How can I protect myself from smoke?

Answer:

Reducing your exposure to smoke in the air will help prevent health effects. You can reduce your exposure to smoke by staying indoors where you are safe, and, if possible, keeping windows closed. Run your air conditioner, if you have one. The fresh-air intake on air conditioners should be closed to prevent outdoor air from entering your home. Be sure your filters are changed regularly.

Avoid using anything that burns, such as wood fireplaces, gas logs, gas stoves and candles, when smoke levels outside are high. Don’t vacuum or stir up dust in your house. And don’t smoke.

Ordinary dust masks, designed to filter out large particles, will not help protect you against smoke as they allow the more dangerous smaller particles to pass through to your lungs. For more information about effective masks, see the Respirator Fact Sheet provided by CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Regularly check the Air Quality Index (AQI) for your area. You can find out about the AQI for your area at: http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local

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Last Updated: 4/22/2008