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CNN Live Today
'Daily Dose'
Aired October 29, 2003 - 11:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have our Elizabeth Cohen standing by, who's here to talk about air quality.
Elizabeth, are you here with us.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN ANCHOR: Daryn, can you hear me?
Daryn, we're here and we're going to talk about air quality, because as you said, it's not just the physical devastation to the landscape that these fires are causing, but also devastation to people's lungs. You -- people don't know whether they should go back to their homes, not go back to their homes, because a lot of it defends on the air quality.
So let's go through a list of people who are most at risk because of this air quality. First of all, folks who are elderly. Also children under 7. And the reason for that is that their respiratory system is still developing and they breathe in more pollution per pound of body weight. Also people with heart disease, people with lung disease, colds and flu, diseases like asthma, emphysema, chronic lung problems, they -- all of these folks are in a much different category than healthy people. Healthy people can go out of their house and if the air quality isn't good, that's not a good thing, but they're not really going to suffer much. But the folks who are in those categories, they can really suffer, they can really have serious medical consequences from breathing in this air that has of these teeny, tiny particles.
Now let's take a look at the things people can do in case they're wondering, what do we do when we're surrounding by this bad air quality? First of all, stay indoors, especially folks who are at highest risk, like the ones we just talked about. Also keep windows and doors closed. Run the air-conditioner, because that will help filter out some of the particles, and use a HEPA filter, which is better than a regular filter at getting some of those particles out. And don't burn anything. I know that sounds obvious. But don't use a wood stove. Don't use a gas stove. Don't burn candles. It's already bad enough outside. And also don't smoke. Again, I know that sounds obvious. But that's something that people need to remember.
Now many people are asking about masks when they're in this situation. Some people will go to the drug store and will buy a mask like this. See, it's a little papery, kind of a surgical mask. This will keep out the big particles. It is not going to help you with some of those little tiny particles that happen after there is a fire. For that, you need what's called an N-95 mask. This is the big gun, as it were, in the field of masks. And you have to look, there's an actual label on here. I don't know if you can see it, but it actually says N-95 mask.
And, Daryn, why don't we go back to you now. You've been sort of in the middle of this. How does the air quality feel to you?
KAGAN: Well, actually, I just want to say, first of all, I'm very pleased, because I was just looking at the mask that they've given me, and it is one of those N-95 masks. So we have the right equipment here at CNN.
I can tell you, Elizabeth. It's very smoky. The smell is definitely something that you notice. And today especially, and I think it shows on camera, a lot of ash. I have to say, I don't really feel it in my lungs, and I feel fine, but you can definitely -- it get in your clothes and you can kind of smell it everywhere.
COHEN: And for someone who's young and healthy like you, Daryn, it may not be pleasant, but it's probably not going to cause you major problems. But if you were someone who had emphysema, who had asthma, well, I'm sure CNN wouldn't have sent you there if that was the situation, but again, those people are in a whole different category.
KAGAN: And thanks for the young and funny branding. I appreciate that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 29, 2003 - 11:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have our Elizabeth Cohen standing by, who's here to talk about air quality.
Elizabeth, are you here with us.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN ANCHOR: Daryn, can you hear me?
Daryn, we're here and we're going to talk about air quality, because as you said, it's not just the physical devastation to the landscape that these fires are causing, but also devastation to people's lungs. You -- people don't know whether they should go back to their homes, not go back to their homes, because a lot of it defends on the air quality.
So let's go through a list of people who are most at risk because of this air quality. First of all, folks who are elderly. Also children under 7. And the reason for that is that their respiratory system is still developing and they breathe in more pollution per pound of body weight. Also people with heart disease, people with lung disease, colds and flu, diseases like asthma, emphysema, chronic lung problems, they -- all of these folks are in a much different category than healthy people. Healthy people can go out of their house and if the air quality isn't good, that's not a good thing, but they're not really going to suffer much. But the folks who are in those categories, they can really suffer, they can really have serious medical consequences from breathing in this air that has of these teeny, tiny particles.
Now let's take a look at the things people can do in case they're wondering, what do we do when we're surrounding by this bad air quality? First of all, stay indoors, especially folks who are at highest risk, like the ones we just talked about. Also keep windows and doors closed. Run the air-conditioner, because that will help filter out some of the particles, and use a HEPA filter, which is better than a regular filter at getting some of those particles out. And don't burn anything. I know that sounds obvious. But don't use a wood stove. Don't use a gas stove. Don't burn candles. It's already bad enough outside. And also don't smoke. Again, I know that sounds obvious. But that's something that people need to remember.
Now many people are asking about masks when they're in this situation. Some people will go to the drug store and will buy a mask like this. See, it's a little papery, kind of a surgical mask. This will keep out the big particles. It is not going to help you with some of those little tiny particles that happen after there is a fire. For that, you need what's called an N-95 mask. This is the big gun, as it were, in the field of masks. And you have to look, there's an actual label on here. I don't know if you can see it, but it actually says N-95 mask.
And, Daryn, why don't we go back to you now. You've been sort of in the middle of this. How does the air quality feel to you?
KAGAN: Well, actually, I just want to say, first of all, I'm very pleased, because I was just looking at the mask that they've given me, and it is one of those N-95 masks. So we have the right equipment here at CNN.
I can tell you, Elizabeth. It's very smoky. The smell is definitely something that you notice. And today especially, and I think it shows on camera, a lot of ash. I have to say, I don't really feel it in my lungs, and I feel fine, but you can definitely -- it get in your clothes and you can kind of smell it everywhere.
COHEN: And for someone who's young and healthy like you, Daryn, it may not be pleasant, but it's probably not going to cause you major problems. But if you were someone who had emphysema, who had asthma, well, I'm sure CNN wouldn't have sent you there if that was the situation, but again, those people are in a whole different category.
KAGAN: And thanks for the young and funny branding. I appreciate that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
