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 Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is
naturally produced from the soil. It can enter homes and buildings
through small cracks in the foundation, sump pumps or soil in
crawlspaces. Statistics show radon is the second-leading cause of
lung cancer in the United States. An estimated 1,200 people in
Illinois develop radon-related lung cancer each year. “Radon related
health risks are preventable,” said Acting IEMA Director, Alicia
Tate-Nadeau. “Radon can be detected with a simple test and mitigated
through well-established techniques. With greater awareness we can
save lives.”
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is announcing
several initiatives this January to increase public awareness of
radon risks and ways to reduce radon exposure.
Illinois Radon Poster Contest
Today, IEMA and American Lung Association in Illinois (ALAIL) kicked
off its annual statewide contest that encourages Illinois school
students to use their creative talents to promote radon awareness.
The Illinois Radon Poster Contest is open to students ages 9-14.
Entries are due by March 6. Prizes include $200 for first
place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place. For more
information about the poster contest, visit
https://www.lung.org/local-content/illinois/our-initiatives/illinois-radon-poster-contest.html.
Illinois Radon Video Contest
High school students can also compete for prizes by participating in
the Illinois Radon Video Contest. This contest requires students to
produce a creative 30-second YouTube video about radon. An
individual student, group of students or classroom, can create
videos. Student prizes include $1,000 for first place, $750 for
second place, $500 for third place and $250 for seven honorable
mention videos. The winning video will be featured on the big screen
in local movie theaters throughout the state.
Also new this year, participants can pre-register for
the 2020 video contest before January 31 for a chance to win a free
short-term test kit.
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All videos, entry forms and release forms must be submitted by
March 13. Details about the video contest are available on the American Lung
Association in Illinois (ALAIL) website at
https://www.lung.org/local-content/
illinois/our-initiatives/illinois-radon-video-contest.html.
Most Views Contest:
IEMA and ALAIL also created a contest that will reward a students’ marketing and
outreach skills. The top 10 submitted videos will be provided a link to share
with their friends. At the end of contest, the student with the most video views
will receive an additional $300. Additionally, the schools of the top three
winners will receive $300, $200 and $100 for first, second and third places,
respectively.
Twitter Contest:
New this year, all students are being encouraged to share their video submission
on their Twitter account using the hashtag #2020ILRadonVideoContest. The tweet(s)
with the most likes and most retweets will win a brand new GoPro. The twitter
contest will run March 13-March 27.
“The goal of our Radon Action Month outreach activities is to get people to test
their homes. Our youth does a great job of utilizing YouTube and social media
platforms in their regular lives to share important and relevant information. We
want them to do the same with radon,” said Kallie Sinkus with the American Lung
Association of Illinois.
All contest prizes are funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. IEMA, ALAIL and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 sponsor
both contests.
For more information about radon, visit IEMA’s radon website at
www.radon. illinois.gov. The
website includes useful information about radon and lists of licensed
measurement and mitigation professionals. Information is also available through
IEMA’s Radon Hotline at 800-325-1245.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |
