INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability has urged Hoosiers to take extra precautions when spending time outdoors on Friday as sweltering temperatures continue to impact central Indiana and create unsafe conditions for vulnerable community members.
According to a news release, a Knowzone Action Day has been issued for Friday, June 21, for sensitive groups including people with asthma, COPD and other diagnoses. The release encouraged these individuals to try and spend as much time as possible indoors as the week draws to a close.
The warning is due to the serious combination of extremely hot temperatures and light winds leading to ozone development. This announcement marks the third Knozone Action Day that has been issued so far in 2024. Last year, Indiana saw 23 Knozone Action Days issued, the most in recorded history.
The air quality is projected to come out as orange on the Air Quality Index, meaning it is especially dangerous to children, elderly people, pregnant women, anyone working outdoors and people with asthma, COPD, emphysema and heart disease.
According to the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability, the poor air quality is slated to affect nearly one in five people across Marion County as 11% of adults live with asthma and 7.5% have COPD.
The release indicated that ground-level ozone is “dangerous for public health” because it can lead to the development of fine particulate matter, microscopic particles in the air that can cause several different health issues when inhaled.
“Ground-level ozone is created when a chemical reaction occurs between sunlight and hydrocarbons from emission sources common in urban areas, like gas-powered vehicles and lawn mowers,” the release said.
The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability shared the following tips for residents to reduce ground-level ozone:
- Avoid vehicle idling, including when in drive-thru lanes or picking up carry-out
- Drive less: use active forms of transportation like walking or biking (utilizing Pacers Bikeshare’s IndyRides Free pass)
- Utilize public transportation or carpool with services such as IndyGo or Commuter Connect
- Wait to refuel and use gas-powered lawn equipment until temperatures are cooler
- Combine errands to reduce number of trips
- Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above
- Delay use of garden, household, and workshop chemicals until air has returned to healthy levels
Additionally, residents can sign up to receive email or text alerts online at smogwatch.in.gov.
