Tag: meagan helmick

ATSDR Report: Bristol’s Mitigation Efforts Show Promising Results and Community Risk Remains Low

December 22, 2025
Media Contact: Linda Scarborough, PIO – Western Region Linda.Scarborough@vdh.virginia.gov

ATSDR Report: Bristol’s Mitigation Efforts Show Promising Results and Community Risk Remains Low

BRISTOL, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has reviewed the release of a Health Consultation Report by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) evaluating ambient air concentrations near the Bristol Quarry Landfill in Bristol, Virginia from 2020 to 2022. The report was developed in response to community concerns about odors and air quality.

Since 2020, the City of Bristol, in coordination with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has taken significant steps to address the issue. These steps include extensive air sampling, engineering improvements, and the installation of odor mitigation systems. These actions have led to a substantial reduction in emissions. In addition, the landfill is no longer accepting waste, with permanent closure planned.

ATSDR’s health consultation is a scientific evaluation of environmental data to determine whether exposure to chemicals in the air could pose health risks. The health consultation uses the highest levels of exposures measured during the sampling period during 2021 and 2022 to estimate potential risk. This approach reflects a worse-case scenario and is unlikely to represent actual conditions experienced by residents. It is important to note that this report cannot assess an individual health risk and does not predict whether any specific person will develop health problems.

“We recognize that members of the Bristol community are concerned and want to reassure residents that the overall health risk is low,” said Mount Rogers Health District Director Meagan Helmick, PhD, MPH, CHES®. “The city’s actions have made a meaningful difference, and we will continue to support efforts to protect public health.”

Key Findings from the Report

  • Benzene, a chemical found in many urban environments, was detected at levels that could pose a slight increase (less than 0.01%) in cancer risk if someone were exposed continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 25 years.
    • The estimated maximum concentration of benzene was 10.2 parts per billion (ppb), below typical urban levels (11 ppb) and three times lower than levels shown to cause health effects in laboratory studies.
    • ATSDR calculated a lifetime excess cancer risk of less than 1 in 10,000, which is considered elevated but still low.
    • This estimate reflects a worst-case exposure scenario and is unlikely to represent actual conditions experienced by residents.
  • Short-term exposures to sulfur dioxide (SO₂) may have caused temporary breathing discomfort, especially for individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions. These effects are typically short-lived and reversible.
  • Odorous compounds, such as methyl mercaptan and tentatively identified compounds (TICs), may have caused symptoms like headaches or nausea, but were not found at levels expected to cause long-term health effects.
  • Other chemicals detected in the air were not found at levels likely to cause health problems.

Benzene, the chemical identified in the report as contributing to a slight increase in cancer risk, is commonly found in urban air due to sources such as vehicle exhaust, gasoline, and industrial emissions. Cigarette smoke remains the leading source of benzene exposure for individuals. About half of the exposure to benzene in the United States results from smoking tobacco or from exposure to tobacco smoke. Smokers are exposed to approximately ten times more benzene than non-smokers, making tobacco use and exposure to cigarette smoke, a significantly greater contributor to personal exposure than the ambient air levels measured near the landfill.

VDH emphasizes that while some exposures may have occurred, the overall risk to the community is minimal. The report uses a health-protective approach to ensure public safety, which may overestimate actual risk. Community members are encouraged to continue reporting odor concerns to local and state agencies (https://bristolvalandfill.org/feedback).

VDH remains committed to supporting the City of Bristol and its residents. It will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners to monitor environmental conditions, provide public health guidance, and ensure transparency.

For more information on the ATSDR report please contact Dr. Michael Byrns, regional director of ATSDR Region 3 Office at (404) 498-1681 or by email at ab79@cdc.gov. Residents of Virginia with other health concerns or questions can contact the Public Health Toxicology Team at (804) 864-8182 or by email at toxicology@vdh.virginia.gov.

Mount Rogers Health District Shares Drowning Prevention Tips

July 3, 2025
Media Contact: Brianne Kilbourne, Brianne.Kilbourne@vdh.virginia.gov

Mount Rogers Health District Shares Drowning Prevention Tips
Celebrate the Fourth of July Safely

MARION, Va. –In Virginia, nearly 500 people have accidentally drowned over the last five years. In fact, drowning is a leading cause of death in children. If you are celebrating the holiday weekend near any body of water, Smyth County Health Department offers drowning prevention tips to keep you healthy and safe while swimming.

“Whether you’re at the pool, Holston Lake, or the New River, drowning can happen in an instant. Supervision, life jackets, and smart choices can save lives. Let’s make safety a part of every swim this summer.” Meagan Helmick, PhD, MPH, CHES®, Director for Mount Rogers Health District advised.

