New York state is seeing air quality worsen from the Canadian wildfire smoke. Officials are advising people to limit their outdoor activity, which is leading summer camps to cancel programs or move to indoor curriculums.
Victoria Carillo is an education and conservation manager at the Utica Zoo. She says to keep kids safe from the declining air quality, they brought the fun inside.
“So we really focused more on conservation focus, like crafts and activities. Bringing out some animal ambassadors as well. So that way, we’re bringing that sort of component of the zoo directly to the kids in a safe way,” said Carrillo.
Health experts across the state have advised others to do the same, adding that those who have underlying health issues should take extra precautions.
“These wildfires can have particulate matter, especially PM 2.5. That is what is particularly dangerous, and then they can go into deeper part of your lungs and can cause inflammation,” said Pranita Ghimire, a physician who specializes in the respiratory system.
The doctor said wearing an N95 mask can help filter out matter.
“If you do fall in the sensitive group, keep track of your air quality index and then once it’s in the safer range, then you can step out. But I would say limit your outdoor activities for a day or two,” said Ghimire.
One parent who still had to work felt confident in sending her kids to preschool and camp because of the precautions they took.
“For both programs that they’re going to, they’re basically just staying inside. I know the preschool, in particular, is running extra air purifiers for the kids,” said Kathleen McGill, a business operations coordinator at the Utica Zoo.
McGill says her youngest child has breathing issues, so she has taken safety measures to help with that.
“She has, like, a nebulizer at home. So I’ve already kind of contacted her doctor and said, ‘Hey, just in case, you know, could we have something for the nebulizer?’ Just as a precautionary thing, in case she starts having any breathing issues, especially for kids with, like, asthma or any other kind of breathing conditions, this can be very hazardous for them,” said McGill.
The camp counselors are prepared to mimic what they did today for campers if conditions continue but limiting outdoor exposure is going to be key for everyone.