Loup Basin Public Health Department

03/16/2026

Spring into safety! 🌱🧯 We’re giving away fire extinguishers to help keep your home prepared. Enter for a chance to win by sharing this post, commenting, and following us.

1 entry per safety post, watch for more! Giveaway runs March 15 → May 1 (May Day)!

Let’s make this spring not just beautiful, but safe. ✅

03/14/2026

Think you’re “okay to drive”?
Here’s the truth:

Even one or two drinks can:
📣Slow reaction time
📣Reduce coordination
📣Affect decision-making
📣Increase crash risk

Alcohol affects everyone differently — and there’s no safe shortcut home.

This St. Patrick’s Day, celebrate responsibly and plan ahead.
Because buzzed driving is drunk driving.

03/14/2026

Every life-saving medicine starts with a question. 🔬
A scientist wondering why.
A discovery that unlocks something new.
And research that slowly builds the foundation for better health.

This Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting three women whose work helped move science forward step by step.

🧬 Isabel Morgan helped pioneer early polio vaccine research, demonstrating that a killed-virus vaccine could protect against disease.

🧪 Lisa M. Coussens studies how the immune system and inflammation influence cancer, helping scientists better understand how tumors grow and how the body fights back.

💊 Dorothy Hodgkin uncovered the molecular structures of important medicines, including vitamin B12 and insulin, helping researchers understand how these treatments work.

Each discovery is a building block. One insight leads to another, and over time those breakthroughs shape the medicines and treatments that protect our health today.

✨ Stay tuned throughout March as we continue highlighting more women whose discoveries helped build modern public health and medicine.

03/14/2026

A quick notification. A song change. A text that feels urgent.

Those small moments of distraction add up fast behind the wheel. Even brief lapses in attention can mean missing a brake light, a crossing pedestrian, or changing traffic conditions.

Before you start your next trip, build a few simple safety habits:
✔️ Buckle your seatbelt
✔️ Silence or set aside your phone
✔️ Keep your attention on the road ahead

Safe driving isn’t about one big decision. It’s the small choices we make every time we get behind the wheel. And sometimes, just a few seconds of distraction can carry you the distance of a football field before you look up again.

🚗📵🏈

03/14/2026

Small actions at home can make a big difference for our water resources.

In the United States, households use an estimated 29 billion gallons of water every day, and nearly 30% of that is used outdoors, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense program.

That’s why simple habits like fixing leaks, watering lawns efficiently, and being mindful of outdoor water use can help protect groundwater supplies.

During National Groundwater Awareness Week, take a moment to try one of the five conservation tips in this post and help protect the water we all rely on. 💧

03/13/2026

🍀 Don’t Press Your Luck, Loup Basin

St. Patrick’s Day is a time to celebrate with friends, family, and community across the Loup Basin region. Whether you're gathering in town or traveling between communities, make sure you have a safe ride home.

Even on our rural highways and county roads, impairment puts everyone at risk.

🚜 Long stretches of highway
🌙 Darker rural roads
🚗 Longer distances between towns

Just a few drinks can slow reaction time and affect judgment. And on rural roads, that margin for error is even smaller.

This St. Patrick’s Day:

✔ Plan a sober ride before you go
✔ Designate a driver
✔ Stay overnight if needed
✔ Look out for friends and neighbors

Because in our communities, we take care of each other.

Buzzed driving is drunk driving.

03/13/2026

🍀 Daily Self-Care Bingo 🍀

Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s the small, everyday habits that help us feel our best.

Our Self-Care Bingo card is filled with simple things you can do throughout the day. Drink a glass of water, take a moment for self-reflection, move your body, or pause for a few deep breaths. Each square is a small step toward supporting your mental and physical well-being.

See how many squares you can check off today. Can you get bingo? Maybe even fill the whole card? 💚

Let this be your reminder that self-care can fit right into your daily routine.

03/13/2026

🌩️ Severe weather can develop quickly in the Midwest. Knowing what to do before, during, and after a storm can help keep you and your family safe.

When storms move through our area, staying informed and taking a few key safety steps can make a big difference.

⏱ When a Watch or Alert Is Issued
• Monitor weather updates closely from the National Weather Service
• Make sure your phone is able to receive local CodeRED emergency alerts
• Charge phones and devices
• Identify your safe shelter location (basement or lowest interior room)
• Bring pets indoors and secure outdoor items

🌪️ When a Warning Is Issued or Severe Weather Is Approaching
• Move indoors immediately
• Go to a basement or an interior room on the lowest level of your home
• Stay away from windows and exterior walls
• Protect your head and neck with your arms, a mattress, or blankets if possible
• Continue monitoring weather alerts and local emergency updates

⚠️ After the Storm Passes
• Stay alert for additional warnings or changing conditions
• Avoid downed power lines and damaged structures
• Watch for flooding on roads and in low areas
• Check on neighbors, especially older adults or those who may need assistance
• Follow instructions from local emergency officials

📲 Stay Informed:
Monitor conditions through the National Weather Service and make sure you are signed up for local CodeRED alerts so you can receive emergency notifications in your area.

Sign up for CodeRed Crisis Alerts Here > https://www.region26.org/

Being weather-aware and prepared helps protect you, your family, and your community.

03/12/2026

We've all felt the breeze today.

Now you know why!
Take precaution during high winds, especially while traveling or spending time outdoors!

*** The High Wind Watch is no longer in effect. Though gusts ocasionally as high 50 MPH will still be possible tonight, the probability of gusts nearing or exceeding 60 MPH has decreased below High Wind Warning thresholds. ***

Gusty-Strong northerly winds move into the area behind a cold front this evening. A High Wind Watch is in effect from 9pm today through 3am Friday for northeastern portions of the area where gusts up to 60mph are possible.

03/11/2026

Curious about severe weather conditions? Region 26 Emergency Management & US National Weather Service are hosting Spotter Talks across the region.

All Spotter Talks events are free and open to the public!

03/11/2026

🌷 Spring Into Action Walking Challenge! 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️

From March 20 – April 24, you’re invited to join our community-wide walking challenge and help make this season an active, healthy one! Whether it’s lunchtime walks, step-count competitions, or a stroll around the block, every step helps build a stronger, more connected community.

📊 How it works:
Each week, participants will submit their step count through a quick form so we can track progress and celebrate everyone’s efforts.

✨ What to expect:
• Optional beginning and ending biometric screenings (height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure)
• Weekly lunchtime walks in Burwell – and the potential to start a walking group in your community
• Weekly motivation and health tips
• Participate for all 5 weeks and be entered into a prize drawing 🎉

Grab a friend, coworker, or family member and Spring Into Action with us! 🌼
Let’s get moving—every step counts!

📋 Sign up by March 19, 2026:
https://forms.office.com/r/HULbM9ZKAP

03/10/2026

Vaccination helps protect more than just the person receiving the shot. It helps protect families, schools, workplaces, and our entire community.

Keeping up with recommended vaccines can prevent serious illness and reduce the spread of disease to those who are most at risk.

If you have questions about recommended vaccines or would like to schedule an appointment, our team is here to help.