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Template Presentation for

Regional Toolkit
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‡ Cooperative effort between U.S. EPA, NPS, state

and local air agencies to collect, quality assure,
and transfer real-
real-time and forecast air quality
information to t e public

‡ Utilizes t e c
 

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 c Ý a national
reporting program t at links air quality levels to
cautionary ealt messages

‡ Fast and easy access for t e media to deliver

understandable air quality information t at will
elp t e public make good ealt - based
decisions about t eir daily activities
 | y Air Quality?

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Based on air quality

data from 2002,  
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-- EPA 2002 Status   Ú Ú

and Trends Report  

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 | at¶s Available Now?

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Mow is it being used?
On Air
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 and in Print


 So | at¶s Next?

Expanded Air Quality Index

forecasting

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 Expanded AQI Forecasting

|  Millions of people
|  Year--round monitoring & forecasting
Year
air quality
| 
 Available for cities across t e U.S.
| 
 Launc ed Nationally October 1
 T e same familiar 5- 5-color system

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 | y: Particle Pollution

‡ Microscopic particles in t e air

‡ Also called particulate matter,
PM, fine particles or aze
‡ Creates atmosp eric aze
‡ Comes from ve icle ex aust,
fires, industrial and agricultural
processes
‡ Can be breat ed deep into t e
lungs and causes significant
ealt t reats
 T e doctor says particle
pollution

‡ Aggravates lung disease including ast ma

‡ Aggravates eart disease including congestive
eart failure
‡ Resulting in:
± More premature deat s
± More admissions to ospitals
± More trips to emergency rooms
± More visits to doctors¶ offices
± More sc ool and work absences
± More symptom days
 So | o¶s at Risk?

‡ People wit eart or lung disease

(including ast ma)
± Conditions make t em vulnerable
‡ Older adults
± Greater prevalence of eart and lung
disease
‡ C ildren
± More likely to be active
± Breat e more air per pound
± Bodies still developing
| at can you s ow?
 | at do you say?
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   ! "  # $ !%
Green ± Air quality is good
Yellow People who are unusually
sensitive to air pollution
Orange People with heart or lung
disease (including asthma),
older adults, and children
Red Everyone, especially people
with heart or lung disease
(including asthma), older
adults, and children
Purple Everyone, especially people
with heart or lung disease
(including asthma), older
adults, and children
" #$ $  &   # % " #$# $
Air quality is a concern for
people who are unusually
sensitive to air pollution
Air quality is unhealthy for
people in sensitive groups
Air quality is unhealthy for
everyone
Air quality is very unhealthy for
everyone
 '!  
$#( %
Enjoy activities
@
 ' ' '#  $) 
$
# 
'$
: Plan
strenuous activities when air
quality is better
 $) &
': Cut
back or reschedule
strenuous activities
) 
 : Cut back or
reschedule strenuous
activities
 $) &
': Avoid
strenuous activities
) 
 : Significantly cut
back on physical activities
 $) &
': Avoid #
physical activities
 One more time

‡ Particles are a significant ealt problem

‡ Affect different groups of people
‡ A year
year--round problem
‡ Bot indoors and outdoors
‡ Day and nig t
‡ You   make a difference!
 Get t e Tools You Need

‡ 


‡ At
At--a-glance messages
‡ Mealt messages and tips
‡ |eb updates to materials you can use
to talk about air quality
‡ National and regional real
real--time maps
and grap ics