This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Laura Longhurst doesn't want anyone else to find out about radon the way she did — with a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer.
Longhurst and three others were honored by the Utah Radiation Control Board this week for their work in getting the word out about the dangers of this naturally occurring gas and the importance of having Utah homes tested for it.
Christine Keyser, coordinator of the state's indoor radon program, noted that the Environmental Protection Agency's "action level" for radon is at concentrations of 4 picocuries of radon per liter of air or more.
Also honored for their radon-awareness efforts were Kevin Ray of the Canyons School District; Toni Carpenter, an environmental health educator for the Utah County Health Department; and William G. West of Knight West Construction Inc.
Judy Fahys —
Radon in Utah
O The Utah Department of Environmental Quality's website, http://www.radon.utah.gov, provides information about ordering a radon test kit for $6. The kits are also available by calling 800-324-5928, ext. 21 or 22.