UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With the Air Quality Index in many parts of Pennsylvania hovering in unhealthy ranges due to the prevalence of fine particulate matter being produced by Canadian wildfires, Penn State is urging all students, faculty, staff and visitors on its campuses to monitor local conditions and follow health guidelines from state and federal agencies.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides reporting on localized air quality as well as recommendations for individuals based on their personal health and current air quality conditions. To monitor local air quality, visit https://www.airnow.gov/. Before engaging in activities outdoors, the University encourages all individuals to check the air quality in their area, as conditions can change rapidly, and then take appropriate precautions to protect their personal health.
On impacted campuses, students, faculty, staff and visitors are encouraged to remain indoors as much as possible during poor conditions and limit intensive outdoor activities.
Unit leaders, managers and supervisors should be flexible with staff, particularly those who normally work outdoors or have pre-existing health conditions. Alternative work arrangements such as remote work or transitioning to indoor work should be considered as these conditions persist.
Organizers of outdoor activities are strongly encouraged to consider rescheduling or moving their activities indoors.
Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant recommends that all building windows remain closed in impacted areas and is taking steps to improve indoor air quality in campus buildings by adjusting ventilation rates to reduce potential for smoke to enter buildings where possible.
According to the EPA, air quality ratings of unhealthy (“code red”), very unhealthy (“code purple”) and hazardous (“code maroon”) have impacts on everyone:
- In areas rated as having unhealthy air quality, individuals in sensitive groups, which includes people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, minority populations, and outdoor workers, should avoid long or intense outdoor activities and consider rescheduling or moving outdoor activities indoors. All others are encouraged to reduce long or intensive outside activities and take more breaks.
- In areas with a very unhealthy air quality index, sensitive groups should avoid all physical outdoor activities and all others should avoid long or intense activities.
- In areas with hazardous air quality, it is recommended that everyone avoid all physical activity outdoors.
The EPA says older adults and individuals with heart or lung diseases are more at risk of hospital and emergency room visits or even death from heart or lung disease. Even individuals with no pre-existing condition may experience temporary symptoms from exposure air with elevated levels of particles, including irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing; phlegm; chest tightness; and shortness of breath.