Children & vulnerable groups

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding from my own experience. I chose to write as wireless radiation has been affecting me since a SMART meter was attached to my house in 2015 without my explicit consent. We mitigated the best we could after I began suffering from severe headaches and heart palpitations. Both prevented me from getting restorative and rejuvenating sleep. In addition, I began noticing similar symptoms when using my cell phone and when using Wifi. The symptoms only got worse with the introduction of 5G. Again, we have done the best to mitigate and rely on Ethernet cables over using Wifi at home. It is now so bad that I wear protective clothing which doesn't seem to do much. I limit my time on the computer and rely on my landline phone when at home. It is proving difficult for me to fully enjoy my life without fear of being bombarded when out in public, eating at a restaurant, going to a movie theater, taking the bus, flying in a plane. I often feel trapped in my house. I support HHS taking an active role in examining the potential health and environmental effects of wireless radiation. Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies with appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected should be considered alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to carefully evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding from the perspective of a concerned member of the public. I know several people who are very sensitive to wireless exposure. I have seen several interviews with a man who can only leave one of the few areas in Germany with no wireless exposure in a silver-covered suit. After a day outside the safe zone he needs several days to recover. I support HHS taking an active role in examining the potential health and environmental effects of wireless radiation. Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies with appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected should be considered alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to carefully evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.

Greetings. I am a concerned parent and a concerned member of our community over the exposure and the effects of exposure to our children and our communities. In addition, we, should be informed about these technologies and their impacts that would effect our health and wellbeing. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this process.

After wireless radiation increased in our home, I started having trouble falling and staying asleep. Most nights, I only got three to four hours of rest. At first, I didn’t know why it was suddenly so difficult to sleep, but I began to look into it. I felt tired all the time and had headaches every week. Good sleep is essential for our health because it helps our brain and body recover. We are surrounded by wireless radiation these days. There are Wi-Fi routers, smart meters attached to our house—ours is right outside the master bathroom—smart home appliances and devices, and of course, cell phones. It’s even hard to buy new appliances that don’t have these features. Now, we keep our phones in a different room at night. When we need to replace appliances, we look for ones that are not “smart.” Even with these changes, my husband and I still don’t get a full night’s sleep. We are working on hardwiring our internet and moving the smart meter away from our house. Taking the smart meter off is expensive because the power company only allows it if we pay to have the lines put underground. I don’t think this is fair, since it creates an unnecessary barrier. The power company’s smart meters are affecting our health, but we have to pay to remove them or deal with health problems. It feels like a lose-lose situation for us, but a win for big companies. I hope HHS will look closely at our experiences and the scientific evidence, find gaps in current research, pay special attention to children and other vulnerable groups, and set clear federal research priorities about wireless radiation and public health. Children are using devices at younger ages, and cell towers are often placed on schools, exposing their brains to too much wireless radiation. This should not have been allowed. Thank you for letting us share our concerns.

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding from the perspective of an exposed person, parent, and concerned member of the public. My daughters and I have reactions to EMF radiation. Near 2019 the first smart meter was installed on our house in Tobyhanna PA. it was mounted on the outside wall of my daughters' bedroom, and near my own bedroom. My daughter and I started having trouble sleeping. She was moving around a lot at night, waking up from nightmares and crying in her sleep. She also went back to having accidents even though she was well past potty training. My other daughter started having headaches and previously had not had headaches. I started having lots of night sweats, nightmares, my feet would turn red and burn, the flesh would feel hot to the touch. Over time the burning spread to my hands too, they would turn red and then start turning purple. In time this discoloration spread farther up my legs and arms. As much as possible I did NOT wear shoes because encapsulating my feet intensified the burning. I couldn't sleep with a blanket over my feet for the same reason. I stared sleeping with an ice pack on my feet but once it got warmed I couldn't sleep because of the intense burning. I had an increase in migraines, and trouble breathing. We bought a cover for the smart meter and this helped with the symptoms that effected our sleep. I went on a very strict diet that also seemed to help. February 2021 we moved to Springville PA it has a small spread out population. At this new house the smart meter was on the garage on the opposite end of the house from the bedrooms and symptoms died off even more. The only days I had much burning was when I would be in town a few hours on errands or visiting friends. We got a new neighbor and I started having trouble sleeping again, I told my husband, "Something has changed" that I was having night sweats and nightmares. We soon found that there was a new wireless internet account. We have moved again and like in Mehoopany PA a small town and some symptoms have come back being so close to peoples wireless internet, smart meters, and 5G towers. We went back to having wired internet because of the negative effects had on all 4 of our sleep. There have been times when I was in a new area and thought there must be a 5G tower near by because I will immediately get a surging migraine or the burning will start or intensify, and then I see a tower. When we have visited family in Chesapeake, VA my one daughter throws up and gets bloody noses, and my other daughter and I become congested and nauseated, and I have trouble breathing. Other symptoms that we think come from EMF's are vertigo, ear ringing, feeling of being stabbed all over with pins, numbness, intestinal pains, diarrhea, feelings of agitation or anxiety. I support HHS taking an active role in examining the potential health and environmental effects of wireless radiation. Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies with appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected should be considered alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to carefully evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding from the perspective of an individual, a healthcare professional and a concerned member of the public I have suffered for most of my life from recurrent ear and sinus infections, more recently from Eustachian tube dysfunction and impaired hearing. It has become abundantly clear to me that my hearing is affected and Eustachian tubes feel more blocked (possibly inflamed?) when Electromagnetic Radiation is strong or heavy such as near a WiFi router, a cell tower or if using a mobile phone. My ears heat up if a mobile phone is put to my ear, which is most distressing. At my home, my computer is hardwired to reduce the radiation and I never put a mobile phone near my head. I wholeheartedly support HHS taking an active role in examining the potential health and environmental effects of wireless radiation. Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies with appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and it is of utmost importance to consider the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected, alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence carefully, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.

