Stratford Health Department Launches Air Quality Flag Program

From Stratford Health Dept.: In an effort to help educate the community on the importance of air quality awareness, the Stratford Health Department is launching the EPA’s Air Quality Flag Program. This multifaceted program is designed to not only alert residents to the status of their air quality, but provide education and resources on how to best modify activities to reduce exposure to pollutants in the air and protect their health.

As part of the program, the Stratford Health Department will be displaying a brightly colored flag outside of its building each day to inform all residents of the air quality forecast. “Having a visual such as the flags is an important component of the Air Quality Flag program,” states Director of Health Andrea Boissevain, “however, the program also provides residents with important resources on how to recognize and respond to potential health hazards present in the air.”

Along with the flags, the Air Quality Flag Program will be featured on the Stratford Health Department’s website where interested parties can find examples of safe indoor physical activities to do on high-risk days, take a survey to determine their Air Quality IQ, the EPA’s Air Quality Forecast app, and a toolkit with guidelines for any organization that would like to adopt the program. “The EPA has a working partnership with the State of Connecticut to improve air quality in the area,” continues Alexandra Dunn, “however, this month also presents a great opportunity to increase education about asthma. We applaud organizations, like the Stratford Health Department, for implementing EPA’s Air Quality Flag Program and informing the general public about local air quality conditions. Stratford’s efforts will help the community learn more about asthma, stay advised of air quality health advisories, and educate its members about asthma triggers.”

May is Asthma Awareness Month and while all residents can benefit from the program, the Stratford Health Department hopes adults and children living with asthma will take advantage of this initiative. “Poor air quality days in the summer months can be triggers for asthma,” states EPA’s New England regional administrator Alexandra Dunn, “New Englanders have some of the highest incidents of asthma in the country and southwestern Connecticut is of particular concern for EPA because of its number of poor air quality days in the summer months.”

For more information on the program you can visit the Stratford Health Department’s websitewww.townofstratford.com/health or call Kelley Meier at (203) 385-4090.

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