April 22, 2024 Free Webinar on Radon Risks and Solutions Women for a Health Environment and Pennsylvania Healthy Childcare Partnership will host an upcoming webinar on the dangers of radon. The free webinar is aimed at child care professionals and facility decision makers. Learn More The webinar will learn what radon is, where it occurs, and how it affects children and adults. The webinar will discuss why it is important to test for radon, which is a major indoor air quality risk in state child care facilities. Speakers will also discuss how to manage radon to eliminate harm. The webinar will be led by radon scientist and physicist Nathaniel Burden. Attendees will receive information on testing and mitigation strategies. More Details Those interested in attending can register now for one of two Zoom sessions: Tuesday, April 30 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pennsylvania early childhood educators who complete the event will receive one PQAS hours credit.
Free Webinar on Radon Risks and Solutions Women for a Health Environment and Pennsylvania Healthy Childcare Partnership will host an upcoming webinar on the dangers of radon. The free webinar is aimed at child care professionals and facility decision makers. Learn More The webinar will learn what radon is, where it occurs, and how it affects children and adults. The webinar will discuss why it is important to test for radon, which is a major indoor air quality risk in state child care facilities. Speakers will also discuss how to manage radon to eliminate harm. The webinar will be led by radon scientist and physicist Nathaniel Burden. Attendees will receive information on testing and mitigation strategies. More Details Those interested in attending can register now for one of two Zoom sessions: Tuesday, April 30 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pennsylvania early childhood educators who complete the event will receive one PQAS hours credit.
July 18, 2023 Tools to Monitor Harmful Air Quality Conditions in Pittsburgh Air quality has emerged as one of the most prominent environmental aspects to monitor for daily health and wellness. Now there are many tools to help Pittsburgh families better protect themselves when air quality conditions are poor. Understanding Pollution Breathing in particle pollution from fine particulates (PM2.5) can increase the risk of health problems like heart disease and asthma. Fine particulates can come directly from a source, such as fire, construction sites, and smokestacks, or form in the atmosphere from pollutants emitted from power plants, automobiles, and industrial manufacturing. How to Monitor Air Quality Using the AirNow tool, residents of Pittsburgh can monitor the air quality in real-time in their neighborhoods by simply typing in their zip code. The AirNow tool tells users how the air is in their current area based on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality Index, a six-tier, color-coded scale representing different levels of pollution. It’s measured from 0 to 500, and higher values indicate greater air pollution; anything above 100 is unhealthy. Pittsburgh residents may also use the interactive map feature to get a closer look at the air quality activity in a specific area. If it smells bad outside, it could mean that toxins are in the air. Report foul odors, and track other reports in the community with the Smell Pittsburgh app. Stay Safe If EPA’s Air Quality Index indicates unhealthy air, close windows, limit time outdoors, and run air filters to avoid the toxins. You may also elect to wear a mask or construct a DIY air purifier to protect yourself from inhaling pollutants and toxins. Related Content & Resources Air Quality Tips and Training Available for Families and Educators Third Annual Community Health & Wellness Summit A Guide to Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others Practicing Mindfulness for Parents Live Well Allegheny Launches “Rethink Your Drink” Campaign to Promote Healthy Water Drinking Habits PADHS and ACDHS Renewed Recommendations for End of Public Health Emergency
June 13, 2023 Air Quality Tips and Training Available for Families and Educators To better protect adults and children during air quality alerts, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and Environmental Health Capacity (EHC) Program are offering tips and training to help families and children stay healthy. About Air Quality Dangers & Alerts Current weather patterns are pushing smoke from wildfires in eastern Canada into communities across the Commonwealth, increasing the average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the air. Air quality can affect your health, especially people who may be at greater risk, including: people with heart disease people with lung disease (including asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD]) older adults children and teenagers (because their lungs are still developing, and they breathe more air relative to their size) people who are pregnant people who work outdoors If you experience symptoms like trouble breathing or dizziness, you should seek medical attention. If you know a family member or neighbor who has one of the above conditions, remember to check in on them. Tips from DHS During air quality alerts, all Pennsylvanians should: avoid strenuous outdoor activities keep outdoor activities short consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them Additionally, to help keep particle pollution lower indoors during air quality alerts: don’t use candles or smoke indoors keep windows and doors closed use an air filter in your home, if you have one clean or replace filters according to manufacturer recommendations make your own portable air cleaner, if you don’t have one (the EPA offers DIY information on how to do so) Training from the EHC Program The EHC Program invites child care professionals to participate in a short nano learning course on air quality. About the EHC Program The EHC Program is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded program under the Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology (DEHE) with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. EHC seeks to provide outreach and education on topics related to children’s environmental health. About the Learning Course on Air Quality The nano learning course should take a few minutes minutes to complete and provides an overview of what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) is, why it is important, and how it can be included in your classroom plans and activities. After completing the training, please complete a survey to inform future outreach efforts to childcare providers. The survey is a total of four questions. If you have comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the EHC Program at dehe@pa.gov. Access the Learning Course on Air Quality Interested ECE educators can access the EHC Program learning course on air quality on YouTube. Resources to Support the Course Resources to support the learning course include: Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution Air Quality Guide for Ozone Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance for Schools What Color is Your Air Today? Activity Sheet Air Quality Activity Coloring Sheet Why is Coco Orange book Learn More Visit www.airnow.gov to find the latest air quality levels and recommendations for your location. To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key Tips or Pennsylvania Key Training webpages.
