oo MU ee ren am go ge cl re SCT ee re ae Se {Wood heating: smoke, ocean crane rian veiw eg = — apt wae.” ‘ . OEY itl Ari a re Le Baa B16. Terrace Review" — Wednesday; December 5, 1990 omen _ Stewart re-elects © Cornell as mayor Moras hi ohe ne It appears that the voter lethargy that marked the Terrace civic elections didn’t carry up the Port- ‘land Canal. According to a special Nov. 17 issue of The Signal, a local publication in Stewart, 85 percent of the eligible voters in the port town turned out to re-elect mayor Darlene Cornell and a six- member municipal council. Cornell defeated challenger Andy Burton 232-176. In his bid for the mayor’s office, he deserted a seat on Stewart municipal council he had held for more than 20 years. That also means Burton will no longer represent Stewart on the board of directors for the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine. expected to choose a regional board representative before the next regional district mecting Dec. 7. Nine candidates were nominated for the six positions on Stewart council. Elected were Russell Earl, who topped the polls with 301 _ votes, incumbents Rick Kearns and Terry Heinricks, and newcomers Kirsten Chapman, who also repre- sents Stewart on the School Dis- trict 88 board of trustees, truck logger Jack Danuser, and Elmer Bourneman, a mining industry professional with a background in employee relations. Defeated were Berend Mensies, Mary Jane. McKay and Elaine The new Stewart council is Hamilton. "Did NORTHWEST Ao ON you — know... " Al MS A public service feature by FOR HEALTH the Skeena Health Unit Contributed by Shelly Harnadek, C.P.H.1(C), Environmental Health Officer, Skeena Health Unit Did you know that your guests could get an unwanted present with their Christmas Dinner? we Salmonellosis is a food-borne illness commonly traced to im- properly cooked pouliry (maybe your Christmas Turkey!). Salmonella is a bacteria that multiplies in the intestines of humans and other animals. It invades the human intestine, and causes ill- ness. The bacteria is commonly found in poultry, raw eggs and egg products and unpasteurized milk. Salmonella food-borne illness symptoms usually begin between 12 to 36 hours after eating contaminated foods, and include ab- dominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Bacteria can be spread to foods in many ways. Two of the easiest ways for foods to become contaminated are through improperly washed hands, and by contaminating cooked and ready-to-eat foods with knives, cutting boards, platters, and other surfaces that have contacted raw meats and raw poultry. But, don’t give up tradition just yet! Salmonella infections can be prevented by foliowing some simple rules: @ Thaw your turkey in the fridge. You'll have to plan several days. in advance, but your dinner will be safer because of it. If you can’t manage to thaw it in the fridge, set the bird under cold running water until it is thawed completely. Leaving meat and poultry: at room temperature to thaw invites bacteria to grow and multiply, and increases the risk of illness. @ Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing foods, and after handling raw meat and poultry. Though they may look clean, hands touch everything and can pass along more than just ‘*dirt”’ to your foods. © Wash all surfaces that have contacted raw meat or poultry in hot, soapy water as soon as you have used them. This includes knives, cutting boards, trays, and all other utensils. @ Cook the dressing separately (a few seasonings and a bit of chicken broth will give it a ‘‘cooked in the bird’’ flavour). If you cook the dressing inside the turkey, make sure it is very well done. @ Check the internal temperature of the turkey. Use a meat ther- mometer to make sure that the temperature at the centre of the bird is at least 74 degrees C (165 degrees F) before you consider it done. A high enough temperature will kill any bacteria that may be lurk- ing around. @ Use only clean utensils and platters to carve and serve meats and poultry. © Don’t let meats or poultry sit at room temperature. Serve dinner as soon as the turkey is done, and refrigerate leftovers as soon as the meal is over. . A few other reminders to help prevent salmonellosis: don’t use cracked or dirty eggs; avoid using raw eggs in eggnogs and other foods; use only pasteurized milk and milk products. These tips should help your guests remember your fabulous Christmas dinner instead of the illness they suffered. Have a safe and happy holiday season. What are your questions and concerns? Write us at: “Did You Know That... ?”’ Skeena Health Unit 3412 Kalum Street Terrace, B.C. V8G 4T2 health and environment This article begins a series of four installments on the environ- mental and health implications of using wood as a primary home heating fuel. The articles are authored by John Collison- Baker of the B.C. Ministry of Environment Waste Manage- ment Branch, provided by the Skeena regional office of . the Ministry of Environment, and printed by the 7errace Review as a public service. Any readers who have comments on these pieces are invited ‘to address their concerns to the Terrace Review, attention: Editor. Pollution from smoke is usu- ally thought of as an outdoor problem. In homes heated with ' wood burning stoves, there also can be considerable smoke pol- lution indoors. These emissions enter the in- door air from outside through doors, and windows. They also enter the indoor air each time the stove is opened for fire start- ing or refuelling. Young children can be very susceptible to respiratory illness when living in homes heated by wood-burning stoves. During the winter heating season, they are often kept indoors. Studies (Michigan State University, 1984) show that there is a signifi- cant increase in the incidence of. wheezing, persistent cough, al- lergies, bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. When compared with children in non-wood burning homes, children in wood burning homes had 48 percent greater incidence of moderate symptoms of res- piratory illness such as wheezing with a cold. They had 81 percent greater incidence of severe symptoms of respiratory illness. Severe symptoms include cough- ing at night or most days, and wheezing apart from colds. The occurrence of allergies was 16 percent higher. Although many | of these symptoms are often thought to be caused by viruses, respiratory irritation by wood smoke can cause the same symp- toms. The elderly and those with special health problems are sim- ilarly affected. Mutagenic (chromosome damaging) compounds are known to be present in wood smoke. Indoors, cigarette smok- ing, volatilization of cooking . products and wood burning add_ genotoxic products to the air. Studies vary as to whether in- door mutagenic activity is great- er than or less than outdoors. However, studies agree that mutagenic activity occurs. Indoor air pollution from wood burning has many of the same ingredients as sidestream and mainstream smoke from cigarettes. It is reasonable then to expect the same carcinogenic (cancer-causing) effects. Both indoor and outdoor wood smoke contain many carcino- genic compounds such as benzo[ajpyrene, dibenzopyrenes and dibenzocarbazoles. Significant reduction in wood smoke pollution can be achieved through improved burning tech- niques. Burn dry, seasoned wood only. Allow ample air into the firebox to promote more complete combustion, thereby producing fewer pollutants. Supply outside air directly to an under-fire intake on the stove. Avoid wood burning when the air quality is poor. Nowis — the time to register. Are you ready for the pro- posed GST? If not, now is the time to register and prepare. Registration applies to anyone invalved in acommercial enter- prise. This includes fishing, farming, professional services and many activities carried out prepared for the GST. _ Have you? I’ve by non-profit organizations. Revenue Canada is ready to assist you with information on: @ How to register and the benefits of doing so mw What the GST means to your operation w Simplified accounting options and administrative procedures m Rebates of the Federal Sales Tax m How to recover GST on business purchases a GST return and filing options Canada’s GST, It’s good business to prepare now. Contact us today. Phone: 1 800 561-6990 Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired: 1800 465-5770 Or drop by the Revenue Canada Excise Office nearest you, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Rievenu Canada Revenue ivi Canadas DouanasetAccisa = Customs and Excise Canada