Air Monitoring, Advisories, and Public Health Information on Vog - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Air Monitoring, Advisories, and Public Health Information on Vog

John Peard, HDOH, HEER Office

• B. Sekiya/HAWAII247.com

HDOH Air Monitoring Station on Konawaena School Road, Upper Campus of the High School

http://www.hiso2index.info/assets/FinalSO2Exposurelevels.pdf

SULFUR DIOXIDE ACTION PLAN

CONDITION SCHOOL ACTION

Green Good 0.0 – 0.2 ppm

1) Maintain normal school operations 2) Monitor air quality 3) Notify health room if staff/students are in need of medical attention 4) Affected staff/students will be evaluated by school health aide with reference to Respiratory Action Plan (RAP)

Yellow Moderate 0.2 – 0.4 ppm

1) Maintain normal school operations 2) Monitor air quality 3) Notify health room if staff/students are in need of medical attention 4) Affected staff/students will be evaluated by school health aide with reference to Respiratory Action Plan (RAP) 5) Updates will be made every hour or as needed

Orange Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 0.4 – 1.0 ppm

1) Limit outdoor exposures by conducting indoor activities (Recess, PE) 2) Conduct Shelter in Place Procedures 3) Monitor air quality 4) Notify health room if staff/students are in need of medical attention 5) Affected staff/students will be evaluated by school health aide with reference to Respiratory Action Plan (RAP) 6) Updates will be made every hour or as needed

Red Unhealthy 1.0 – 3.0 ppm

1) Limit outdoor exposures by conducting indoor activities (Recess, PE) 2) Monitor air quality 3) Notify health room if staff/students are in need of medical attention 4) Affected staff/students will be evaluated by school health aide with reference to Respiratory Action Plan (RAP) 5) Updates will be made every hour or as needed

Purple Very Unhealthy 3.0 – 5.0 ppm

1) Conduct Shelter in Place (School‐Wide Safer Room Procedure) 2) Monitor air quality 3) Notify health room if staff/students are in need of medical attention 4) Affected staff/students will be evaluated by school health aide with reference to Respiratory Action Plan (RAP) 5) Updates will be made every hour or as needed 6) Communicate with district office on current conditions and next steps

Maroon Hazardous 5.0+ ppm

1) Conduct Shelter in Place (School‐Wide Safer Room Procedure) 2) Monitor air quality 3) Notify health room if staff/students are in need of medical attention 4) Affects staff/students will be evaluated by school health aide with reference to Respiratory Action Plan (RAP) 5) Updates will be made every hour or as needed 6) Communicate with district office on current conditions and next steps

Claire Horwell

Updated Public Information on Vog – August 2016

Sensitive Groups

• People with Asthma or other Respiratory Conditions
• People with Cardiovascular Disease
• Older Adults
• Infants and Children
• New/Expectant Mothers

Vog Symptoms

Sulfur Dioxide Gas

• Eye, Nose, Throat, and/or Skin Irritation
• Coughing and/or Phlegm
• Chest Tightness and/or Shortness of

Breath

• Headache
• Increased Susceptibility to Respiratory

Ailments

• Some people report fatigue and/or

dizziness Fine Particle Pollution

• Eye, Nose, and/or Throat Irritation
• Coughing and/or Phlegm
• Chest Tightness and/or Shortness of

Breath

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself from Harmful Effects of Vog?

• Sensitivity varies – protect yourself and family, as necessary
• Individuals in sensitive groups expected to be at highest risk
• Prepare for vog exposure by understanding the hazard, learn about winds and

vog conditions, keep medications at hand if you have asthma or other respiratory conditions

• Get medical help if you are having symptoms (like trouble breathing)
• Limit exercise/strenuous activities, especially outdoors, when vog is elevated
• Don’t smoke, avoid second‐hand smoke
• Stay Hydrated and Manage Congestion/Irritation
• Stay indoors and close doors windows, watch out for other sources of indoor

pollutants and heat

• Create a room/area where a room air cleaner may reduce vog impacts
• Leave the area, if necessary
• When visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, follow signs and Park Ranger

advice

• Periodic Meetings of Two Inter‐agency Groups
• Continue/Enhance Vog Monitoring and Prediction
• Develop and Foster Research Projects and Infrastructure
• Continue to Update and Improve Public Outreach Materials