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Gulf Guardian Award Winners 2007
Government Category - 2nd Place
| Company: | Louisiana Beach Monitoring Program |  Click on the picture to view a larger size. |
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| Project Name: | Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals | ||
| Location: | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | ||
| Category: | Government |
In 2002, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health (LDHH-OPH) successfully prepared a proposal that secured a grant under the national Beach Act of 2000 to develop and implement a Beach Monitoring Program for the state of Louisiana. To develop the best beach monitoring program possible, LDHH-OPH coordinated with local governments, sheriff offices, state agencies, federal agencies and citizen organizations. The development of a beach monitoring program provided the first ever program that protects the health of Louisiana’s beach-going citizens state wide. The Louisiana Beach Monitoring Program has used innovative and creative application of both technology and personnel. Both the development of a tiered beach monitoring plan that concentrates limited resources where the most risk is, and a decision process that scientifically determines when pathogen indicators show a health threat and warrant an advisory are examples of the use of innovative technology. In addition, LDHH-OPH has accomplished the successful sampling of all beach monitoring stations including proper quality assurance for sampling and transportation to the laboratory with less than 10 people.
