BY LIZ HYMAN | The week of July 13 proved a hellish sight (well, certainly a hazy one) for New York City, when smoke from Canadian wildfires moved into the metro area and lingered for days. Combined with high temperatures, the resulting conditions had NYS Governor Kathy Hochul issuing an Air Quality Health Advisory and urging “all New Yorkers, particularly sensitive groups, to continue to take precautions to protect their health.”
That didn’t keep determined locals indoors—but it did prompt them to take precautions, breaking out the old COVID masks before getting a move on.
One Chelsea resident, Ingrid Niboe, said she’s been “wearing her mask since 2020,” so she was already prepared. “I don’t think the smoke will clear up till the fires are out of control,” said Niboe. “The smoke has made my nose itch and God knows [how it affects my long-term health].”
Another Chelsea resident, Jessica Voss, was out for a jog. In talking about the smoke, Jessica (with mask on) mentioned her asthma condition, that makes her one of the “sensitive groups” dissuaded from being outside. By the time Voss spoke to Chelsea Community News, the sky had cleared up a bit, but there was still room for caution. “Yea, it doesn’t look bad, but it is bad.” she told us.
Said Susan Palmer Marshall, President of the Council of Chelsea Block Associations, “Because the air quality issue extended well beyond our neighborhood, the Council of Chelsea Block Associations did not issue any formal community-wide guidance beyond encouraging our members to follow public health recommendations, limit outdoor exposure when air quality is poor, wear a well-fitting mask if they needed to be outside, and stay safe.”
Marshall also noted the cancellation of an outdoor activity, due to the smoke. “One of our member Block Associations had planned to hold a Coffee at the Curb event, but it was canceled because of the unhealthy air conditions. We shared that cancellation with our membership, and we were pleased that organizers put residents’ health and safety first.”
The smoke eventually cleared, of course—but concerns among locals linger…
—END—
ChelseaCommunityNews.com (CCNews) is an independent, single-owner online newspaper providing news, arts, events, and opinion content to Manhattan’s Chelsea community and its adjacent areas (Flatiron/NoMad and Meatpacking Districts, Hudson Yards, Hell’s Kitchen, Broadway/Times Square, and the Penn Station area). Our editorial content is made possible by advertising revenue, grants, quarterly pledges of support, and voluntary reader donations (click here for our GoFundMe campaign). To join our subscriber list, click here to receive ENewsletters containing links to recently published content–as well as an occasional “Sponsored Content” email featuring an advertiser’s exclusive message.
ChelseaCommunityNews.com is a member of the New York Press Association (NYPA) and the Empire State Local News Coalition. Our content is collected for placement in the United States Library of Congress’ LGBTQ+ Studies Web Archive. (“We consider your website to be an important part of the historical record,” read a July 26, 2019 email.) Our freelance reporters have been recognized by NYPA’s annual Better Newspaper Contest, with Honorable Mention wins for Best News or Feature Series (2021 & 2023). CCNews is a three-time winner in the Coverage of the Arts category (First Place and Honorable Mention, 2022 and Third Place, 2023).
PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: HELP CHELSEA COMMUNITY NEWS THRIVE BY FREQUENTLY VISITING THIS WEBSITE TO READ OUR ARTICLES AND CLICK ON THE ADVERTISEMENTS.
Questions? Comments? Want to Place an Advertisement or Make a Donation? Email Founder/Editor Scott Stiffler at scott@chelseacommunitynews.com.
Pingback: Air Quality Alert Sees Pedestrians Don Pandemic-Era Protective Gear – Kookloofeed