CHARLOTTE, NC – The American Lung Association encourages residents to follow evacuation procedures issued by local authorities. Smoke poses potentially lethal health hazards to people living and working in the surrounding area, and can also trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and stroke.
To help residents protect their health, the Lung Association has released the following health tips:
Stay inside as much as possible, with doors, windows and fireplace dampers shut – and clean air circulating through air conditioners and/or air cleaners. Residents should use the recirculation setting on their home air conditioners to avoid outdoor air contamination. Using whole house fans is not recommended because they can allow unfiltered outside air into the home.
Prepare to evacuate if directed. Those with chronic lung disease are encouraged to gather all their medications, delivery devices, prescriptions and insurance cards in one spot so they can quickly be transported in the event of an evacuation.
Close car windows and vents, when driving through smoky area. Air conditioning should be set to recirculate to avoid exposure to outside air.
Take precautions for kids. Extra precaution should be taken for children, who are more susceptible to wildfire smoke. Their lungs are still developing, and they breathe in more air (and consequently more pollution) for their size than adults.
Avoid exercising outdoors, particularly if you smell smoke or experience eye or throat irritation.
Protect your lungs from smoke. Fresh, well-fitting N-95 or N-100 masks will filter out the damaging fine particles in wildfire smoke. Ordinary dust masks and cloth face masks allow dangerous smaller particles to pass through and will not protect against wildfire smoke.
Keep an eye on symptoms. Higher levels of smoke in some areas can make breathing more difficult. If you are experiencing symptoms, contact your healthcare provider. Symptoms to watch out for include wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty taking a full breath, chest heaviness, lightheadedness, and dizziness.
Ask for help. The American Lung Association’s Lung Helpline at 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) is staffed by nurses and respiratory therapists and is a free resource to answer any questions about the lungs, lung disease and lung health, including how to protect your lungs during wildfires.
