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What if staying indoors isn't an option?
What if staying indoors isn't an option?
People experiencing homelessness are disproportionately impacted by wildfire exposure. Unhoused individuals are faced with extreme weather conditions year-round. Poor air quality due to wildfires leaves an already vulnerable population to deal with acute and chronic health effects with often limited or no support.
No one should have to breathe wildfire smoke.
People experiencing homelessness are disproportionately impacted by wildfire exposure. Unhoused individuals are faced with extreme weather conditions year-round. Poor air quality due to wildfires leaves an already vulnerable population to deal with acute and chronic health effects with often limited or no support.
No one should have to breathe wildfire smoke.
How many unhoused folks are impacted by wildfires?
How many unhoused folks are impacted by wildfires?
Image source: AirNow
When the Air Quality Index (AQI) reads over 100, the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups (AirNow, n.d).
But what happens when you have no other choice other than stay outdoors?
During the last few years, wildfires have gotten worse, disproportionately impacting the unhoused population.
Health Effects
Health Effects
Unhoused individuals have higher rates of chronic health issues such as hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression and more in comparison to housed individuals (NCBI, n.d). Short and prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke can make pre-existing health conditions worse, which has resulted in an increase in emergency room visits, intensive care hospital admissions, and premature deaths (EPA, 2022). The unhoused population suffers more from respiratory illnesses, with rates of asthma being 24% higher and COPD being 23% higher in unhoused folks compared to their housed counterparts (Loscocco, 2021).
Climate Change Effects
Climate Change Effects
Image source: Unsplash by Ma Ti
So why is this important?
So why is this important?
Climate change greatly impacts people who are experiencing homelessness, and it can also create homelessness. Unhoused folks have to face extreme weather events year-round such as flooding, heat waves, and wildfires. As climate change continues to worsen, wildfire seasons will grow longer and more persistent, increasing the health effects of the unhoused population (Xu et al, 2020). Being exposed to the everchanging elements without proper shelter and resources is an environmental injustice for the unhoused population.
Solutions
Solutions
Image source: California Air Resource Board
CA Assembly Bill 836
CA Assembly Bill 836
The Wildfire Smoke Clean Air Centers For Vulnerable Populations Incentive Pilot Program offers grants to upgrade ventilation systems throughout the state to create a system of Clean Air Centers for vulnerable populations to rest from wildfires and other smoke events.
Types of Clean Air Centers include schools, community centers, sports centers, senior centers, and libraries
The first Clean Air Center opened in San Francisco CA in September 2022 with more opening in 2023 (CARB, n.d).
Image source: Unsplash by Jonathan J. Castellon
N95 Masks
N95 Masks
N95 respirator masks work best to protect an individual from smoke, though they also protect against COVID-19 (CARB, n.d).
N95 masks should be widely distributed to the unhoused population (CARB, n.d).
Image source: Pixabay
Shelters
Shelters
Opening more shelters during wildfire seasons and making them clean air centers.
Continue to wear N95 masks even inside shelters for optimal protection against wildfire smoke (CARB, n.d).
Things to Consider
Things to Consider
Always respect unhoused folks' bodily autonomy -- understand that they may not want to receive help and that's okay. Also understand that some have to choose between staying outdoors or going indoors, risking loss of all of their belongings.
What can you do to help?
What can you do to help?
Image source: Unsplash by Jack Church
Donate
Donate
Consider donating your time at a local shelter or donate much needed items:
Blankets
Hygiene products
Sleeping bags/tents
Clothing/shoes
Image source: Unsplash by Juliana Romão
Spread the Word
Spread the Word
It is important to meet people where they are, outreaching to the unhoused population is crucial during natural disasters, such at wildfires.
Let unhoused folks know about:
Nearby shelters, including emergency shelters
Resources
Connection to Other Pages
Connection to Other Pages
Similar pages that relate to this topic include:
References
References
AirNow.gov, U.S. EPA. (n.d.). AQI Basics | AirNow.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/
California Air Resources Board. California's first Clean Air Center opens in San Francisco | California Air Resources Board. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/californias-first-clean-air-center-opens-san-francisco
Castellon, J. J. (2020, April 15). Photo by Jonathan J. Castellon on unsplash. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/HH3nNZVcXik
CDC (2020, March 18). Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/NMZdj2Zu36M
Church, J. (2021, May 7). Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/J1ATF1KD4y4
Collamer, M. (2018, February 12). Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/8UG90AYPDW4
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Environmental Protection Agency. (2022, November 7). Health Effects Attributed to Wildfire Smoke. EPA. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/health-effects-attributed-wildfire-smoke
Hershey, B. (2017, December 6). Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/8-fHqPCNy4c
Homelessness & Health: What’s the connection? - nhchc.org. (2019, February 1). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/homelessness-and-health.pdf
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Health Care for Homeless People. Homelessness, Health, and Human Needs. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1988. 3, Health Problems of Homeless People. NCBI bookshelf. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218236/
Kauffman, M. (2017, October 11). Photo by Marcus Kauffman on unsplash. Beautiful Free Images & Pictures. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/-iretlQZEU4
Loscocco, A. (2021, August 28). Homeless unable to escape wildfire smoke smothering the Bay Area. The Science Writer. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.thesciencewriter.org/issue-1/homeless-unable-to-escape-wildfire-smoke-smothering-the-bay-area
Medicine child hurts got - free photo on Pixabay. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://pixabay.com/photos/medicine-child-hurts-got-sick-cold-5185734/
Moffitt, M. (2020, August 20). Northern Calif.'s air is worst in the world, according to real-time Air Quality index. SFGATE. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Northern-Calif-s-air-is-worst-in-the-world-15496711.php
Mossholder, T. (2020, November 10). Photo by Tim Mossholder on unsplash. Beautiful Free Images & Pictures. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/xDwEa2kaeJA
Osaka, S. (2022, October 21). Why Seattle currently has the worst air quality in the world. The Washington Post. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/10/20/seattle-air-quality-worst-in-world/
Perkins, P. (2020, September 9). Photo by Patrick Perkins on unsplash. Beautiful Free Images & Pictures. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/Z3_uSvERPfM
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Romão, J. (2020, August 27). Photo by Juliana Romão on unsplash. Beautiful Free Images & Pictures. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/P7rVuQ19OCY
Samayoa, M. (2020, September 15). Oregon's air is so hazardous it's breaking records. opb. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.opb.org/article/2020/09/15/oregons-air-is-so-hazardous-its-breaking-records/
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