# Presentation: 324919

## SUMMER CAMP OUTREACH

- SUMMER CAMP **OUTREACH**

**Laura J. DeGuire**
**Michigan DEQ Air Quality**

**Notes:**
SUMER CAMP OUTREACH

Laura J. DeGuire
MDEQ Air Quality Division

## AQI/OZONE ACTION! SUMMER CAMP OUTREACH

- Information to help protect kids in the summer when air quality can be unhealthy

**Notes:**
INFORMATION TO HELP PROTECT KIDS IN THE SUMMER WHEN THE AIR QUALITY CAN BE UNHEALTHY.
Reach kids – one of the sensitive groups
Not in school during most of the ozone season
Summer activities can be vigorous 

## CAMP OUTREACH GOAL

**Develop small project to dovetail with existing program**
**Reach kids during summer months**
**Opportunity to partner **
**Minimal time to develop **
**Minimal expense**

**Notes:**
Develop small project to dovetail with existing program
Reach kids during summer months
Opportunity to partner 
Minimal time to develop 
Minimal expense

## CAMP OUTREACH PARTNERS

**MICHIGAN DEQ AIR QUALITY **
**AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN**
- MICHIGAN CLEAN AIR  COALITIONS

**Notes:**
PARTNERS

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AIR QUALITY DIVISION
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN CLEAN AIR COALITIONS – 
CAC of Southeast Michigan
West Michigan CAC

## WHY PARTNER WITH OTHERS?

- STRENGTH promotes buy-in from multiple publics and adds credibility

**Notes:**
Why Partner with others?

STRENGTH 
promotes buy-in from multiple publics and adds credibility

## WHY PARTNER WITH OTHERS?

- BUILDS upon existing air partner-based outreach program

**Notes:**
BUILDS 
Upon existing air partner based outreach programs.

## WHY PARTNER WITH OTHERS?

- UNITY
- partner focus -                     shared goal for                       clean air and                    protection                                         of health

**Notes:**
UNITY 
of partner focus -  shared goal for clean air and protection of health. 

## WHY PARTNER WITH OTHERS?

**C****O****L****O****R** material best,  so, I sought  partners who could do color printing

**Notes:**
COLOR 
material – so I sought  partners who could obtain approval for color printing.  

## DETAILS OF 2001 OUTREACH

**Contacted agency that licenses camps **
**Targeted camps located where elevated ozone occurs**
**Sent material to camps                          near ozone monitors**
**Material included cover                       letter from Air Chief                                 requesting support**

**Notes:**
DETAILS of 2001
Contacted the state agency that licenses summer camps for address list
Targeted camps located in areas that can experience elevated ozone during summer months.
Selected camps located within one county of a current ozone monitor.
Sent outreach material along with cover letter from Air Quality Chief asking for support/participation.

## MESSAGE TO CAMPS

**Be able to identify days **_**and**_** time-of-day when ozone is expected to be high **
**When ozone levels are high, keep campers from activities that require physical exertion **
**Change time of day for                    strenuous activities, or                                           reduce intensity when                               poor air quality expected **

**Notes:**
Top MESSAGE TO CAMPS

Be able to identify days / time of day ozone likely to occur.
Ensure campers do not become involved in activities that require physical exertion at times when ozone levels are highest.  
 Protect camper health simply by changing the time of day for strenuous activities, or by reducing the intensity of exertion. 

## WHAT? OZONE POLLUTION!

- On hot summer days ground-level ozone levels can become unhealthy for sensitive groups
- Children and teen lungs are still developing
- One out of every 13               school-age students                   has asthma

- 

**Notes:**
WHAT?  Ozone Pollution!

On hot summer days, ground-level ozone levels can become unhealthy for sensitive population groups.  
Children and teens fall into this category because their lungs are still developing.  
In addition, one out of every 13 school-age students has asthma or other breathing challenges. 

## BAD AIR? HERE?

- Ozone can travel for hundreds of miles
- In rural setting of camps, ozone can affect air quality
- Ozone is some-times worse in non-urban areas due to meteorological transport

**Notes:**
BAD AIR?  HERE?

Yes, what goes up must come down and it can travel for hundreds of miles.  
Even in the lovely, often rural setting of camps, ozone can affect air quality.  
Ozone is some-times worse in beautiful, pristine areas away from urban areas due to meteorological transport.  Not fair, but true 

## WHEN?

- Hot, sticky, sunny days – high temperature days with light to moderate south winds
- Ozone levels in Michigan tend                 to peak in mid-afternoon                           to early evening hours                              so reduce physical                          exertion then

- 

**Notes:**
WHEN? 
Two things create ground-level ozone - hot weather and air pollutants.  
High ozone levels are most likely to occur on hot, sticky, sunny days - high temperature days with light to moderate south winds.  

Ozone levels in Michigan tend to peak in mid-afternoon to early evening hours and (if concentrations are elevated) that's the time to reduce physical exertion.

## HOW TO GET AIR QUALITY INFORMATION

- The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a simple tool   to keep track of air quality conditions
- The AQD website provides AQI values
- Color-coded map of air monitor data indicates:
**    ****GOOD**** ,  ****MODERATE**** , ****UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS**** , ****or****  ****UNHEALTHY**

**Notes:**
HOW TO KNOW WHEN TO BE CONCERNED-
It's easy to keep track of air quality and make good decisions to protect camper health.  
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a simple tool used to report current air quality conditions. 
The DEQ Air Quality Division Internet website provides AQI values.  A color-coded map of near real-time air monitor data illustrates whether the air is:

 GOOD ,  MODERATE , UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS , or  UNHEALTHY .

## FORECASTING BAD AIR:

**Public informed of bad air days**
**When ozone to be high, an "*****Ozone Action!  *****Day" is called **
**TV, radio & newspapers report**
***Ozone Action!***** is a 'heads                          up' to make voluntary                               clean air choices **_**and**_**                                      to reduce activity to                                        protect health.**

- Ozone Action!
- Day

**Notes:**
FORECASTING BAD AIR
To inform the public of possible bad air days, the Southeast Michigan and West Michigan Clean Air Coalitions operate "Ozone Action!" programs
When ozone levels are predicted to be near or above the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" health indicator,  an "Ozone Action! Day" is called. 
Television, radio and daily newspapers relay the information to the public.  
It's a 'heads up' - allows people to make voluntary choices to help keep the air clean and to plan to reduce afternoon/early evening physical activity to protect health when ozone levels are elevated.

## LIMITATIONS

- Resources
- Unable to survey effectiveness of 2001 outreach
- “Ownership” of material.  Who is responsible for follow-up work?

**Notes:**
LIMITATIONS

Resources – Could not devote a lot of time and money to the effort.
Currently unable to survey camps to determine effectiveness of last year’s outreach
“Ownership” – to whom does the partnered material “belong”? Who is responsible for follow-up work?

## QUESTIONS?

**Notes:**
QUESTIONS