Local health planner picked for new national program

Pete Baril, the emergency preparedness coordinator at Western U.P. Health Department, has been selected as one of 20 inaugural members of the National Environmental Health Promotion Network (NEHPN). The network is a new nationwide program of the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) in partnership with Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a division of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Baril and other NEHPN members will develop training materials and provide education to health professionals on topics including environmental health, all-hazards risk communication, and outreach to vulnerable populations. They also will act as consultants on health promotion and risk communication strategies to officials working in state health departments and regional ATSDR offices.

Baril, a Lake Linden native who has worked in local public health since 2003, was chosen through a national application process seeking public health professionals to make presentations at state and nation conferences. Baril has a B.S degree in environmental health from Lake Superior State University and a masters degree in public administration from Northern Michigan University.

“Pete was a great choice for this honor because of his knowledge and experience in both environmental health and emergency preparedness,” said Western U.P. Health Officer Guy St. Germain. “Pete knows the subject matter and has strong communications skills honed through years of service to Michigan residents.”

Western U.P. Health Department provides public health and environmental health services throughout Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties.