Outdoor activity discouraged during air quality alert
All residents, especially those with lung disease, are advised to stay inside and avoid outdoor activities after an unhealthy air quality alert was issued Friday because of pollution from forest fires in northern Minnesota and central Canada.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a Code Purple Air Quality Alert on Friday due to high concentrations of fine airborne particulate matter sized PM2.5 from the wildfire smoke.
During Code Purple Air Quality Alerts, all residents should avoid long or intense outdoor activities. Sensitive groups such as children, elderly residents and those with respiratory illnesses should avoid all outdoor activities. All residents are encouraged to move activities indoors, according to the DEP.
Allegheny Health Network doctors have received many phone calls from people, mostly with lung disease, having difficulty breathing due to the air quality, said Dr. Tariq Cheema, chief of pulmonary and critical care at Allegheny General Hospital.
“We strongly recommend people with lung disease avoid being outside,” Cheema said.
Smoke and smog from the fire impacts people with lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by aggravating symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing, Cheema said.
The high level of pollution combined with high temperatures and humidity can make breathing difficult for everyone. Even healthy people should avoid outdoor activities such as jogging and dog walking, he said.
“It’s like walking into a room full of smokers and you breathe in a pack of cigarettes every time you breathe,” Cheema said.
A picnic planned for Friday at Alameda Park for older adults at the Butler Senior Center was canceled due to the air quality, said Beth Herold, county Area Agency on Aging director.
She said her agency is encouraging seniors with breathing issues to stay home and seek medical attention if they have difficulty breathing.
The Butler Country Club notified members the club is trying to keep its swimming pool staffed, but lifeguards have been calling off work due to the concerns of their parents about the air quality.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in Cleveland to play the Guardians, but Friday’s game was postponed due to the smoke. The teams were set to play a doubleheader on Saturday, July 18.
“Depending on staffing levels and air-quality conditions, there may be times when lifeguards need to come indoors for a brief break,” according to the notice. “During these periods, swimming may be paused for about 30 minutes. The pool deck may remain open, but no one will be permitted in the water until adequate lifeguard coverage is available.”
The DEP also strongly encourages residents and businesses in air quality alert areas to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by not using gas-powered lawn equipment and not burning outdoors.
Particulate matter from the fires is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets containing combustion particles, organic compounds, metals and other material measuring in at just 2.5 micrometers or smaller, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The particulate matter forms from a mixture of solid particles from the wildfires and liquid droplets in the air, according to the DEP. It said that relative to 2.5 micrometers, the average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter, which means a hair is about 30 times larger than the finest particles in the air.
The agency said fine particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest risk to health as the particles are inhaled deep into the lungs, sometimes entering the bloodstream.
The U.S. Air Quality Index for the county was listed at 238, according to Airnow.gov. Code purple signifies an air quality index of 201 to 300 with a rating of very unhealthy. The most severe index is code maroon, which signifies an air quality index of 300 or higher and a rating of hazardous.
People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should avoid physical activities outdoors, according to the EPA. Others should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep outdoor activities short and consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
Residents can check current air conditions in their area from the EPA at www.airnow.gov.
