CAMDEN, NJ. - Camden County has declared a Code Red Fine Particles Action Day Alert as smoke traveling from active wildfires in Canada continues to enter the region.
This alert means that the air is hazardous and poses health risks for sensitive residents including elderly and young people.
Camden County’s Health Officer Dr. Paschal Nwako suggests that all members of the public remain indoors.
"Even if you aren’t classified as a sensitive individual or have pre-existing conditions, we are still recommending for everyone to try to minimize the time they are spending outside today," said Nwako. "So, if you had plans to participate in outdoor activities or exercise, we strongly urge you to reschedule until the conditions improve."
The County’s recommendations for Camden County residents include the following:
- Strongly consider cancelling outdoor events and gatherings
- Avoid going outdoors as much as possible
- Avoid excessive activities outdoors, such as jogging or exercising
- If you have to go outdoors, wear a high-quality mask, like an N-95 or KN-95 mask
- Avoid areas of high congestion and where air pollution may be high, like main streets or highways, areas with low air circulation
- Close all windows and doors to minimize air pollution in your home
- Recirculate the air in your home with fans to avoid bringing more air pollution into your home
- Pay attention to their bodies; if they are having trouble breathing, feeling nauseous, or dizzy, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Nwako additionally requests that members of the public to take steps towards reducing air pollution. "To further reduce the amount of pollution across the county, we are also asking residents to avoid unnecessary trips in their cars, avoid idling and carpool, if possible. We also encourage residents to not use gas-powered lawn and garden equipment at this time," Nwako continued.
Health officials are concerned about the high amount of small, easily inhalable particles in the air known as PM2.5, which describes fine particulate natter with concentrations of 2.5 microns or smaller/ These account for the biggest proportion of health effects from air pollution, according to the World Health Organization.
The Health Department and the Office of Emergency Management will continue to monitor the air quality and provide updates as they become available.