The Prairie North Health Region wants residents to safeguard their health during smoke events.
The organization issued a news release about the precautions regarding times of poorer air quality. As smoke from wildfires have been impacting the air, the Region advises that persons with heart or respiratory conditions like asthma are most significantly at risk and need to monitor their symptoms.
However, PNHR says that everyone can be at risk in severely smoky times; people may experience irritation of the throat, headaches, or shortness of breath.
To protect yourself, PNHR says to avoid strenuous outdoor activity during smoky conditions; try to eliminate or reduce exposure to outside air while indoors; stay inside and turn on your air conditions, provided it doesn’t bring inside outside air, or you can go to a facility that has A/C; don’t smoke and avoid exposure to second hand smoke.
PNHR also wants the public to keep in mind that dust masks, bandanas, and cloths, wet or not, do not protect from smoke inhalation.
If symptoms persist, seek medical attention.