Orange Ozone Action Day Friday As SE PA Bakes Under Heat Advisory

SOUTHEASTERN PA — Friday is not the day to leave your car idling, and the DEP advises carpooling and using minimal electricity at home as heat soars and air quality suffers.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued for Friday a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Ozone for five southeastern PA counties.

The Code Orange Ozone Action issuance comes alongside the National Weather Service heat advisory for all five suburban Philadelphia counties, in effect from noon on Thursday through 8 p.m. on Friday. Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties are included in both the heat advisory and the Air Quality alert.

The DEP said Thursday afternoon that mostly sunny skies and high temperatures in the low to mid-90s will likely contribute to 8-hour average concentrations of ozone in the Code Orange range on Friday.

An Air Quality Action Day is issued when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day area are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce ozone air pollution by:

• Driving less by carpooling or using public transportation;
• Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;
• Limiting engine idling;
• Refueling cars and trucks after dusk; and
• Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature and turning off lights that are not in use.

National Weather Service Heat Advisory Details

NWS forecasters are predicting maximum heat index values anywhere from 100 to 104 on Friday, meaning heat exhaustion or heat stroke are possible with prolonged exposure to the elements.

"Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur," the National Weather Service said in the alert.

"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances," the agency said in the advisory.

"Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heatstroke is an emergency! Call 9-1-1."

Justin Heinze contributed to this story.

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