The Maryland Department of the Environment has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for the Fort Meade area, including Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Harford, and Cecil counties. The alert remains in effect until midnight on Saturday.
Fort Meade Emergency Management officials are urging personnel and residents to take precautions today, as air pollution concentrations have reached levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups.
According to health officials, sensitive groups include children, the elderly, and individuals suffering from asthma, heart disease, or other chronic lung diseases. These individuals are at the highest risk and should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor activity.
The alert is driven by elevated levels of ground-level ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. It is a colorless gas formed when sunlight reacts with vehicle emissions, solvent vapors, and industrial emissions, a reaction that is highly likely during hot, dry, and fairly still weather conditions.
Guidance for the Community and Leadership:
Limit Exertion: Community members in sensitive groups should avoid strenuous activity or exercise outdoors. Move physical activities indoors when possible, or use a mask if you must be outdoors and are at risk.
Modify Operations: Installation leadership and supervisors are advised to evaluate and consider rescheduling or modifying non-essential outdoor physical training (PT) or heavy labor activities for affected personnel.
Monitor Symptoms: Personnel should monitor themselves and their teams for any signs of respiratory distress, shortness of breath, or fatigue, and follow asthma or COPD action plans if applicable. Seek medical attention if necessary.
The Fort Meade Emergency Management team will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as atmospheric conditions change.
For real-time local air quality updates, residents are encouraged to visit AirNow.gov and keep notifications enabled on the Fort Meade My Army Post app.