Residents invited to complete survey on Chemtool impact

Health officials want to assess the impact of the Chemtool fire on the community’s health, so they're using a confidential survey to collect information from the public.

“This survey is an opportunity for residents to share the impact the Chemtool fire had on them in a way that helps residents be heard and helps scientists identify any potential health concerns from this event,” said Dr. Sandra Martell, Public Health Administrator for the Winnebago County Health Department. The sponsors say they won't publish anything that can identify you and that only authorized persons will have access to your information. One benefit: your responses may help them direct you to health services or health information related to your exposure from the fire.

The Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) announced the survey at a news conference on July 1, in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR). Qualtrics, a leading survey company used by researchers and corporations, is collecting the data.

By conducting this survey, which is available in both English and Spanish, scientists can learn more about the impact of the Chemtool fire in Rockton. That will help identify potential health effects that may be related to the event.  Dr. Martell said the survey shouldn't be considered a screening tool, however. Whenever you have health problems, you should see your doctor.

The sponsors are careful to say that "issuance of this survey does not mean there were any health effects from the event." They say the survey is a way to assess the community’s health in case any health concerns are identified.  The EPA still reports, "Current data indicates no violations of national ambient air quality standards and no significant concerns at the ground level." Tests of water samples, with three exceptions, were in compliance with state water quality standards.

You can complete the 15 minute survey online at www.wchd.org/fire or call the hotline at 815-972-7300 by July 15, 2021. You may also go to the Rockton Village Hall to take the survey.

Participant will be asked questions about:

• Where you were during the event or how you might have been exposed
• If you are experiencing any new or worsening symptoms
• If you received care or treatment

Taking part in this survey is voluntary and participants can refuse or decline to answer any questions in the survey. Refusing to participate in the survey doesn't affect any government benefits you may receive.

Individual survey information will be kept confidential, and the sponsors say, "We will carefully and completely destroy all your specific answers after we finish working with those. Only authorized persons will have access to your information. Nothing will be published that can identify you."

If necessary, public health officials want to be able to alert you about services or health information that you might need related to your exposure from the fire. So the survey asks for your contact information. It asks where you spent most of your time "between Monday, June 14, 2021 at 7:30 a.m. and Friday, June 18 at 11:00 a.m." and asks if you had any "worsening of a pre-existing or a new onset" of any health symptoms, even if you weren't within the one-mile evacuation area, didn't experience smoke, dust or debris, or didn't smell an odor.

After several confusing reports, the Rock River has been reopened to recreational boating. The June 22 closure order from the Rockton Dam to the state line was mocked on social media because, though water flows downstream, the closure only affected traffic upstream from the disaster. But in fact, the reason for the Illinois Conservation Police's closure was that firefighting "crews were working in the area," not that the water was contaminated. Specifically, the order said, "Chief Wilson is requesting the river be closed until crews have completed their mission and equipment has been removed."

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