As a seasoned mental healthcare provider for 20 years, I can say without a doubt that since we got into the three than four than 5G band with Wi-Fi, nearly every single one of my clients is having issues with sleep. They can’t sleep.. they wake up, they’re all complaining of it, also most of my family members and friends are having the same complaints in the last years. Personally, I believe this is directly related to Wi-Fi. My own personal experience is that I need to turn off my phone , all devices and unplug my router at night in order to sleep normally. I also need to live in a remote area or I can’t sleep either with the constant neighborsWi-Fi on. I believe it’s adding to our chronic growing,cultural anxiety, which has also skyrocketed in tandem with the increasing Wi-Fi- as well as the vast increase insleep deprivation. I believe we need laws in place to somehow selectivelyshield and protect our population, especially the kids, from these unbelievably high frequencies that are exaggerating, us, have and affected our health in ways We don’t even realize yet.

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding from my personal perspective as well as that of a healthcare professional, and concerned member of the public. Wireless radiation has affected me outrageously. I can sense when we are in range of a 5G tower at about 1/2 mile because I get a debilitating headache immediately, like a vice grip at my temples. If I am driving, I have to focus desperately and usually end up nauseous for several minutes. This effect with 5G towers is consistent, and I could probably start gauging individual tower outputs by the severity of my physical response in the moment. Following the exposure, I am exhausted and left weak and slightly off balance. I struggle to go to work (and am blessed to be the owner so I can safely work at home where my exposure is much more limited). Even the home environment is a bit tricky sometimes and I will turn off the internet altogether when my husband isn’t around. Since the rollout of numerous 5G towers in our area in 2020, my health has been slowly declining and I am dealing with many other sensitivities that I feel is a result of my immune system being bombarded by wireless radiation. I escape to our remote cabin and can recover my brain and body in about a week, sleeping well, reduced inflammation, and no headaches. This is a clear comparison of my life with and without EMF radiation everywhere. I would rather live in the remote forest so I can feel alive again, but then I really miss my family, friends, employees and customers. Why should I have to live in isolation to be well mentally and physically? Please address this issue as a real health concern that can be truly debilitating for some if not most people. I should have a say in where those towers get placed, if at all, PERIOD. Put the brain trust to work designing materials and solutions that make this technology safe and allow all humans to reach their full potential as well as enjoying life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I support HHS taking an active role in examining the potential health and environmental effects of wireless radiation. Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies with appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected should be considered alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to carefully evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.

As a concerned citizen who seems to have been affected by EMFs, I support HHS taking an active role in examining its potential health and environmental consequences. . Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies that are not corrupt and that have appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected should be considered alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to carefully evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Since covid I do not really trust any government agency to work in the public interest. But, what the heck, give it a shot. No, not that kind of shot. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.

Manmade electromagnetic radiation exposure has radically altered the trajectory of my life. In the early 2010s, I achieved my dream career of a firefighter-paramedic. Paradoxically, my health began to suffer. This seemed strange to me as I was young, healthy, and eating an extremely healthy paleo diet and working out daily. But brain fog, skin rashes, eye fatigue, ringing in my ears and aches/pains became the new norm for me. Firefighting can be a high-stress job, but that alone didn't account for my symptoms. Doctors had no answers for me. My performance on the job, and as a husband and father back home, began to suffer. Eventually, I saw the writing on the wall and left that career that had been acquired at such a dear cost. It was a heartbreaking decision but I thought it the best thing for me and my family long-term. Unexpectedly, my symptoms began to improve with no interventions besides leaving the firefighting lifestyle behind. This was the dawn of the podcast era, and on health-focused podcasts, I began to hear a bit about "EMF" both natural and artificial, and the research on their impacts on human health. Several things began to click for me as I researched the topic further. #1 The firefighting world exposed me to a variety of very powerful manmade EMF sources, primarily radio frequency, or "wireless" communications of walkie-talkies, cell phones, pagers, and supporing equipment within the forestation. #2 The firefighting world, by frequently keeping me up during the night, was disrupting my circadian rhythm, and reducing my ability to rest and recover. Armed with this new understanding of the world, I recovered quickly, and took steps within my home to protect my family from EMF. Not long after, my mother was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer. She passed within 8-months. It was an incredibly difficult few years around her passing. However, in thinking about how she used technology, I saw a link to her cancer. For example, she was incredibly social, and had many friends. As a result she used her cell phone multiple hours every day. Her tumor was on the same side of her head that she held her phone up to. As the dust settled around her passing, I realized there was a significant lack of awareness in the world about EMF exposure. I felt compelled to do something about it, so that others might avoid the pain I had experienced in losing a treasured career, and loved one. I discovered people were doing this work in the world, through the Building Biology Institute. I signed up for their training and In just a few short years, I had become certified and began working with clients to uncover the EMF exposures in their homes, coaching them through practical remediations to reduce their exposures. My work as a Building Biologist is incredibly rewarding. It is also an uphill battle as slick marketing, tech creep, and biased research dilute the links between human made EMF and health. Technology does wonderful things for us, but not without a biological cost. The public needs to be made aware of this, so that they can make informed choices on their exposures to EMF. Here are several ways the government could help accelerate this change: #1 Stop the revolving door between Big Wireless and regulation bodies like the FCC. #2 The FCC must update their 1996 exposure guidelines without industry influence. Greater exposure protection for sensitive populations like children and pregnant mothers should the minimum outcome. #3 The precautionary principle should be the starting point for technologies that use electromagnetic forces to function. Industry must provide a reasonable degree of safety and assurance prior to rolling out new products.