Asthma-Friendly Flag Program

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• Asthma-Friendly Flag Program
• Improving Life, One Breath at a Time
• Stanislaus County Asthma Coalition

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Unique Program, Unique Valley

• More susceptible to high levels of ozone and
  particulate matter
• Lack of strong winds prevent pollution from being
  blown away
• Pollution is trapped due to atypical weather
  patterns

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Criteria PollutionMeasured by the Air District

• Ozone
• Carbon Monoxide
• Nitrogen Dioxide
• Sulfur Dioxide

• Particulate matter
• Lead

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OZONE

• Corrosive gas that lungs cant process
• Damages lung tissue
• Most prevalent in summer
• Highest concentrations 3-7 p.m.

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Particulate Matter

• Small airborne solids or liquids
• Lodge deep in airways
• Irritate tissue
• Cause infections

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GREEN Good ? No limitations ?
YELLOW Moderate Extreme sensitive groups (severe asthmatics) should be careful when exercising outdoors
ORANGE Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Sensitive groups should reduce how hard and long they play outdoors
RED Unhealthy for all All persons should limit outdoor activities
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SENSITIVE GROUPS

• All Children
• All Elderly
• Persons with a lung condition
• Persons with a heart condition
• Very active persons

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SYMPTOMS FOR EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION

• ?Shortness of breath ?Headache
• ?Pain when taking a deep breath
• ?Nausea ?Eye and nose Irritation
• ?Coughing ?Wheezing ?Fatigue

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Severe Asthma Symptoms

• Difficulty Speaking
• Difficulty Breathing
• Difficulty Walking
• Strained Neck Muscles
• Fearful

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First Aid For Asthma

• Stay Calm, Speak Reassuringly Provide Privacy
• Seat Upright, Relax Shoulders Do Not Recline
• Follow Asthma Action Plan, Medicate Immediately
  Call Health Professional
• If No Improvement After 5 Minutes, Call 911
• Call 911 Immediately If Lips Nails Are Blue

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Exercise

• May to October - physical activity is best in the
  morning (smog)
• November to March physical activity is best in
  the afternoon when possible (fog)

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HOW CAN YOU HELP?
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FOR MORE INFORMATION

• 1-800-SMOG-INFO
• www.valleyair.org
• 800-LUNG USA
• www.stanasthma.org
• [phone]

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PM SOURCES IN THE VALLEY
Source CARB 2005 Estimated Annual Average
Emissions
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Ozone Precursors in the SJ Valley(NOX and ROG
combined, to all O3 precursors of 885.8 tons
per day)
Adapted from the California Air Resources Board
website
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Percent of O3 Precursors total (885.8 TPD)by
mobile subcategory

• Light Duty Passenger Car and Trucks 15.1
• Light, Medium and Heavy Diesel Trucks 12.6
• Farm Equipment 7.4
• Light, Medium and Heavy Gas Trucks 2.1

Adapted from the California Air Resources Board
website
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County Rates for Asthma

• 16.4 - Fresno
• 14.7 - Kings
• 11.8 - Merced
• 11.1 - Madera
• 10.5 - Tulare
• 10.1 - San Joaquin
• 10.0 - Kern
• 9.3 - Stanislaus

CHIS Survey 2001 This slide represents Children
ages 0-17