South Bend, IN – Residents across northern Indiana are being urged to take precautions as air quality levels have reached potentially harmful conditions for sensitive groups.
An Air Quality Action Day for Ozone has been declared by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for Tuesday, June 17, affecting areas including South Bend, Elkhart, Warsaw, Logansport, and surrounding communities.
According to IDEM, ozone concentrations are expected to reach levels considered “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.” This includes individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma, as well as active children and older adults. Officials are recommending those at risk limit prolonged outdoor activities throughout the day.
To help reduce ozone levels and minimize further pollution, residents are encouraged to:
- Carpool, use public transit, or bike and walk instead of driving alone
- Delay refueling vehicles or using gas-powered equipment until after 7 p.m.
- Turn off car engines during extended idling
- Combine errands to reduce trips
- Conserve electricity by raising thermostat settings and turning off lights when not needed
These preventative measures are intended to reduce the amount of ozone-forming pollutants in the atmosphere. IDEM continues to monitor air conditions and updates are available on their SmogWatch site at https://apps.idem.in.gov/smogwatch.
Residents can sign up for local alerts and advisories through IDEM or local emergency management services.
