FDOH: Officials warn of risks associated with wildfire smoke Published May 31, 2012 Okaloosa County Health Department HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The Okaloosa County Health Department and the Florida Department of Health caution residents and visitors that smoke is a respiratory irritant that can cause a scratchy throat or irritated eyes and nose. Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning plant materials. Fortunately, most people who are exposed to thick smoke will not have health problems. How much and how long a person is exposed to the smoke -- as well as age and degree of susceptibility -- play a role in determining whether or not someone will experience smoke-related problems. Smoke may worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as respiratory allergies, heart or lung disease, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the following ways. Inability to breathe normally Cough with or without mucus Chest discomfort Wheezing and shortness of breath Fatigue If you are experiencing serious medical problems for any reason, seek medical treatment immediately. Follow your doctor's advice about taking medicines and following your asthma management plan if you have asthma or other lung disease. Protect yourself and your family from smoke. Pay attention to local air quality reports, news coverage, and health warnings. Use common sense when outside conditions are smoky. Avoid prolonged outdoor activities. It is especially important to limit time spent outdoors for children and persons with existing medical conditions. Stay indoors and run your air conditioner if you have one. Keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke inside. For best results, run the air conditioner with re-circulated air. NOTE: If you do not have an air conditioner, staying inside with the windows closed may be dangerous in extremely hot weather. In these cases, seek alternative shelter. Minimize other sources of air pollution (ex: smoking tobacco, using wood burning stoves, burning candles/incense, etc.) Keep windows closed while driving in a vehicle. Frequently Asked Questions regarding Health and Wildfires What is the health threat from wildfire smoke? Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Fortunately, most persons who are exposed to thick smoke will not have health problems. How much and how long you are exposed to the smoke, as well as your age and degree of susceptibility play a role in determining whether or not someone will experience smoke-related problems. If you are experiencing serious medical problems for any reason, seek medical treatment immediately. How can I tell if the smoke is affecting my family or me? Smoke can cause coughing, scratchy throat, irritated sinuses, shortness of breath, chest pain, headaches, stinging eyes and runny nose. If you have heart or lung disease, smoke might make your symptoms worse. People who have heart disease might experience chest pain, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and fatigue. Smoke may worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as respiratory allergies, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the following ways: When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Inability to breathe normally Cough with or without mucus Chest discomfort Wheezing and shortness of breath How can I protect myself and my family from the harmful effects of smoke? Limit your exposure to the smoke! Stay indoors whenever possible Use air conditioners (air conditioned homes usually have lower air exchange rates than homes that use open windows for ventilation) Use mechanical air cleaners Keep windows closed while driving in a vehicle Do less strenuous physical activity (fast walking rather than jogging) Minimize other sources of air pollution (smoking tobacco, using wood burning stoves, burning candles or incense and vacuuming) Will I suffocate in my house? No. The most common call for evacuation during a wildfire is due to the direct threat of the fire, not smoke. Leaving the area of thick smoke may be an option for those who are sensitive to smoke. However, it is often difficult to predict the duration, intensity and direction of smoke, making this an unattractive choice to many people. During severe smoke events, local clean air shelters may be designated to provide residents with a cool place to get out of the smoke, or individuals may choose to visit these locations on their own. These places may include large commercial buildings, educational facilities, shopping malls, movie theaters or any place with effective air conditioning and particle filtration. Should I wear a mask or N95 respirator? The Department of Health does not recommend the wearing of any masks or respirators at this time. Will a wet towel or bandana provide any help? The Department of Health does not recommend using wet towels or bandanas. Since wet towels or bandanas may not be sealed to the face and their capacity to filter very small particles is unknown, they will likely provide little to no protection. They are also not certified as effective respirators by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. What should I do if I must drive to work? Individuals can reduce the amount of smoke particles in their vehicles by keeping the windows closed. The car's ventilation systems typically remove a portion of the particle coming in from outside. For best results, individuals may want to use the recirculate air feature found in most cars, which will help keep the particulate levels lower. Our community has an outdoor activity scheduled for this week. Should we cancel it? All persons in areas affected by the wildfire smoke are being advised to limit outdoor activity and stay indoors whenever possible to minimize exposure to the smoke. Contact your local emergency management officials for more guidance. Do air-purifying machines help remove smoke particles inside buildings? Some air cleaners may be effective at reducing indoor particle levels, but most are not effective at removing gases and odors and also tend to be expensive. Some devices, known as ozone generators, personal ozone devices, "energized oxygen," "triatomic oxygen," "activated oxygen" and "pure air" generators are sold as air cleaners, but they are not recommended for use in occupied buildings. Ozone does not remove particles from the air and would not be effective during smoke events. Ozone itself is toxic and a regulated outside air pollutant. We advise the public to avoid exposure to ozone indoors by not using air cleaners that produce ozone. For additional information, review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency document: "Ozone Generators That Are Sold As Air Cleaners" at www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html. Also, humidifiers or de-humidifiers are not technically air cleaners and will not significantly reduce the amount of particles in the air during a smoke event. What should I do about closing up my house when it is so hot in there? If you do not have an air conditioner and if it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek alternative shelter. If I have respiratory problems and can't reach my doctor, where should I go? If you have a medical emergency, you should call 911 or go the hospital emergency room immediately. For additional information, contact the Okaloosa County Health Department at 850-833-9240 or visit www.HealthyOkaloosa.com.