Smoke and Human Health - Information for the Community

Transcription

1 Smoke and Human Health - Information for the Community

2 Background - Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry Key recommendations relating to: air quality monitoring equipment revision of carbon monoxide protocols for responders, workers and community, including susceptible individuals revision of fine particle community protocols (e.g. PM 2.5 ) development of a State Smoke Framework

3 Governance

4 What is the State Smoke Framework? Designed for people, communities & responders

5 What s in Smoke? Smoke from fires is a mixture of different-sized particles, water vapour and gases, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The composition of smoke (and therefore the contaminants of concern) will depend on the nature of the fire.

6 Particulate Matter (PM) and Health Effects

7 Particulate matter (PM) and health effects 5 December 2016

8 Sensitive Groups to Fine Particle Exposure The following community groups are most sensitive to fine particle exposure associated with smoke events: The developing baby prior to birth (i.e. the foetus) People with heart and lung conditions People over the age of 65 Children 14 years and younger Smokers

9 Victorian State Smoke Framework 5 December 2016

10 Victorian State Smoke Framework The Framework is an integrated state wide approach to prepare and respond to smoke events Identifies the types of events, tools and processes that facilitate planning, decisionmaking and emergency response management in Victoria Supported by community engagement requirements Publicly available from Emergency Management Victoria s (EMV s) website

11 State Smoke Framework structure

12 State Smoke Framework Tools - Overview Standards and supporting JSOPs developed under the framework Incident Air Quality Monitoring For Community Health Guidelines

13 Community smoke, air quality and health standard What does the Standard describe? A Victorian graduated smoke advisory system that links air quality monitoring of fine particles to health protection messages Sets fine particle threshold values which trigger specific health protection messages and actions Thresholds are based on rolling 24-hour average PM 2.5 concentrations Prevents sensitive community groups from being exposed to fine particles in the air where the rolling 24-hour average of PM 2.5 is above 250 µg/m 3 for three or more consecutive days The air quality monitoring network deployed during events Preferred equipment used to inform decisions regarding public health advice to the community

14 Community smoke, air quality and health standard

15 JSOP Managing Significant Community Exposures to Fine Particles from Smoke Scope and content Intended for use by EPA and DHHS officers, and Incident Controllers Scope is restricted to the provision of air quality monitoring data from EPA to DHHS and the issuing of health protection messages through EMV warning platforms Does not address actions relating to management of first responder health and safety Does not address processes of data collection, sharing and interpretation which may occur by EPA in consultation with fire agencies Includes 8 schedules describing processes between EPA and DHHS

16 Public Health Messaging for Smoke Messaging through Vic Emergency website EM-COP All fire warnings now include general smoke messages Smoke can affect people s health. People with heart or lung conditions (including asthma), children, pregnant women and older people are more sensitive to the effects of breathing in smoke. People with existing heart or lung conditions (including asthma) should follow the treatment plan advised by the doctor. If you are experiencing any symptoms that may be due to smoke exposure, seek medical advice or call NURSE-ON- CALL on Anyone experiencing wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing should call 000.

17 Collateral - Factsheet hyliving/bushfire-smoke

18 Collateral - Posters

19 Collateral (Digital) Video: bushfire smoke and your health & linking fromwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/bushfire-smoke Video: bushfire smoke planning travel in Victoria & linking from Video: planned burns smoke and your health

20 Links

21 What are we proposing for the 2016/17 summer season? Digital marketing campaign Animations/video training tools Infographics Earlier mail out of posters and fact sheet Earlier social media promotion and more engaging content Stakeholder toolkits - e.g. councils, schools New inter-agency emergency warnings platforms

22 Thank you. Questions please.