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Asthma-Friendly Flag Program |
Sponsored by the:
Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition
Controlling asthma through awareness and education
Quick Asthma Facts
DID YOU KNOW?
• Over 36,000 people in Merced County have asthma; more than 13,000 of them are children
• The City of Merced is the 5th worst U.S. metropolitan area for ozone air pollution, a major asthma irritant
• Asthma is the #1 cause of all school absences
• Children diagnosed with asthma has increased almost 200% in the last 12 years
Your Asthma is NOT under control if:
(*”Rules of Two”)
• You use your quick relief inhaler more than two times a week
• You awaken at night with asthma symptoms more than two times a month
• You refill your quick relief inhaler prescription more than two times a year
*”Rules of Two” is a trademark of the Baylor Health Care System
ATWATER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Asthma-Friendly Flag Policy/AdvisoryI. Air Quality
The asthma-friendly flag program is a multi-colored flag system that will act as a daily indicator of outdoor air quality at your school. The system includes four colors and is based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each day a flag will be raised on your school’s flag pole that corresponds to the color of the AQI. The color of the flag determines the schedule of outdoor activities for that day. You may also visit http://www.valleyair.org/aqinfo/forecast.htm to obtain the AQI forecast for the County.
II. What do the flag colors mean?
Green: The air outside is “good” and is considered healthy for everyone. Outdoor activities will be permitted for all students.
Yellow: The air outside is “moderate” and is unhealthy for only extremely sensitive (individuals with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, are referred to as sensitive) children and adults. Outdoor activities will be permitted for all students.
Specific Considerations and Actions to Reduce Exposures
Ozone affects each child differently. Children with asthma or other respiratory diseases are more susceptible to the health effects of ozone. Each child may show symptoms at different levels of ozone. The best way to monitor activities during periods of high ozone levels is to ask children to report any symptoms related to difficulty in breathing to school staff (teacher, nurse, coach). If a child is particularly affected by ozone, or has been in the past, take steps to ensure their exposure or activity level is reduced to decrease the chance of symptoms. Alternatively, children could be moved indoors for continued exercise (indoor environments can have 20 to 80% less ozone). Children with asthma should have an asthma management plan on file at their school so that symptoms can be treated immediately and appropriately. Instructors should work with students to assure pre-medication and/or any directives for activity modifications are followed for students with exercise-induced asthma.
Orange: The air outside is “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. On ‘orange days’ sensitive individuals should limit prolonged outdoor exertion and alternative indoor activities will be made available to students as needed.
June – August
Outdoor activities permitted before 10:00 am
September
No outdoor activities
October – February
Outdoor activities permitted between 10:00 – 4:00
March – May
Ozone
Outdoor activities permitted before 10:00 am
Particulate Matter
Outdoor activities permitted between 10:00 – 4:00
Red: The air outside is “unhealthy” for everyone. On ‘red days’ alternative indoor activities will be made available to all students.
III. Athletic Programs
Practices
Possible ways to reduce health risks from higher exposures to poor outdoor air pollutants:
1. Reduce intensity of the activities:
a. Switch out players more often during practice and games
b. Focus on skill development versus endurance training
c. Alternate endurance activities with skills development
d. Take frequent rest and water breaks
2. Spend part of practice indoors and part outdoors
3. Split practice into two parts: one before and one after school
4. During weeks or months of high ozone, move practices to before school
5. During weeks or months of high PM, hold practices between 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
6. Shorten the length of practices
7. Move inside when practical
Games
Possible ways to reduce risks from exposure to poor outdoor air quality:
1. If appropriate, work with the California Interscholastic Federation coordinate
sporting events that may be subject to cancellation due to poor outdoor air
quality.
2. Work with neighboring school districts and schools on policies for canceling
and rescheduling sporting events on poor outdoor air quality days (include
with inclement weather policies).
IV. Reducing Student Exposure to Unhealthy Air
Physical Education Classes and Recesses on Poor Outdoor Air Quality Days
What would normally be safe for eight hours of exposure (“safe” means not likely to result in adverse health effects in the general population”) becomes less so with increased breathing rates and the duration of exposures. Therefore, an exposure risk reduction strategy involves reducing intensity (breathing rates) and duration (time) of vigorous outdoor activities.
The Active Indoor Recess curriculum which contains ideas for indoor activities within the classroom and other spaces is available to you free of charge from the Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition. See “Contact Information” for address and phone number.
Physical education instructors are encouraged to develop lesson plans in accordance with the outdoor activity schedule outlined in Part II of the policy. Instructors should be prepared with alternative sports and exercises that can be performed on poor outdoor air quality days. Exercise is important to lung development, heart health, physical fitness, and weight management.
Note: Permitting no physical activity should be a last consideration.
Children with asthma action plans developed in conjunction with their physician, parents, and school nurse should always follow their plan.
CONTACT INFORMATION
The following organizations can provide free materials and educational trainings as needed:
§ AESD Home Page
www.aesd.edu§ American Lung Association of Central CA
Susie Rico
(559) 222-4800§ San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
Public Education Department
(559) 230-6000
www.valleyair.org/aqinfo/forecast.htm§ Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition
Mary-Michal Rawling
(209)385-5490
mrawling@gvhc.org§ San Joaquin Valley Health Consortium
Justina Felix
(559) 446-2323
Asthma-Friendly Flag Policy
Air Quality
The asthma-friendly flag program is a multi-colored flag system that will act as a daily indicator of outdoor air quality at your school. The system includes four colors and is based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each day a flag will be raised on your school’s flag pole that corresponds to the color of the AQI. The color of the flag determines the schedule of outdoor activities for that day.
