{"id":76746,"date":"2024-10-10T00:00:11","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T00:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/8362d0f578a22a3b5c3968aea5ffcc45"},"modified":"2024-10-10T00:00:11","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T00:00:11","slug":"hurricane-milton-safety-guidance-from-american-lung-association","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/hurricane-milton-safety-guidance-from-american-lung-association\/","title":{"rendered":"Hurricane Milton safety guidance from American Lung Association"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As Florida residents brace for the landfall of Hurricane Milton<\/span>, the American Lung Association (ALA) is offering guidance for those with chronic lung conditions.<\/p>\n

Nearly half a million people in Tampa Bay live with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease<\/span> (COPD), lung cancer or other chronic lung conditions, according to the ALA. <\/p>\n

People who live with chronic lung conditions could be at a greater risk during a natural disaster like Hurricane Milton and Helene, according to Steven Riddle, executive director of the Tampa division of the American Lung Association.<\/p>\n

HURRICANE EFFECTS POSE ‘TREMENDOUS’ HEALTH HAZARDS FOR AMERICANS, DOCTOR WARNS<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“High winds kick up dirt, allergens and other irritants that can exacerbate asthma, COPD and other lung conditions,” he told Fox News Digital. <\/p>\n

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Nearly half a million people in Tampa Bay live with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer or other chronic lung conditions.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“People who rely on supplemental oxygen are extremely vulnerable during a power outage, which is why we recommend securing a back-up power source.” <\/p>\n

Floodwaters can also be contaminated with sewage, chemicals, oil, gas and other dangerous substances that can pose health risks to everyone, he warned. <\/p>\n

HURRICANE FLOODING: 3 HEALTH WARNINGS ABOUT MOLD GROWING IN YOUR HOME<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“Mold can grow anywhere there is water or dampness, and can cause wheezing, coughing and asthma attacks<\/span>,” Riddle said. <\/p>\n

“Some evidence links mold to respiratory illnesses in otherwise healthy children.”<\/p>\n

5 tips for protecting lung health amid a hurricane<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For those living in Gulf Coast communities, the ALA published the following recommendations on its website for lung health protection<\/span>.<\/p>\n

1. Create an asthma or COPD travel pack<\/strong><\/h3>\n

People with chronic lung disease should store all medications, drug delivery devices<\/span>, prescriptions and insurance cards together so they can be grabbed and transported if needed.<\/p>\n

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“People who rely on supplemental oxygen are extremely vulnerable during a power outage, which is why we recommend securing a back-up power source,” ALA stated.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“N95 masks can protect against dust, contaminants and microorganisms, and hand sanitizer is helpful to have on hand,” Riddle added.<\/p>\n

2. Prepare oxygen therapy devices in advance<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In the event of evacuation or power outages, it\u2019s important for those with a lung condition to have a back-up oxygen tank and power source, the ALA advised. <\/p>\n

20 WORST PLACES TO LIVE IF YOU HAVE ASTHMA, PER MAJOR HEALTH ORGANIZATION<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“Check with the instructions or product manufacturer to make sure the back-up power source will work for your device,” the guidelines state.<\/p>\n

“Let your power company and emergency responders know you are using a medical device<\/span> that needs power.”<\/p>\n

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Those with lung conditions should be especially aware of any breathing problems during hurricanes, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, heaviness in the chest, lightheadedness and dizziness. <\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

3. Use caution during power outages<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If sheltering in a home without power, the ALA warns against cooking indoors with portable gasoline- or diesel-powered generators, gas stoves, charcoal stoves, grills, portable camping stoves and other devices. <\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/u><\/strong><\/span>      <\/strong><\/p>\n

“These produce carbon monoxide that can kill if it builds up indoors,” the organization cautioned.<\/p>\n

4. Monitor for symptoms of illness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“Floodwaters often contain sewage, chemicals and garbage, leaving dangerous debris and making breathing more difficult,” said the ALA.<\/p>\n

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Those who need assistance or information during a hurricane can contact the American Lung Association\u2019s Lung Helpline at 1-800-LUNG-USA or can visit Lung.org\/disaster.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Those with lung conditions should be especially aware of any breathing problems during hurricanes<\/span>, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, heaviness in the chest, lightheadedness and dizziness. <\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“Please get emergency medical help<\/span> if your fingernails or lips turn blue or if you\u2019re experiencing severe chest pain,” Riddle advised.<\/p>\n

5. Ask for help<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Those who need assistance or information during a hurricane can contact the American Lung Association\u2019s Lung Helpline at 1-800-LUNG-USA to speak with nurses and respiratory therapists or can visit Lung.org\/disaster.<\/p>\n

For more Health articles, visit <\/u><\/strong><\/i><\/span>www.foxnews.com\/health<\/u><\/strong><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

“It\u2019s not uncommon for people to develop new symptoms in the weeks following Milton,” Riddle told Fox News Digital. <\/p>\n

“We\u2019re advising people to reach out to their physician if they\u2019re experiencing any breathing problems.”<\/p>\n

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Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Florida residents brace for the landfall of Hurricane Milton, the American Lung Association (ALA) is offering guidance for those with chronic lung conditions. Nearly half a million people in Tampa Bay live with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer or other chronic lung conditions, according to the ALA.  People who live with …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":76747,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","has-thumb","has-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76746"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76746"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76746\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.timesamerica.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}