On the afternoon of November 28, 2017, a fire broke out in Salem, Ohio (where I live) at the former Salem China Company building. As of this evening, the fire was still going. (Check out this link from WKBN Youngstown for the latest information. Photo above courtesy of WKBN). Via social media, I've been receiving a lot of questions about all the smoke in the air around town.
Photo courtesy of The Salem News
Here are Four Things To Keep In Mind About Smoke Exposure
- What are symptoms of smoke exposure: Symptoms to look out for include Cough, Shortness of Breath, Hoarseness, Noisy Breathing, Eye Irritation, Abnormal Skin Color, Headache, Confusion
- Beware if you have past or current lung problems: For those already with lung disease like asthma, COPD, emphysema, or others, you are at a higher risk of breathing problems when exposed to any kind of smoke - like those from fires. Take your prescription lung medication as scheduled and make sure you have your rescue medication if needed.
- Check on young children and the elderly: Especially those young and old are prone to lung symptoms when exposed to smoke. If they start to report any symptoms above, don't ignore them.
- See your doctor sooner rather than later: Even though you are halfway across town, your lungs could still be affected by the smoke in the air. Even though it may be the day after the fire as you read this, your lungs could still be affected by the smoke in the air around town. If you think you're having difficulty with breathing or anything else, I encourage you to check with your doctor, you'll be glad you did....