After exploring the website for the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH), I learned more about the available resources for individuals and families affected by wildfires. Having lived in California my entire life, I have always known about the threat that wildfires pose to those living in dry, arid areas. With global temperatures rising, these fires have been occurring more frequently and becoming more intense. Smoke from wildfires has also created serious problems for individuals living in California, especially in more fire-prone areas. I found a link on the NCDMPH's website that led me to a CDC Environmental Health piece on the importance of protecting ourselves from smoke during wildfire season. In my experience, many individuals are not aware of smoke's potential to exacerbate health problems, especially for children and older adults. As wildfires become more common, I feel that education on the impacts of smoke from wildfires should be targeted toward these groups of vulnerable individuals, with resources (i.e., masks) being provided immediately. I feel that all public health professionals living in California have a responsibility to think about the impacts of wildfires for everyone and advocate for environmental change to address the ever-increasing threat of climate change.
Comments
Post a Comment