California wildfires can threaten community health

Wildfires increase the risk of respiratory distress, chronic disease and other ailments.


Many Californians awoke last week to ashen skies, school closings, and evacuations as wildfires erupted across the state, according to an article on the Direct Relief website.

The blazes began at the same time the state’s two main power companies, Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison, turned off electricity to counties across California in an effort to prevent wildfires.

The outages disrupted operations at health centers and clinics, forcing many of them to shut down locations, redirect patients, and struggle to house temperature-sensitive vaccines, the article said.

Active fires also bring health risk to respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms caused by inhaling fine particles or post-traumatic stress. When healthcare organizations close, the problems are compounded, especially for people too poor or unwell to leave the area. 

Read the article.



October 17, 2019


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Healthcare Security: To Arm Or Not To Arm?

Deciding whether or not to hire armed security personnel requires that managers understand a range of critical considerations.


False Alarm at Kansas Hospital Highlights Importance of Alarm System Reliability

After a two-hour search of the hospital and nearby medical facilities, no threat was found.


Integrated Oncology Network Caught Up in Data Breach

The network first learned of the incident on April 11, 2025.


ISSA Introduces Healthcare Platform to Advance Safer, Cleaner Patient Environments

This new resource integrates training, research and cross-sector collaboration to raise care standards and improve patient outcomes.


Third-Party Tracking Settlement is a Compliance Wake-Up Call for Healthcare Facilities Managers

Mount Sinai Health System agrees to a $5.3 million settlement to resolve claims it improperly shared patient data with Facebook through tracking tools.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.