Children

By Vincent Iannelli, M.D.

Insects (mosquitoes, gnats, chiggers, ticks, etc.) commonly bite children and can make them miserable. There are many safe and effective insect repellents that you can use to protect your child, including those that use deet, citronella, or soybean oil. Remember to only use products that are approved for children, follow the manufacturer's instructions and wash off the insect repellents when you return indoors.

Insect repellents with deet are probably the best and most commonly used. Although it is absorbed through your child's skin, it is generally safe as long as the product has less than 10% deet. You should apply the deet product to all exposed skin, except near the eyes, mouth, open cuts or hands of small children (who may rub their eyes or put their fingers in their mouth). Deet is absorbed through the skin, so you may want to limit how much you put on younger children, wash it off as soon as possible, and apply it more to clothing than skin.

Although deet insect repellents are effective for several hours, they do wash off with water and sweat, and you may have to reapply them to be most effective (follow the product's instructions to be safe).

Other insect repellents that are generally safe in children include those made with Citronella (Avon's Skin-So-Soft) and soybean oil (Bite Blocker).

Remember that insect repellents do not protect against most stinging insects, including wasps, bees and fire ants.

To keep your children safe from insect bites, you can also:

Make sure to keep as much of her skin covered with clothing as possible, including long sleeve shirt, long pants, socks, and a hat.
Wear light colored clothing, so as not to attract bugs.
Avoid using any scented soaps or other products on your baby, since the fragrances can also attract insects.
Apply insect repellents to clothing instead of to skin so that it won't be absorbed.
Wash off insect repellents as soon as possible.
Avoid areas with insects nest.
Follow the instructions, including age restrictions on any insect repellent you are considering using.

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY RECALLS

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products. CPSC announces all recalls on their website http://www.cpsc.gov/.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 14, 2009

Release # 09-221

Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 889-2031

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

HP Recalls Notebook Computer Batteries Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Lithium-Ion batteries used in Hewlett-Packard and Compaq notebook computers

Units: About 70,000

Importer: Hewlett-Packard Co., of Palo Alto, Calif.

Hazard: The recalled lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm and CPSC are aware of two reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are used with various HP and Compaq notebook computers. Models that can contain a recalled battery include:

HP Pavilion

dv2000 dv2500 dv2700 dv6000 dv6500 dv6700 dv9000 dv9500 dv9700

Compaq Presario

A900 C700 F700 V3000 V3500 V3700 V6000 V6500 V6700

G6000 G7000

HP Compaq

6720s

The notebook model is located at the top of the service label on the bottom of the notebook. Batteries that can be subject to the recall will have one of the following bar code labels (^ in the code can be any letter or number):

62940^^AXV^^^^ 65033^^B7U^^^^ 65033^^B7V^^^^ 65033^^BGU^^^^ 5035^^B7U^^^^ 65035^^B7V^^^^ 65035^^BGU^^^^ 65035^^BGV^^^^ 7059^^V8U^^^^ 67059^^V8V^^^^

Sold at: Computer and electronics stores nationwide, hp.com and hpshopping.com from August 2007 through March 2008 for between $500 and $3000. The battery packs were also sold separately for between $100 and $160.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the recalled battery from their notebook computer and contact HP to determine if their battery is included in the recall and to request a free replacement battery. After removing the recalled battery from their notebook computer, consumers may use the AC adapter to power the computer until a replacement battery arrives. Consumers should only use batteries obtained from HP or an authorized reseller.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site at http://www.hp.com/support/BatteryReplacement or call (800) 889-2031 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Media Contact: Sheila Watson at (281) 514-6552 or sheila.watson@hp.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 14, 2009

Release # 09-220

Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 236-5683

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

HC Media Contact: (613) 957-2983

Folding Toy Beach Chairs Recalled by Build-A-Bear Workshop Due to Laceration Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Folding Toy Beach Chair for Stuffed Animals

Units: About 260,000 chairs in the United States and 9,700 in Canada

Importer: Build-A-Bear Workshop(r), of St. Louis, Mo.

Hazard: This toy chair legs can bruise, pinch or cut fingers if caught

while folding.

Incidents/Injuries: There have been eight injuries reported.

Description: This recall involves a wood frame, canvas seat, toy beach chair for stuffed animals. Some styles include an attached pillow. The toy chairs are blue (style #'s 002281, 004463, 009907, 011565, 102281, 109907, 111565), red (style #'s 007391, 011566, 107391, 111566), fuchsia/white stripe (style #'s 013226, 113226), Orange/white stripe (style #'s 013227, 113227).

Sold by: Build-A-Bear Workshop stores nationwide and online at www.buildabear.com from March 2001 through October 2008 for about $8 in the US and from March 2003 through October 2008 in for about $10 in Canada.