Drowning often occurs quickly and silently. Unlike the movies, drowning doesn’t usually involve thrashing and shouting. The signs of drowning are more subtle and last only 20-60 seconds before the person goes under.

Smyth County Health Department offers these preventions tips:

  • Provide active supervision for all children in the water. A responsible adult should watch children closely when they are in or around water. Adults should not be distracted or engaged in other activities, even if lifeguards are present. For preschool-aged children, “touch supervision” is recommended, where the supervising adult is within arm’s reach of the child.
  • Learn to swim. Knowing how to swim can reduce the risk of drowning.
  • Learn CPR. Make sure we know what to do if someone needs help in the water.
  • Always swim with a buddy. Never swim alone.
  • Avoid swimming after dark. Signs of drowning are harder to see.
  • Watch for swimming hazards like rip currents and rough waters.
  • Observe any advisories and listen to lifeguards.
  • “Floaties,” arm bands, water wings are toys, not safety devices. When these toys are in use, the caregiver must still provide active supervision. Wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.

Stay vigilant this summer. Let’s make our pools and beaches safer for everyone! Visit swimhealthyva.com for more information.

MOUNT ROGERS HEALTH DISTRICT LAUNCHES HELPLINE TO ASSIST COMMUNITY SPANISH SPEAKERS

October 30, 2023
Media Contact: Linda Scarborough, public information officer, Western Region, linda.scarborough@vdh.virginia.gov 

Mount Rogers Health District Launces Helpline to Assist Community Spanish Speakers

MARION, Va. – The Mount Rogers Health District has launched a helpline for those members of the community who are fluent in Spanish. The health district’s bilingual staff members will be available via the dedicated phone line to answer questions, schedule appointments, or assist with a variety of other public health services. Hours of operation for the helpline will be 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Mount Rogers community can access the service by calling 276-238-6105.

During the past year, the Mount Rogers Health District has placed an emphasis on providing information in both English and Spanish to increase access to its services. While great strides have been made in having print and social media materials available in both English and Spanish, the health district saw a need for better verbal communication options when they received calls from Spanish-speaking residents. This form of communication often involved having a friend or child serve as an interpreter.

“We continue to make it a priority to ensure we are able to provide a variety of ways in which our community can easily access our services,” said Meagan Helmick, PhD, MPH, CHES®, Director for Mount Rogers Health District. “Our helpline is another way we are making progress in reducing barriers and increasing accessibility to our services for all of our residents.”

While individuals will be able to call to schedule appointments and have their questions answered, the helpline will not be staffed with bilingual medical providers. For specific health related questions, a nurse will be requested to assist in returning those calls.

The Mount Rogers Health District is home to over 5,000 Hispanic individuals and spans eight localities—the counties of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Washington, and Wythe and the cities of Bristol and Galax. Any individual who lives in the Mount Rogers area or receives services at one of the eight health departments can access the Spanish language helpline by calling 276-238-6105.

MOUNT ROGERS HEALTH DISTRICT WELCOMES NEW HEALTH DIRECTOR

July 19, 2023

Media Contact: Linda Scarborough, public information officer, Western Region, linda.scarborough@vdh.virginia.gov

MOUNT ROGERS HEALTH DISTRICT WELCOMES NEW HEALTH DIRECTOR

MARION, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is pleased to announce Meagan Helmick, PhD, MPH, CHES® has assumed the role as health director for the Mount Rogers Health District. Dr. Helmick most recently served as the southwest region deputy epidemiologist for VDH where she was responsible for overseeing COVID-19 responsibilities and other epidemiological activities for southwest Virginia. She has also held other key roles within the health district since joining the Virginia Department of Health in 2020. These responsibilities included tasks focused on the COVID-19 pandemic as a district epidemiologist and as a case investigator and supervisor.

Prior to joining VDH, Dr. Helmick was working in the field of public health as an assistant professor with Radford University Carilion where she taught undergraduate and graduate public health and health sciences courses. She has continued to assist those students interested in a health-related field by serving as an adjunct public health professor for Old Dominion University.

Dr. Helmick obtained her Bachelor of Science and her Master of Public Health degrees from Liberty University. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Health Promotion Research and Disease Prevention from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

She is an active community volunteer and is currently donating her time focused on a vast array of research projects with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Dr. Helmick participates in several other organizations as a board member for the Twin County Community Foundation, One Care of Southwest Virginia, Free Clinic of the Twin Counties, and Grayson LandCare. She is also a steering committee member for Food Independence and participates as a REVIVE! trainer for the Medical Reserve Corps Southwest Unit.