With air quality concerns expected to last at least another day in the Chicago area, city officials are implementing a variety of strategies to help residents until conditions improve.
Those strategies include utilizing public buildings to give residents relief from the smoky air, in a similar way that the city uses those facilities for relief from the heat and the cold.
“This is what we would call an extreme,” Rich Guidice, chief of staff for Mayor Brandon Johnson, said. “Just as we have extreme heat, extreme cold, this is extremely poor air quality.”
At its worst on Tuesday, the Air Quality Index in Chicago was well above what is considered to be a “very unhealthy” level, and there likely won’t be much improvement on Wednesday.
As a result, City Hall employees are being offered an opportunity to work from home on Wednesday, and many other companies are following suit.
In addition, numerous programs and events are either being moved inside or canceled completely, with experts advising residents to limit their time outdoors until the smoke clears.
While some relief may be in sight, it could come at a price, with severe weather possible on Thursday thanks to a disturbance that is firing up in the western United States.
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Still, with a holiday weekend, and a NASCAR race, looming, some visitors are just hoping to get to the other side of the smoky mess the city has found itself in.
“We’re really hoping it clears up for the weekend so we can have some sunshine and enjoy this beautiful weather,” visitor Ben Thomas said.
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Doctors and health experts are urging residents and visitors alike to exercise patience, including wearing N95 or KN95 masks if they plan to be outdoors for any extended period of time.
“If you can see it, you’re breathing it in,” Dr. Juanita Mora of the American Lung Association said. “If you’re asthmatic or have any underlying lung disease, like pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, be sure that you’re taking your medications on a regular basis.”
Health experts at Northwestern have even said that prolonged exposure to the smoky conditions could be the equivalent of smoking half-a-pack of cigarettes in one day.
Fortunately, city officials say that they’ve had few calls for help because of the conditions, but did urge residents to check on their neighbors like they would during a heat wave or blizzard.
“Check on your neighbors. Call 911 if there’s an emergency,” Guidice said. “We’re just trying to raise awareness.”
