Bounce houses, prizes, face painting, photo booth, fossil digging — none of those things are immediately associated with health. But the Beaufort County Health Department staff is putting some fun in health at a countywide agency health fair scheduled for Saturday on the health department’s grounds.

The 411 Community Health Fair is part celebration of National Public Health Week and part invitation to the community at large to come out and see what the health department is all about.

“A lot of people don’t understand how much public health is involved in their everyday lives, don’t realize how much of a part we play in that — in the water they drink out of the fountain, in the restaurants they eat at. We’re all a part of that,” said JaNell Lewis, human services planner and preparedness coordinator at BCHD. “I think some people think we serve only certain people, but we want to be a resource for everybody.”

Public health serves to promote and protect the health of people within communities, in which they learn, work, play and live; it focuses on prevention and encouraging healthy behaviors, according to a press release from BCHD.

Saturday, the many health-related resources in Beaufort County will all be on hand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to the Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS bounce house — a fun way to teach “stop, drop and roll” to children — and PotashCorp-Aurora’s donation of reject material for sharks-teeth digging, Vidant-Beaufort Hospital staff will be offering free health screenings for blood pressure, body-mass index and blood glucose, and following up with helpful, and healthful, advice, Lewis said.

“Once they get testing and those numbers come back, they can talk to the health coach so they can give them some ideas (for healthy options),” Lewis said.

The event is free and geared toward all ages, Lewis said, adding that there will be drawings for prizes, including adult and children’s bikes, a Dr. Dre pill speaker and gift cards to local stores.

“I’m very excited about the fact that we will be able to offer this to our community. This is a great opportunity for them to see what’s going on in prevention and safety,” said James Madson, BCHD health director.

The 411 Community Health Fair will be held rain or shine at 1436 Highland Drive in Washington. Other participating agencies include Beaufort County Emergency Management, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department, Washington Parks and Recreation, Beaufort County Animal Shelter, Beaufort/Hyde Partnership for Children and the REAL Crisis Center.