Prepare for Wildfire Smoke
Summer fires can bring unhealthy wildfire smoke to Rose Villa. There are things we can do to help us prepare for and deal with poor air quality.
The U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) is a color-coded tool that shows if the air is healthy or not. Knowing your local AQI can help you protect your health.
Imagine the AQI like a scale from 0 to 500. The higher the number, the worse the air quality and the bigger the health risk. For example, an AQI of 50 or below means good air quality, while an AQI over 300 means the air is very hazardous.
An AQI of 100 or above triggers Rose Villa’s Air Quality protocols. These include:
- Warnings of poor air quality to residents
- Building Operations to change air intake on HVAC building systems
- Increased frequency of filter checks
- Higher levels of poor AQI may force additional emergency procedures.
During the fires in Oregon in September 2020, the AQI in the Portland area exceeded 500, the highest in the world during that time.
Rose Villa and multiple residents have AQI sensors in place to continuously measure the air quality at Rose Villa.
Visit the Rose Villa AQI dashboard to view the current readings.
You can track current Oregon fires on the following links:
Limit Outdoor Activities: Stay indoors as much as possible when the air quality is poor, especially during peak pollution hours.
Wear N95 Masks: If going outside is unavoidable, wear a high-quality N95 mask to filter out harmful particles. Be aware that cloth, dust, and surgical masks don’t protect you from the harmful particles in smoke.
Close Windows and Doors: Keep windows and doors closed to prevent outdoor air from coming inside. If it’s hot, run your air conditioning on recirculate. Rose Villa staff will set building air conditioners to run on recirculate if you do not have access to your home’s air conditioner’s settings.
Use Air Purifiers: Use air purifiers with HEPA filters to reduce indoor pollutants.
Indoor High-Efficiency Particle Air (HEPA) purifiers can greatly reduce the small particles found in wildfire smoke. Many residents, including Rose Villa, have purchased air purifiers to use during unhealthy air events. Here is a link to consumer report ratings of various HEPA air purifiers.
If you are a DIY type, you could consider building your own air purifying filter by following these instructions.
In addition to monitoring outside air quality, Rose Villa and several residents also use Purple Air sensors to monitor their indoor air quality. You may view Rose Villa’s indoor AQI readings on the AQI dashboard.
Designate a Room: Set up a specific room with an air purifier where you can retreat when the air quality is very poor. Ensure that windows and doors are properly sealed to prevent outdoor air from entering. Read the US EPA handout on how to create a clean room at home.
Rose Villa’s Areas of Air Refuge: Rose Villa owns several industrial-sized air scrubbers that will be used in the North Main PAC, South Main Harvest Grill, and Schroeder Lofts Rec Room should air quality become very unhealthy.
Ventilation: When the air quality improves, ventilate your home to circulate fresh air. Tightly sealing up an apartment or a specific room raises the risk of unhealthy CO2 levels, so periodic air venting is recommended.
You may also re-watch the June 2023 Ready Force Zoom presentation on preparing for summer heat & smoke.