Provides information and service for Forest Rangers, Forestry, Operations, Pesticides, Spill Prevention and Response, Wildlife

Provides information about how to keep children safe from lead poisoning where they live, learn, and play. Services include: Education, screening services, and information about making homes safe.

Offers programs to help sustain agriculture including information and support where possible in managing pests, pollution prevention, waste and water management, animal husbandry including dairy and livestock production, beekeeping, field, grape and vegetable crop production, farm business management, and forest and wildlife management. Also provides information on water quality, radon, and other household environmental issues.

Tests for Arthropod-Borne diseases in order to obtain a more accurate picture of the true incidence and distribution in the County. The program augments public education efforts to encourage tick-borne disease identification and reporting. Educating the public on personal protective measures for tick-borne and mosquito-borne diseases is an ongoing process. Provides information to the public on Mosquitoes and Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases and Bed Bugs.

Offers a wide variety of educational programs to area schools involving the environment. Two of the most popular programs are “Ronny Raindrop” and the “Enviroscape.”

Provides information and tips for coping with emergency situations, such as fire, floods, storms, power failures, etc.

Eligible households can receive energy efficiency services, which includes the cleaning of primary heating equipment, but may also include chimney cleaning, minor repairs, installation of carbon monoxide detectors or programmable thermostats, if needed, to allow for the safe, proper and efficient operation of the heating equipment. Benefit amounts are based on the actual cost incurred to provide clean and tune services, up to a maximum of $500. No additional HEAP cash benefits are available. Agency prefers clients call for details.

Committed to protecting our groundwater from petroleum contamination. The proper closure of small underground petroleum tanks, such as heating oil tanks, can reduce that threat. Call for detailed information.

Provides information and service for Forest Rangers, Forestry, Operations, Pesticides, Spill Prevention and Response, Wildlife

Inspects local restaurants, public swimming pools, children's camps, tests drinking water, investigates animal bites and vaccinates pets.

Monitors Lyme disease cases, identifies ticks, and provides Lyme disease education.

Responds to complaints regarding rodents, dog waste, garbage, overflowing sewage, bird feeding, general nuisances and more. This Office also issues Rodent Free Certifications before demolition. Call for detailed information.

DBCH offers a free tick identification service to the public that includes identification of the species, gender/life stage, estimate of feeding time and level of engorgement. The service also provides an official record of the identification that can be forwarded to a medical provider. Also provides information on Lyme's disease prevention and treatment.

An outreach program to help improve and maintain personal health and environmental living conditions. The goal of the program is to promote healthy neighborhoods by keeping residents aware of the variety of medical, social and environmental services available to them locally. Outreach staff visit residents, at the residents request, an inspection of their home is also performed to be sure that no environmental health hazards or problems exist. If environmental health hazards or problems do exist, our staff will direct them to the agency best able to help.

A free service for older adults help individuals who are afflicted with hoarding, who compulsively accumulate possessions and fail to discard trash creating an unsafe, hazardous and dangerous living environment for themselves and those living in the immediate vicinity. Provide free services to low to moderate income seniors that are unable to afford cleaning services. Mental health, clean-up, organizing, extermination, legal assistance are among the free services that will be provided.

Offers several programs to assist with housing needs. Emergency Assistance Program: Intended to address emergency situations such as utility service interruption (plumbing, heating, electrical) and the repair of specific house systems that are in poor or dangerous condition (roof, chimney). Conditions noted with each request for emergency assistance will be verified by a representative of the Office of Strategic Planning. Property must be well maintained and structurally sound. 50/50 Program: Offers a conditional grant for low-income first-time home buyers who are purchasing an existing one or two bedroom home in need of rehabilitation in the City of Buffalo. Grant is to assist in the rehabilitation of the home being purchased, amounting to one half of the rehabilitation cost up to a maximum of $25,000. City funds are used to match private financing for renovations to bring the property into compliance with local standards and lead-based paint hazard reduction requirements. Weatherization Program: Offers funds, up to $5,000 per structure, to assist homeowners in the City of Buffalo to make their homes more energy efficient and protected from the elements. Eligible expenses through this program include weather-stripping and caulking of doors and windows; cleaning, testing, and repairs of heating systems; adding insulation to walls and ceilings; and minor repairs as needed. Program is available city-wide to income-eligible owner occupants who meet program application guidelines. Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance Program: Provides financial assistance to low and moderate income first-time homebuyers for closing costs related to the purchase of their first home. Funds are provided as an interest-free conditional grant/loan with a five-year term that is secured by a second mortgage on the property. Home Repair Program (currently unavailable until further notice): Offers housing repairs such as replacing windows, doors, furnaces, and hot water tanks. Program is available to income-eligible owner occupants who meet program application guidelines. Targets 20 owner-occupied homes for critical home repairs in the 14214, 14215, and 14216 zip codes of the City of Buffalo.

Through enforcement, education, and other disease prevention activities, is responsible for the following health programs: Rabies Prevention: Conducts investigations of domestic animal bites and scratches and wildlife encounters between people and/or their pets. Free Rabies Vaccination Clinics for dogs, cats, and ferrets. Rodent Control: Responds to complaints and service requests regarding rodent infestations; baiting available for eligible properties. Public Health Nuisance Complaints (Public Health Nuisance = anything dangerous to human life or detrimental to health): Conducts investigations of complaints such as, but not limited to: properties that have rodent infestations, improperly stored garbage, junk and debris, improper bird and wildlife feeding, dog feces not cleaned up and disposed of properly. Arbovirus Prevention (Arbovirus = viruses transmitted by bloodsucking arthropods such as ticks, fleas, or mosquitoes): Conducts investigations of complaints such as standing water, improperly maintained swimming pools, and other man-made containers that hold water and create mosquito harborage. Neighbor Notification Law: Enforces this local law regarding the use of certain lawn pesticides; see website for more information.

The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (Child Lead) is responsible for the case management of lead poisoned children in Erie County. Addresses the potential for lead exposure, as well as preventing lead poisoned children from further exposure. Conducts investigations and provides information to the parents or guardians of children under the age of 18 that have tested positive for elevated blood lead level. New York State Guidelines require that all children be screened for lead at ages one and two years and every year up to age six if certain risk factors, such as residing in pre-1978 housing, are present. Activities of Child Lead include: - Case management for children with elevated blood lead levels - Providing information on sources of lead exposure, methods to reduce lead exposure, and medical treatment for children and pregnant women with elevated blood lead levels. - Referrals/prescriptions for free lead testing lab work for children under age 6 -Providing information and referrals for resources to assist with lead hazard reduction activities, including community training and grant awards

Provides community outreach in the City of Syracuse offering free products and education for families around home health and safety. Areas covered include asthma education, fire safety and prevention, carbon monoxide poisoning prevention, lead poisoning prevention, radon testing, home accident and injury prevention, household pest control, and household cleaning.

Provides testing for lead poisoning for uninsured children ages 6 months up to 6 years with home inspections to find, and correct lead problems. Offers free educational materials, and cleaning supplies.

*Addresses lead hazards in privately owned housing.
*Aims to prevent childhood lead poisoning by creating lead-safe housing
*Helps homeowners, landlords, and tenants control hazards from lead in paint, soil and dust.
*Works in coordination with HEPA Vacuum Loaner Program and Lead Poisoning Prevention Education

Provides Oswego County residents, businesses, industries, and institutions a program for the disposal and recycling of solid waste, including management of a sanitary landfill, an Energy Recovery Facility, five transfer stations, recycling centers, and compost areas. Provides solid waste and recycling management information in Oswego County.

* Maintains a website that allows individuals to take virtual tours of homes highlighting common home environmental health hazards (lead, indoor air quality/mold, asthma triggers, pests, safety/injury prevention). * Provides information to the public on how to address home environmental health issues through connection to professional resources and steps that can be taken by homeowners/tenants. * Maintains an online list of resource agencies and programs that provide information and assistance to address home environmental health hazards.

Provides research-based information and education on soil improvement, plant selection, proper plant care, eco-friendly practices, integrated pest management, composting and other issues related to gardening.