Take the preventative measures seriously

What Weimarian said, with a couple of extra notes.

Disclosure, I work at a local children's hospital, our sister facilities to the north are already taking patients from evacuated hospitals and ours is gearing up. We already have asthmatic and other at-risk kids coming in from around the Bay Area, nothing yet in the ICUs as far as I know. The hospital is pretty much full so not sure what will happen as this progresses.

Take the preventative measures seriously.

If you have kids or old folks in heavy smoke areas, protect their lungs. For outdoors N95s, keep the kids inside AC buildings etc but even the hospital I work in had to bring in extra filtration equipment. Probably the best thing is to get kids and old folks out of heavy smoke zones if you can, even if your house isn't going to to burn.

There are the obvious immediate problems with asthma, sinus issues etc, but long term effects are just as real and in some ways more serious, like the potential of developing chronic respiratory issues, and impacts down the road from breathing toxins and carcinogenic particulates. The particulates and toxics in a normal forest fire are bad enough, who knows what's coming from burning buildings, cars etc.

N95 masks are difficult to wear even if you have healthy lungs and the best thing is keep down your physical activity. Kids should be kept calm, easier said than done.

Small kids are tough because they don't understand explanations and once they set their mind against something good luck. We had a 16 month old we had to get a mask on the other night and it took 3 strong adults to do it.

Also would be curious to know in the heavy smoke areas how many people are actually wearing good masks if someone can give an idea. We’re 70-80 miles away and we’re seeing kids wearing masks biking to school.

I'm right in the mix of the fires.  I've seen a little bit of everything.  Some have respirators, some have N95 filtration masks, some have basic painters masks, and many are wearing nothing. 

Do you know if the emergency agencies are handing anything out?

Good advice. Worst air quality ever being recorded in the bay area.

Health Advisory and Smell the Air Alert in effect.
http://www.baaqmd.gov/news-and-events/page-resources/2017-news/101217-health-sta

Smoke and soot all over SF - it's gotta be toxic northwards.

Well said, Paul.

I’m definitely sticking with the N95 out here in Oakland today (and yesterday, and probably tomorrow, too). This crap is NOT good for your lungs...



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Well said, Paul.

I’m definitely sticking with the N95 out here in Oakland today (and yesterday, and probably tomorrow, too). This crap is NOT good for your lungs...


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Seeing the community service folks trash picking on the side of 580 maskless this morning just seemed wrong.

Well said, Paul.

I’m definitely sticking with the N95 out here in Oakland today (and yesterday, and probably tomorrow, too). This crap is NOT good for your lungs...


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Seeing the community service folks trash picking on the side of 580 maskless this morning just seemed wrong.

That is not OK. Those guys are paying for their crimes with hard manual labor. Making them pay with their health, too, is f*cked up...


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OTW @ HMB right now

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Well said, Paul.

I’m definitely sticking with the N95 out here in Oakland today (and yesterday, and probably tomorrow, too). This crap is NOT good for your lungs...


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Seeing the community service folks trash picking on the side of 580 maskless this morning just seemed wrong.

That is not OK. Those guys are paying for their crimes with hard manual labor. Making them pay with their health, too, is f*cked up...


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I have supervised crews like that.It is not HARD, it is manual.They are not the same as say the inmate fire crews, most are doing "short" time or hours. They are wards of the agency they are working for and "should" be outfitted with proper equipment or rolled up back to the farm.if in the event they are injured ,become sick with either a physical or mental health issue the agency responsible for them is liable for their treatment and costs incurred. 

A few pictures that really show how much crap is in the air.  This was coming over the Altamont Pass yesterday.






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I "wish " it was like that here in Santa Rosa..not to be grandiose..but that ain`t nothing like the  the last few days

sorry but I have to..at the hardware store getting more batteries...watching a man wearing a mask take it off to light up a cigarette..outside of course..irony at it`s best I  guess 

OTW @ HMB right now

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Now that's dedication!

I "wish " it was like that here in Santa Rosa..not to be grandiose..but that ain`t nothing like the  the last few days

Oh, it's definitely way worse the closer you get.  I was in Fairfield yesterday and I had to wear a mask in the car with the windows rolled up and the air running through the cabin filter.  I just thought it was crazy how thick the air streams were 50+ miles away.


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I "wish " it was like that here in Santa Rosa..not to be grandiose..but that ain`t nothing like the  the last few days

Oh, it's definitely way worse the closer you get.  I was in Fairfield yesterday and I had to wear a mask in the car with the windows rolled up and the air running through the cabin filter.  I just thought it was crazy how thick the air streams were 50+ miles away.


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crazy right ?!