Campus Public Safety

What to do in case of

Wildfire Smoke or Poor Air Quality

Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest can impact air quality in the Portland Metro Area during wildfire season. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a smoke or poor air quality event:

Understanding and Monitoring Air Quality

  • Important Guidance - A Shared Responsibility: It is your personal responsibility to monitor air quality and check official PSU communications before coming to campus or work.
  • The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a color-coded system showing air pollution levels and associated health risks.
  • Monitoring: Make it a habit to check the AQI for Portland using the EPA's AirNow website. The closest DEQ sensor for PSU is Lincoln High School.
  • Understand the Risk: Wildfire smoke contains fine particles and gases harmful to respiratory and cardiovascular health. Find out about health threats from wildfire smoke and know if you are at risk.
  • Guidance for PSU Employees: Faculty and staff should also refer to PSU Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Wildfire Protection Program resources for specific guidance on how AQI, OSHA, and Oregon DEQ requirements may impact their work responsibilities and workplace procedures.

Before

Proactive steps to prepare yourself and your environment for poor air quality.

  • Get Informed:
    • Follow local guidance to get informed and protect yourself during wildfire smoke.
    • Know How to Check Conditions: Make it a personal habit to check the Air Quality Index (AQI) for the Portland area using resources like AirNow. Understand what the different AQi levels mean for your health and activities.
    • Take Training: Complete PSU Wildfire Smoke Prevention Training annually to keep up to date on any changes.
  • Familiarize yourself with official communication channels.
  • PSU Communications: Familiarize yourself with PSU's official communication channels for air quality and campus emergencies.
  • PSU Alert: Sign up for PSU Alert to receive timely emergency messages via text and email.
  • Make a Plan
    • Personal Health Plan:If you have pre-existing health conditions (e.g., asthma or heart disease), talk to your doctor before conditions worsen. Have a plan for managing your condition and ensure medication supplies.
    • Identify a "Clean Air" Space: Find a safe location if air quality at home or in your residence hall becomes poor. This could be a sealed-off, filtered room (watch this video for tips) or a public building known to have good air filtration (reference list of filtered spaces at PSU).
    • Plan for Commute and Activities: Consider how poor air quality might impact your travel to campus, classes, or work. Plan alternatives if you need to limit outdoor exposure or if campus operations change.
  • Build a Kit - Assemble a small kit with:
    • Properly fitted N95 or P100 respirators (masks). (Note: Cloth and surgical masks do not effectively filter fine smoke particles.)
    • Saline eye drops.
    • Any necessary personal medications.
    • Water.
  • Improve Your Indoor Air: Consider purchasing a non-ozone-producing air purifier (HEPA filter recommended) to create a cleaner air room in your home or residence hall.

During

Actions to take when poor air quality impacts the area.

  • Stay Informed: Regularly monitor AQI updates and communications from your department or the university particularly when conditions are changing.
  • Prioritize Your Health: Individuals should assess how conditions may affect their health and make attendance and participation decisions based on personal risk levels.
  • Limit Exposure:  If you develop symptoms related to smoke exposure, seek medical attention if needed and reduce exposure when possible.
    • Stay indoors with windows and doors closed if possible.
    • Limit outdoor activities if you smell smoke.
    • Set AC units and car vents to re-circulate to prevent outside air from coming inside.
    • Wear a N95 mask if you must be outdoors in unhealthy air and cannot avoid it.
    • Typically, the best air quality is inside buildings with air filtration. Use main building entrances and exits and ensure that windows and doors are kept closed as much as possible to minimize contamination by unfiltered air. Conditions can vary based on building equipment and other factors. Learn more about PSUs Indoor Air Quality Program.
  • Communicate Needs: If air quality affects your ability to attend or participate in work, classes, or ability to be in campus housing, notify your supervisor, instructor, or RA (if on campus housing) to discuss options.
  • Impact to Campus Operations:
    • PSU makes decisions about campus operations based on AQI levels. Generally, higher AQI means more restrictions on outdoor activity and potential changes to campus status.
    • Campus events and activities scheduled outdoors that involve prolonged or heavy exertion may be rescheduled to a time when the air quality is better.
    • Departments may choose to reschedule  programs, events and activities even if campus remains open. Review Campus Closure Guidance. 

After

Steps to take once air quality improves.

  • Continue Monitoring: Keep an eye on air quality reports as conditions can change.
  • Ventilate & Clean Up: Once AQI levels are consistently healthy, open windows and doors to air out indoor spaces. Safely clean any ash or debris outdoors (consider a mask if needed).
  • Evaluate Preparedness: Review your personal plan and kit. What adjustments are needed? Update your supplies and plan based on your experience for future readiness.
  • Check In and Build Community: Reach out to your community members (friends, family, colleagues) to ensure everyone is recovering and safe.

Additional Resources

Find more information and stay informed during air quality events using these local resources:

Wildfire Smoke