DEQ Issues Air Quality Alert, Urges Tulsans To Plan Accordingly

OKLAHOMA CITY - The State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today issued an ozone alert for the Tulsa, Lawton and Oklahoma City metropolitan areas. The alert is for Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

The alert is a prediction that concentrations of ozone will approach levels of concern over the next 24 hours and those sensitive to poor air quality are urged to plan accordingly.

Ozone affects people differently. Persons with lung or heart disease should be aware that increased pollution may cause them to experience adverse health effects. Unhealthy levels of ozone can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, increased susceptibility to respiratory infection and aggravation of asthma and other respiratory ailments.

Children, older adults and people with underlying lung diseases, such as asthma, are at particular risk of suffering from these effects. As ozone levels increase, the number of people affected and the severity of the health effects also increase.

To help avoid ozone formation and reduce your exposure the Department suggests:

Car pool or ride the bus to work or school.

Walk or ride a bicycle for short trips during morning hours when ozone levels are lower.

Wait until evening to refuel your automobile or mow your lawn.

Arrive and leave work a little earlier or later than usual to decrease rush-hour traffic.

Drive your most fuel efficient vehicle.

Make sure gas caps on vehicles, lawn mowers and other equipment seal properly.

Trip chain, combine errands to make one trip instead of several.

Limit idling time in your vehicle.

Limit the use of drive-through windows.

Limit the use of charcoal starter fluid and other products that contain hydrocarbons.

Postpone normally permissible outdoor burning to a non-Ozone Watch day.

Limit or postpone the use of two-cycle engines (i.e. lawnmowers, weed eaters, motor boats and motor cycles).

Further information on this and other environmental concerns can be found at the Department's website, https://www.deq.ok.gov/

To receive an Air Quality Health Advisory email sign-up at:

https://www.deq.ok.gov/air-quality-division/sign-up-for-air-quality-notifications/