What Can Schools and Childcare Centers do to Reduce Children’s Exposure to the Harmful Health Effects of Wildfires? 

pehsu
06/04/2025

School or childcare administrators can work with local health and air quality officials to understand how best to implement guidelines for school activities and other responses to a smoke event. Monitoring indoor air quality is an important way to tailor interventions to the specific situation and keep children safe. When there is smoke outdoors, the best place to be is indoors in a space with good air quality. If remaining outdoors for brief periods, consider having children wear NIOSH-certified N95 masks, especially if they are coughing or have an underlying health condition. Schools should consider establishing large clean-air rooms—such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums—that can also serve as clean-air shelters for community members outside of school hours. Ideally, ALL classrooms should be clean-air rooms where children are safe.

Type: Children's Health Issue: WildfiresInfo For: Families & CommunitiesPEHSU: Exposure Pathway: AirWeather