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Smoke Advisories Issued by Public Health Department

Avoid Prolonged Exposure to Changing Smoke Levels

By Michael P. Neufeld
Monday, November 17, 2008

San Bernardino, CA - People who live or work near the areas affected by the fires are urged to stay alert to changing smoke levels. Maxwell Ohikhuare, M.D., Health Officer with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health advises sensitive groups including young children, the elderly, and those with lung or heart ailments, to avoid prolonged or heavy activity.

The general public should also limit activities that require prolonged exposure and strenuous exercise or sports participation.

(Photo by County of San Bernardino.)

Dr. Ohikhuare urges people to seek medical attention if they have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness or shortness of breath. This is important for not only those with chronic lung or heart disease, but also for people who have not been previously diagnosed with such illnesses. Smoke can "unmask" or produce symptoms of such diseases.

Even healthy people can have some of these symptoms in smoky conditions, as well as scratchy throat, headaches, stinging eyes, and runny nose. There are some ways you can protect your health. If you are advised to stay indoors, keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed unless it is hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed,, and the filter clean, to prevent outdoor air from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter in a cool place like a mall or senior center.

Do not add to indoor pollution. When smoke levels are high, do not use anything that burns, such as candles, fireplaces, or stoves. Do not vacuum, because it stirs up particles already inside your home.

Reduce the amount of smoke in vehicles by keeping the windows and vents closed. In hot weather though, a car's interior can heat up quickly to temperatures that are much higher than those outdoors, and heat-related stress problems can result. Ohikhuare emphasizes that children and pets should never be left unattended in a vehicle with the windows closed.

Most dust masks are not effective in reducing smoke exposure during a wildfire because they are not designed to filter very small particles and do not fit well enough to provide an airtight seal around the wearer's mouth and nose. Mask use may give the wearer a false sense of security, which might encourage too much physical activity and time spent outdoors. Also, wearing a mask may actually be harmful to some people with heart or lung disease because it can make them work harder to breathe.

In some situations, masks can be beneficial. Outdoor workers, or others who will be outside regardless of the smoke, can get some protection from properly fitted masks. In cases where people are mostly staying indoors, wearing a mask to go outside briefly might be useful.

Some masks can provide smoke protection from fine smoke particles that can be airborne when sweeping up soot or ash during cleanup activities. The types of masks that can filter out up to 95% of small smoke particles are marked with one of the following: "N95," "P95," or "R95." They are, however, more expensive than ordinary dust masks.

For more information about wildfire health and safety, go to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/.

To get local public health guidance, go to the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health website at http://www.sbcounty.gov/dph.