What do the flag colors mean?
Green: The air outside is “good” and is considered healthy for everyone. Outdoor activities will be permitted for all students.
Yellow: The air outside is “moderate” and is unhealthy for only extremely sensitive* children and adults. Outdoor activities will be permitted for all students.
Orange: The air outside is “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. On ‘orange days’ sensitive individuals should limit prolonged outdoor exertion and alternative indoor activities will be made available to students as needed.
Red: The air outside is “unhealthy” for everyone. On ‘red days’ sensitive individuals should avoid outdoor activities and alternative indoor activities will be made available to all students.
*Individuals with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, are referred to as sensitive
†Compliance will vary based on individual health requirements
Programa de Banderas Amigables Sobre el Asma
Calidad del Aire
El programa para el asma de banderas-amigables es un sistema de banderas multicolores que en su escuela diariamente actúa como un indicador de la calidad del aire. El sistema incluye cuatro colores y esta basado en el Índice de Calidad de Aire (AQI por sus siglas en ingles) del Distrito que Controla la Contaminación de Aire del Valle de San Joaquín. A diario se pondrá una bandera del color que corresponde al AQI en el poste de la bandera de la escuela. El color de la bandera determinara las actividades que se haran durante el dia.
¿Que significan los colores de las banderas?
Verde: El aire de afuera es “bueno” y es considerado saludable para todos. Las actividades afuera son permitidas para todos los estudiantes.
Amarillo: El aire de afuera es “moderado” y no es saludable para los niños y adultos que son extremadamente sensitivos.* Actividades afuera son permitidos para todos los estudiantes.
Anaranjado: El aire de afuera “no es saludable para grupos sensitivos”. En los días de color “naranjas” individuos sensitivos deben limitar ejercicios prolongados afuera y se les disponible actividades alternativos a dentro del salón para aquellos estudiantes.
Rojo: El aire de afuera “no es saludable” para todos. Los días “rojos” individuos sensitivos deben evitar actividades afuera y se les disponible actividades a dentro del salón para todos los estudiante .
*Individuos con enfermedades respiratorias, tales como el asma, son referidos como sensitivos.
†La conformidad variará basado a las necesidades de salud de cada individuo.
Tus Chij Cim Qhia Txog Huab Cua
Qhia Txog Huab Cua
Rau cov neeg Mob Hawb Pob tus chij cim uas muaj ntau hom kob, yuav muab dai rau nraum zoov ntawm lub tsev kawm ntawv txhua hnub qhia txog huab cua hloov li cas. Ib hom kob twg yuav siv cim raws nraim li hnub ntawd cov huab cua muaj nyob lub loom tiaj uas yog California cov tub tswj txog huab cua nyob rau cheeb tsam no. (The California Air Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.) Txhua hnub yuav muab ib tug chij dai nrog tus chij ntawm tsev kawm ntawv cim raws li cov huab cua hnub ntawd. Nws yog ib qhov qhia rau yus tias puas tsim nyog tawm mus dhia ua si sab raud tau.
Ntsiab Lus Ntawm Cov Kob Chij:
Kob Ntsuab: yog cov huab cua sab nraud “zoo” hnub no cov huab cua zoo heev rau txhua leej txhua tus. Cov menyuam kawm ntawv tawm rooj ua si tau.
Kob Daj: yog cov huab cua sab nraud “tsis tshua zoo” tsis zoo rau cov menyuam los neeg laus uas muaj mob yooj yim heev xwb, tiamsis kuj tso tau menyuam kawm ntawv mus ua si tau sab nraud.
Kob Kuataub: yog cov huab cua sab nraud “ tsis zoo rau cov neeg muaj mob yooj yim ” nyob rau hnub no, cov neeg muaj mob yooj yim tsis txhob tawm mus tiv huab cua sab nraud ntev. Cov Menyuam kawm ntawv uas muaj mob yooj yim yuav tsum cia ua si sab hauv tsev kawm ntawv xwb.
Kob Liab: yog cov huab cua nraum “tsis zoo kiag li” rau txhua leej txhua tus. Hnub dai tus chij kob liab no, txhua leej neeg uas muaj mob yooj yim tsis txhob tawm mus tiv huab cua sab nraud thiab tej menyuam kawm ntawv los yuav cia xyuas chaw ua si nyob rau sab hauv tsev lawm xwb.
*Yog leej twg muaj mob xws li mob hawb pob, hais tau tias muaj mob yooj yim
†Yuav tsum paub luj txog yus lub cev, txhua leej yuav sib txawv
Program Manager
Mary-Michal Rawling2740 M Street - Merced, CA 95340
Phone: (209) 384-6759 - Fax: (209) 384-6710
website: www.mmcac.com
The Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition is a community-based health organization open to anyone interested in asthma and air quality issues. The coalition meets the second Tuesday of every month at Mercy Medical Center Merced, Dominican Campus, at noon. We invite you to come and join us for lunch as we continue our educational efforts!
This program is supported by:
Merced County Office of Education
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
California Air Resources Board
Cal/EPA Children’s Environmental Health Center
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Representative Dennis Cardoza, 18th District
Made possible by a grant from:
