September 26 has been designated "World Environmental Health Day", in recognition of the work of Environmental Public Health Professionals and their work in health promotion, disease prevention and control, and response to public health emergencies. The theme of 2017 Environmental Health Week is "Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality", a timely topic after the record-breaking poor air quality BC has experienced as a result of wildfires this summer.

The unprecedented fires and flooding of 2017 have highlighted the role of Environmental Health Officers and Technicians in emergency response and recovery activities, and the importance of public health professionals during these crisis events. As part of our emergency response mandate, FNHA Environmental Public Health Services staff have worked with communities to ensure drinking water is safe to consume, sewage systems are functioning properly, houses and community buildings are safe to occupy, and residents have places to go with clean air to breathe.

Our changing climate means the frequency of events like we saw this year will likely increase: flooding, fires, severe storm events, and heat-related communicable diseases will become more prevalent. Environmental Health Professionals will continue to work with communities to help prepare, respond, and recover from these events, and work together as partners in health and wellness. For more information on FNHA's Environmental Public Health Services, you can visit http://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/environmental-health.