Monday, August 17, 2015 - Recommendations for Schools and Others Responsible for Children during a Wildfire Smoke Event

Recommendations for Schools and Others Responsible for Children during a Wildfire Smoke Event

Note: Visibility guidelines ONLY valid in arid conditions – not for use during high humidities

Activity	0 – 50 AQI (10+ miles visibility) GOOD	51 – 100 AQI (6 – 10 miles visibility) MODERATE		101 – 150 AQI (3 – 6 miles visibility) UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS	151 – 200 AQI (1.5 – 3 miles visibility) UNHEALTHY	201+ AQI (<1.5 miles visibility)  VERY UNHEALTHY/ HAZARDOUS
Recess (15 minutes)	No restrictions	No restrictions		Keep children with asthma or other respiratory problems indoors. Make indoor space available for all children.	Keep children indoors.	Keep all children indoors.
P.E. (1 hour)	No restrictions	Monitor kids with asthma or other respiratory problems and limit their vigorous activities.		Keep children with asthma or other respiratory problems indoors. Make indoor space available for all children. If outdoors, limit vigorous activities. Individuals with asthma or other respiratory illness should be medically managing their condition.	Conduct P.E. indoors. If outdoors, only allow light activities for all participants. Individuals with asthma or other respiratory illness should be medically managing their condition.	Keep all children indoors.
Scheduled Sporting Events	No restrictions	Monitor kids with asthma or other respiratory problems and limit their vigorous activities.		Individuals with asthma or other respiratory illness should be medically managing their condition. Increase rest periods and substitutions for all participants to lower breathing rates.	Consider rescheduling or relocating event.	Reschedule or relocate event.
Athletic Practice & Training (2-4 hours)	No restrictions	Monitor kids with asthma or other respiratory problems and limit their vigorous activities.		Individuals with asthma or other respiratory illness should be medically managing their condition. Increase rest periods and substitutions for all participants to lower breathing rates.	Conduct practice indoors. If outdoors, allow only light activities for all participants. Add rest breaks or substitutions to lower breathing rates. Individuals with asthma or other respiratory illness should be medically managing their condition.	Conduct practice indoors only.
Examples of light activities: Walking slowly on level ground Carrying school books Hanging out with friends			Examples of moderate activities: Skateboarding Slow pitch softball Shooting basketballs		Examples of vigorous activities: Running, jogging Football, soccer, and basketball

How to estimate air quality based on visibility for areas without an air quality monitor or airport visibility estimate:

1. Face away from the sun.
2. Determine the limit of your visible range by looking for targets at known distances (miles).
3. Visible range is that point at which even high contrast objects totally disappear.
4. Use the values above to determine the local forest fire smoke category.