BOZEMAN — On days like Tuesday when Bozeman’s air quality is at unhealthy levels, we're checking in with health officials on the risks of exposure and what you can do to protect yourself.
"When we think about air quality, air quality can certainly have an impact on public health because exposure to high levels of that air pollution can lead to a variety of health issues," Says Lori Christenson with the Gallatin City-County Health Department.
Lori says long-term effects can range from respiratory issues to even increasing your risk of cancer.
"People can experience a wide range of symptoms when there is reduced air quality and so that can be anything from coughing, wheezing, irritation of the eyes and throat. You can experience chest tightening, running nose, chest tightening and fatigue. It really can vary depending on the individual," she says.
Lori adds that vulnerable populations can be even more at risk: "So those can be older adults, children, people who are pregnant, people with heart or lung disease or other chronic conditions that make them more sensitive to air pollution."
I asked Lori how people can avoid exposure to polluted air. She says staying indoors away from smoke is best, and for those who may not be able to, finding public facilities like the library to spend time in.
"And then you can also employ some other effective strategies like reducing other indoor air pollutants such as tobacco use, or even vacuuming at this time, you know, releasing more air pollutant into the environment," she says.
Lori also suggests setting air conditioning units to re-circulate, so that they don’t pull smoky air from outside.
For more information on how to manage the valley’s bad air quality—visit this health department's website.
