Limit your smoke exposure. Follow these recommendations to protect your health:
Pay attention to local information about air quality. Beware of smoke related health news and warnings. Find out if your community is issuing information about air quality released by the Environmental Protection Agency, and seek information about public health messages regarding additional security measures.
See guidelines on visibility if available. Not all communities have air particle meters. In the western area of the United States, some communities provide guidelines on air quality according to horizon visibility.
If you are recommended to stay indoors, keep the air as clean as possible. Keep doors and windows shut unless the weather is extremely hot. Use the air conditioning, if available, but close the entrance of fresh air and keep the filter clean to avoid outdoor smoke entrance. If air conditioning is not available and the weather is too hot to keep the windows shut, seek shelter elsewhere.
Do not increase air pollution in closed environments. Do not light flames in high smoke concentration; this includes candles, chimneys and gas stoves. This includes the vacuum since it raises present particles to the air. Do not smoke, this will increase air pollution.
If you have asthma or any other pulmonary disease, follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding medication and asthma control plan. Call your doctor if the symptoms worsen.
Masks are not enough protection. Paper masks sold at hardware stores are designed to trap larger particles, such as sawdust, but do not protect the lungs from smoke. An “N95” mask will provide some protection, if used appropriately.
Safe evacuation
During evacuation and later return, be careful and take the same safety measures than you would apply in regular situations: Wear your seat belt and do not consume alcohol while driving.
Ensure that children are wearing their seatbelts and sit in the back of the car.
Massive victim incidents: Burns
Incident with massive victims and explosion type disaster and fires may cause a large a great range of serious injuries, burns being one of them. These injuries range from thermal burns, produced by contact with flames, hot liquids, hot surfaces and other high temperature sources, as well as chemical burns and electrical burns. It is vital that people understand how to act safely in a massive trauma or fire situation and understand the basic first aid principles needed by burn victims. In case of burns, immediate attention may save a life.
Note: Most fire victims perish due to smoke and toxic gases not burns. These recommendations cover burn injuries.
