Welcome!

The Department of Health and Environment was established in 1926 to provide regional efficiencies throughout the 15 towns of Barnstable County, while supporting the autonomy of local boards of health. The Department provides a diversity of services that promote public health and environmental protection, from emergency planning, to monitoring of water, land, and air, to disease prevention, inspectional services, COVID-19 pandemic response, and even the practical application of providing loans for septic system repair and replacement. The physical and mental well-being of Barnstable County’s residents, alongside protection of our sensitive ecosystems, are our top priorities.


News

Windy Weather Approaches ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday, Snow Forecasted for Western Massachusetts

The National Weather Service (NWS) and MEMA meteorologist are forecasting a storm system bringing a wintry mix and strong wind gusts to portions of the Commonwealth beginning late this evening […]

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Talking to your Kids about Calling 9-1-1

Calling 9-1-1 seems simple right? You just pick up the phone and dial those three lifesaving numbers to connect to first responders in an emergency. While many people don’t often […]

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Cook turkey safely this holiday season.

Holiday Turkey Talk

~A note from Kim Concra, LDN, Extension’s Nutrition and Food Safety Educator Turkey needs to be handled safely to reduce scary sounding germs like Salmonella, Clostridium, perfringens, Campylobacter and other […]

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Kindness is Good for Mental Health and Overall Well-being

Today, November 13th, is World Kindness Day, which kicks off World Kindness Week. It’s an important time to remember how much kindness and positivity impact our well-being and the lives […]

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Don't fall for ticks this season.

Stay Aware and Don’t Fall for Tick Bites (or outdated tick testing info).

~A note from Larry Dapsis, Extension’s County Entomologist I see a lot of posts on gardening pages on Facebook about working around the yard and hiking, which it looks like […]

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Emergency Preparedness Director Chip Reilly Performs Basic Shelter Training for Lower Cape Community Emergency Response Teams

On Thursday, November 2, 2023, Barnstable County’s Emergency Preparedness Director Chip Reilly conducted a basic shelter training for members of the BOCH (Brewster, Harwich, Orleans, Chatham) and newly formed Eastham […]

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