Dear Friends,

As I am sure you have noticed, Connecticut (along with much of the East Coast) is experiencing heavy smoke as a result of the Canadian wildfires, which has dramatically affected the air quality. I wanted to inform you of some precautionary measures you can take to reduce the health risk posed by this weather emergency.

It is highly advised that those at greater risk of adverse health effects limit their time outdoors as much as possible. This includes individuals with heart or lung disease, older adults, those with respiratory diseases such as asthma, and children. Even though conditions have been improving throughout the week, the air quality index in Connecticut is still “unhealthy” as of this morning, and health officials suggest that any high intensity outdoor activity is avoided or moved indoors.

The CDC is also encouraging the use of N95 or P100 masks to filter out the harmful microscopic particles in the smoke. Anyone who is interested can pick up a free N95 mask at select Metro-North stations, including Stamford, South Norwalk, Bridgeport, and New Haven.

The National Weather Service predicts that the smoke could move further south over the course of the next few days, with a shift in the air quality index from “hazardous” levels of pollution on Wednesday to “moderate” by Friday. Nevertheless, it is still recommended that anyone at risk remain cautious. The EPA is providing real-time updates on the air quality in your community.

Click here for the most up to date Air Quality forecasts. 

Thank you for doing your part to keep our communities healthy and safe. 

Sincerely,

Jim