EPA to study the risks of certain flame retardants on human health and the environment under TSCA reform.

Under the newly amended law, EPA must release a scoping document within six months for each chemical. This will include the hazard(s), exposure(s), conditions of use, and the potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulation(s) the agency plans to consider for the evaluation.

How would emergency management and public health officials handle a catastrophe that taxed local supplies of vaccines or medical equipment? Since 1999, the federal government has had a way to help: the Strategic National Stockpile.

The stockpile consists of warehouses that contain medicines — both those that prevent the onset of an illness and those that can treat illnesses — and medical supplies and equipment. It is not meant to be the first line of defense, but rather to supplement resources when state and local supplies run short.

Many would miss this on a trivia quiz, but the skin is the human body's largest organ. And the importance for firefighters to protect their skin also goes largely unrecognized.

With a huge surface area and critical biological functions, the skin is key to providing a barrier to toxins and regulating temperature.

For the latter, the skin changes dramatically to provide thermoregulation and ensure proper cooling. It needs to function correctly for you to know when the heat is too much.