P Jeff Schimpff
Bureau of Science Services
Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources
"Bus, Bike, Walk or Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids"
(() phone: (608) 267- 7853
(() fax:
(608)
267-5231
(+) e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 12:51 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [email protected]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Bikies] Fw: Air Quality Health Advisory for Milwaukee and WaukeshaCounties, D ecember 21, 2005Those headed east this weekend may want to pay attention to this.
Mike Neuman
---------- Forwarded Message ----------DATE: December 21, 2005
CONTACT:
Larry Bruss, DNR, (608) 267-7543
Henry Anderson, DHFS, (608) 266-1253
SUBJECT: Air quality health advisory issued for Milwaukee, Waukesha, Counties
Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing an air quality health advisory for Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties of Wisconsin effective immediately, today Wednesday, December 21, 2005 until 12:00 p.m.(noon), Thursday, December 22, 2005.The advisory is being issued because of persistent elevated levels of fine particles in the air. These fine particles come primarily from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust, and outdoor fires. Current weather conditions leading to this advisory are light winds and warmer air aloft, trapping particle pollution near the ground. Air quality is expected to gradually improve for the affected area by midday Thursday.
The Air Quality Index is currently in the orange level, which is considered unhealthy for people in sensitive groups and others, including people who are not in sensitive groups but who are engaged in strenuous activities or exposed for prolonged periods of time. People in those sensitive groups include those with heart or lung disease, asthma, older adults and children. When an air quality health advisory is issued, people in those groups are advised to reschedule or cut back on strenuous activities.
People with lung diseases such as asthma and bronchitis and heart disease should pay attention to cardiac symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath or respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing and discomfort when taking a breath, and consult with their physician if they have concerns or are experiencing symptoms. To receive air quality health advisories by e-mail, visit http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/air/health/listserv.html.
There are several actions the public can take to reduce their contributions to this regional air quality problem.
- Reduce driving when possible and don’t leave vehicle engines idling.
- Postpone activities that use small gasoline and diesel engines.
- Avoid burning leaves, brush, grass or wood. Composting is preferred, but if you must burn and your community allows it, do not burn on an air quality health advisory day.
- Never burn household garbage, plastic, rubber, painted wood or other materials that must be recycled or landfilled and cannot be legally burned.
- Practice electrical energy conservation.
For more information:
- Federal interagency air quality web site, for information on the Air Quality Index and nationwide air quality forecasts and air quality conditions, http://airnow.gov
- DNR’s statewide air quality monitoring web page, http://maps.dnr.state.wi.us/wisards
- For local DNR air management program contacts, http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/air/staff/regions.htm
_______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
