PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A thick, dusty haze settled over the Phoenix Valley Tuesday after one of the strongest dust storms on record moved through the area.
While some residents welcomed the break from the heat, doctors are warning that the air poses a real health risk for vulnerable populations.
Who is most at risk
Emergency room physician and ASU professor Dr. Frank LoVecchio said the dust is not a significant concern for most healthy people, but cautioned that others need to take it seriously.
“For the average person, it’s not going to be a big deal, but it is a big deal for many people,” LoVecchio said.
He said people with lung disease, heart disease, the very young, the very old, and those who are immunosuppressed are most at risk. The dust can trigger asthma, strain the heart, and send more people to the emergency room.
What is in the dust
JoAnna Strother with the American Lung Association said the hazard goes beyond what is visible in the air.
“Dust particles often carry trapped allergens such as mold spores and pollutants that can trigger allergic reactions,” Strother said.
Strother noted the dust can also carry fungal spores that can cause Valley Fever.
Residents at Encanto Park
At Encanto Park, families and regulars were outside Tuesday despite the haze. Erenzo Scroggins brought his daughter to feed the ducks.
“I brought my daughter out here, last day before school — she wanted to come feed the ducks,” Scroggins said.
Terry Jones said he fishes at Encanto for an hour or more most days and found the overcast conditions favorable.
“I usually come out to Encanto to fish for an hour, hour and a half every day. Sometimes I catch fish, sometimes I don’t. When it’s cloudy, I tend to catch them,” Jones said.
Jones said he has his own approach to managing the dusty air.
“I don’t stay out more than an hour and then I’m in the rest of the day,” he said.
What doctors recommend
Dr. LoVecchio said people in sensitive groups should stay inside as much as possible.
For those who cannot avoid going outdoors, he recommends wearing an N-95 mask.
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