A frightening question I did not want to ask today...

Has anyone found any local stores in Oregon that are still selling air filters?

I have not found any.

Not sure if I want to purchase one online or not. Will I still want an air filter in three days to help me breath better?

Time is Ticking

The slight amount of rain we are expected to have was supposed to arrive days ago, and now it isn't expected until Thursday, maybe. Will the rain clear the air, or only provide a momentary reprieve.

With the wildfires continuing to fill the air with ongoing dangerous levels of smoke particles, there is no solution in place to protect our right to breath clean air.

Panic Shopping

At the Home Depot, the entire stock of air filters and air purification systems had been sold out from the location I visited. The clerk told me people were buying upwards of 20 air filters at a time. Most people, like me, were willing to buy any size filter so they can tape it to a floor fan in their room.

At Lowe's, the situation was worse. They still had a whole aisle of various air purifiers and filter in stock, but they were all roped off. So this means they have already been reserved for special buyers, and not for sale to the public.

Solutions?

So living in an area now smothered in the world's most dangerous air, I am starting to feel like I the person who lives in a village built on a dormant volcano. Why am I staying here? There doesn't seem to be anywhere to go with hundreds of miles around us also covered in the same smoke.

I have tried running my dehumidifier in the bedroom at night, and I am not sure how much that helps anything.

Friends have also told me you can run an Air Conditioner on the fan setting with the vent closed to recirculate indoor air through its filter system. However, this isn't very helpful at cleaning the air in the bedroom areas were we spend most of our time.

Apparently the filter attached to most people's home heating system does not help to recirculate indoor air through the filter. So it is actually safer not to run the furnace, as it draws polluted outdoor air in through the filter, and sends that into the house.

It really worries me how many people in Oregon are being affected by the smoke and fires.

Public Response?

So far, I have not found any public statements from leaders or the media stating how dangerous the health effects this will have on our evacuated populations. They seem to be more concerned that people will stop following COVID guidelines for their immediate safety. My guess is they fear causing a panic.

Today, only 8 deaths are reported in the state as a result of the fires. Does anyone else think this is an accurate representation of the deaths that have resulted from the pollution and smoke? If hundreds of people were being hospitalized due to the smoke, wouldn't you want to know?

Information Source: https://nypost.com/2020/09/15/national-guard-deployed-to-oregon-to-help-contain-wildfires/

At least the National Guard has finally been called in to help Oregon manage the wildfires. They have been training all Summer to provide aid in case this type of emergency should occur. They are currently doing tasks such as helping to block entry into evacuated areas, helping people to safety, clearing roads, and using helicopters to spray water onto dangerous wildfires.

Cover Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/forest-fire-wildfire-blaze-smoke-2268725/

Comments

Knowing this is a touchy subject, I'll try to stay away from conspiracy theories, or placing blame on any specific persons, or political groups. Although in comments, I am a little bit more willing to share my personal opinions. Please be respectful to others in the comments, and help provide solutions and encouragement to anyone affected by this disaster.

#blog #disaster #air-pollution #air-filter #news #commentary
#question #questions #QandA