FREMONT NEB. (KMTV) — Three Rivers Public Health Department in Fremont is offering free colon cancer screening, radon and well water testing kits to residents — and they are available every day, not just at special events.
The department held a drive-thru style giveaway on Monday, making it easy for residents to pick up testing supplies. Fremont resident Martina French stopped by while running errands.
"I was just running errands and my good friend Ashley asked me to pick up some radon kits for her so this is great," French said.
Katie Schultis, director of environmental programs and special projects at Three Rivers Public Health Department, said radon testing is especially critical in Nebraska because the state has the third most high-risk counties in the country.
"The environment you spend the most time in for a lot of folks our kiddos our older adults is at home is where you spend the most time," Schultis said.
Lead exposure is also a concern in the area. 65% of houses in Dodge, Washington, and Saunders counties were built before lead paint was banned. The department offered lead testing equipment at the event, allowing residents to test everyday household items.
Fremont resident Nelle Richardson used the equipment to test plates she inherited from her grandmother. A reading over 1 milligram of lead paint per square centimeter can put harmful amounts of lead in the body. Her plates tested positive, coming back at over 10.
Fremont resident Rebecca Flores brought her grandchildren to the event because she wanted to protect her family from lead exposure.
"It's very important because we also have our animals out there our cats and dogs and stuff and we don't give them water from the sink we give them the bottled water," Flores said.
All of the testing kits available at the drive-thru event are free and available daily at the Three Rivers Public Health Department.
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