HomeMy WebLinkAbout18-051 DOH_Air Quality Guidelines for Hawaii County NR FINAL
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR
BRUCE S. ANDERSON, Ph.D.
DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2018 18-051
New interactive air quality monitoring tool makes data
available online during Kilauea volcanic eruption
HILO, HI – Hawai‘i Island emergency responders now have access to real-time data from more
than 30 additional areas on the island to make informed decisions about the air quality affected
by volcanic activity. Data from newly installed air quality monitors stationed in the Kilauea East
Rift Zone and other affected areas is now available to the public.
The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with the Hawaii County Civil Defense
Agency (HCCDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), expanded air quality
monitoring capacity in the lower East Rift Zone during the volcanic eruption on Hawaii Island.
The data is now available online at www.epa.gov/kilaueaairdata.
“The health and safety of first responders and the community have been our top priorities,” said
Director of Health Dr. Bruce Anderson. “These additional monitors will provide integral data for
emergency management officials to make critical decisions each day to support response
efforts, and for residents and visitors to make informed decisions for their personal health and
safety concerns.”
“Working together with state and local public health and emergency management agencies, the
EPA developed an online mapping tool that provides real-time air quality data near the volcanic
activity,” said Mike Stoker, regional administrator for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Office. “The
EPA will continue to provide support to our partner agencies to ensure first responders and the
public have access to this vital information.”
The map viewer uses the county’s three-color public notification system (blue, orange and red),
which recommends protective actions to be taken by responders and the public. The three-color
system corresponds with established health guidelines.
“Volcanic eruptions are unique hazards that call for specialized response protocols,” said
Talmadge Magno, HCCDA administrator. “We developed a system that aligns with federal and
state health standards that also meets the needs of our county first responders. We believe
these guidelines support our sheltering and evacuation messaging by efficiently communicating
health risks to the public during our ongoing response.”
In addition to the DOH and EPA monitors, the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey,
and South Coast Air Quality Management District in California also provided expert staff,
equipment and monitors to this network. There are 15 new monitoring stations in place, which
brings the total network to 34 monitoring stations. Monitors track sulfur dioxide (SO), hydrogen
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sulfide (HS) and particulate matter. Most monitors are placed around the active fissure area,
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but there are also monitors in the southern and western areas of the island.
The monitors provide real-time data on SO and HS levels. The public viewer shows a map of
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the monitoring stations color-coded based on the average concentration of all data received
over 30 minutes and is updated every time a new reading is received. The color air monitoring
stations will change depending on the level of health risk. Blue indicates gas levels are healthy,
orange indicates moderate levels, and red indicates unhealthy conditions.
To learn more about Hawaii County’s evacuation guidance on hazardous gas exposure, visit:
http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/lava-related/#ToxicGasPolicy.
To sign up for alerts from Hawaii County, visit https://countyofhawaii.bbcportal.com/. All alerts
are posted at http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts. Additional county resources are
available at http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/lava-related/.
In addition to existing real-time and historic air quality data, the new SO and HS data can be
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accessed on the Interagency Vog Dashboard at https://vog.ivhhn.org/current-air-quality or by
going directly to www.epa.gov/kilaueaairdata.
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Media Contacts:
Janice Okubo
Communications Director
Hawaii Department of Health
(808) 586-4445
janice.okubo@doh.hawaii.gov
Nahal Mogharabi
Press Officer
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1 (213) 514-4361
mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov