INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has declared an Air Quality Action Day for Tuesday in multiple Indiana counties due to high ozone levels.
According to the IDEM, AQAD is effective from midnight to 11:59 p.m. on the specified day.
Those sensitive to changes in air quality can be affected by the high ozone levels. Children, the elderly, and anyone with a heart or lung condition should reduce or avoid any exertion and heavy work that is outdoors.
The counties affected by the AQAD are:
- Marion County
- Bartholomew County
- Boone County
- Brown County
- Delaware County
- Hamilton County
- Hendricks County
- Howard County
- Madison County
- Shelby County
- Clark County
- Floyd County
- Daviess County
- Dubois County
- Gibson County
- Greene County
- Knox County
- Perry County
- Pike County
- Posey County
- Spencer County
- Vanderburgh County
- Warrick County
- Vigo County
- Carroll County
- Tippecanoe County
Also Tuesday, counties in north-central and northeast Indiana are under a heat advisory from noon to 8 p.m. Among them are Blackford, Cass, Grant, Jay and White counties.
The National Weather Service recommends taking precautions when outside from early morning to evening. People should wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing if possible. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent breaks where there is shade or air conditioning. If you are experiencing a heat stroke, call 911.
IDEM released tips on how everyone can help reduce ozone by making certain changes to their daily habits. You can:
- Drive less: carpool, use public transportation, walk, bike, or work from home when possible
- Combine errands into one trip
- Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m.
- Keep your engine tuned, and don’t let your engine idle (e.g., at a bank or restaurant drive-thru)
- Conserve energy by turning off lights and setting the thermostat to 75 degrees or above
The ground-level ozone is created when sunlight and hot weather are combined with vehicle exhaust, factory emissions, and gasoline vapors. Ozone on the ground is a lung irritant that can cause breathing difficulties and cough for those who are sensitive to this.
