Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
B3
SENIOR NEWS
Protect yourself from wildfire smoke
Senior
Living
Scott
McKay
I
T’S SUMMER IN THE
Gorge: Hot, dry, and
windy. Perfect conditions
for wildfires.
There have already been
several in the Gorge, and
even though we wish and
hope there won’t be any
more, there probably will be.
Besides the personal and
economic harm wildfires
can cause, the smoke from
wildfires can be damaging to
our health, causing burning
eyes, runny nose, scratchy
throat, headaches, and
illnesses such as bronchitis.
The smoke can also wors-
en chronic heart and lung
disease including asthma,
emphysema, and COPD.
So how do we prepare
and protect ourselves from
wildfire smoke?
A mask is one way to
protect yourself when out-
doors. We have all become
accustomed to wearing cloth
masks during the pandemic,
but cloth masks offer little
protection against wildfire
smoke because they do not
effectively catch the harmful
small particles when you
breathe in. But as we know,
the masks are effective
in slowing the spread of
COVID-19 by blocking respi-
ratory droplets you breathe
out.
N95 and KN95 particulate
respirator face masks can
provide protection from
both: Wildfire smoke and
from getting and spreading
COVID-19. The benefit of an
N95 and KN95 respirators is
that they filter up to 95% of
particles in the air as long as
they meet the right require-
ments, are not counterfeit/
fake, and fit properly.
But many folks find them
uncomfortable — when
they fit properly, they
often require more effort to
breathe. They also are more
expensive and are meant to
be used only once.
N95 NIOSH-approved
masks, which are commonly
used in the United States,
are the gold standard and
the supply has increased
significantly over the last
several months. Make sure
you purchase a NIOSH
approved N95 mask. KN95
respirators are commonly
made in China and are sim-
ilar to N95 masks, but only a
few Chinese manufacturers
have been approved by the
FDA for emergency use. You
can find online a list of the
NIOSH approved N95 and
the FDA-approved KN95
respirator face masks.
Besides wearing a pro-
tective mask when the air
quality deteriorates because
of wildfire smoke, you can
create a cleaner air space
at home. Keep doors and
windows closed, and if you
have one, continuously run
a portable air purifier in one
or more rooms.
If you don’t have an air
purifier, an inexpensive and
surprisingly effective alter-
native is making your own
DIY filtration unit by sealing
a 20-inch square furnace
filter (which you can find
at any hardware store) with
clear pro-strength packing
tape to a 20-inch box fan.
If you have a forced-air
system in your home, you
may need to talk to a qual-
ified heating and cooling
professional about different
filters and settings you can
use to reduce indoor smoke.
(Set to “recirculate” and “on”
rather than “auto.”)
If you want to know
more about the air quality
in your area, you can find
up-to-date information by
going to AirNow.gov on your
computer or smartphone.
AirNow is a one-stop source
for air quality data including
the air quality index (AQI)
for your area, a smoke and
fire map, and AQI forecast.
You can also find air
quality information on
several weather apps such as
Weather Bug.
Besides spoiling the scenic
beauty of the Gorge, wildfire
smoke can be detrimental
to our health and should be
avoided if possible. Because
we know who’s at risk. Us!
•••
Some of my most vivid
memories are from watch-
ing the evening news: The
assassination of President
John F. Kennedy, the
Vietnam War, Watergate.
This week’s “Remember
When” question is who was
the broadcast journalist
who served as anchorman
for the CBS Evening News
for 19 years, often cited as
the “most trusted man in
America” and always signed
off with “And that’s the way
it is?” E-mail your answer to
mcseniorcenter@gmail.com,
call 541-296-4788 or send it
with the last episode of The
Twentieth Century.
The comedian/actor who
found his greatest fame oc-
cupying the middle square
of the game show Hollywood
Squares was Paul Lynde.
Since I will be out of town
(yes, again, this time for the
annual reunion with my sis-
ter and brother), I’ll mention
those who submitted correct
answers next week.
•••
Well, it’s been another
week running so fast I feel
like I’m moving backward.
Until we meet again, when
the going gets tough, the
tough — take a nap?
•••
“If stupidity got us into
this mess, then why can’t it
get us out?” — Will Rogers
•••
Nutritious home-deliv-
ered meals and pick-ups are
available for anyone over 60.
For more information, you
can call the meal site in your
area.
Hood River Valley Adult
Center at 541-386-2060;
The Dalles Meals-on-
Wheels at 541-298-8333;
Sherman County Senior
and Community Center at
541-565-3191;
Klickitat County Senior
Services – Goldendale
office at 509-773-3757 or
the White Salmon office at
509-493-3068;
Skamania County Senior
Services at 509-427-3990.
Saving the
Criterion
Schoolhouse
The Criterion Schoolhouse
was cut in half in 1976,
moved from its location in
Maupin and onto the Oregon
State Fairgrounds, and has
served as a typical example
of early schoolhouses to this
day.
For more than 20
years, the Oregon Retired
Educators Association
(OREA) has provided
docents to host visitors of
the Criterion Schoolhouse
during the Oregon State Fair.
Seventy-three volunteers
hosted 3,500 visitors in 2019.
The roof of the building
began to fail after 40 years. In
2016, OREA, along with the
help of key allies, launched a
campaign to repair the roof,
address life-safety issues,
restore the original windows
as well as to paint the exte-
rior of the building. These
repairs cost $26,251.66, with
all funds provided through
donations from numerous
individuals and organiza-
tions as well as three grants.
OREA Unit No. 1, Portland,
provided two emergen-
cy loans to help save the
schoolhouse.
Additional recent actions
taken by the committee
include accepting a bid to
put gutters on the building
and applying to the City of
Salem Historic Preservation
Program for the schoolhouse
to be added to its registry.
A formal building inspec-
tion was conducted in June
this year to identify issues
that need to be addressed in
the near future. The Criterion
The Criterion Schoolhouse, both past (at right) and present. OREA is raising funds for further improvements to the building, now located
at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem.
Contributed photos
Schoolhouse Committee has
prioritized the following is-
sues to be addressed as soon
as funds are available:
1. Repair/replace the ADA
ramp
2. Install smoke alarms
3. Upgrade the electrical
system to meet code
4. Repair exterior wall
surfaces and dry rot
5. Repoint the chimney
mortar and install a chimney
cap.
OREA has partnered
with the Oregon State Fair
Foundation in order to raise
the funds for the above crit-
ically needed repairs and up-
grades. Tax-deductible dona-
tions payable to the Oregon
State Fair Foundation can be
EWU announces
Dean’s List
Eastern Washington University has two Gorge students on
its 2021 Spring Dean’s List: Fatima Marquez-Garcia of Hood
River and Conner Hanson of White Salmon.
An undergraduate student who earns 12 quality hours
(QHRS) and receives a GPA of 3.5 or better is placed on
the Dean’s List. EWU has an overall enrollment of 12,300
students.
SUDOKU
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mailed to Oregon State Fair
Foundation, 2330 17th Street
N.E., Salem, OR 97301.
Add the comment “For
the Criterion Schoolhouse
Project” to the check. For
tax purposes, use the EIN
number 84-1628762.
•••
The committee contin-
ues to be committed to
preserving, restoring and
enhancing the Criterion
Schoolhouse for future gen-
erations to enjoy. Questions
and comments can be
directed to either Carol
Greeno, 503-362-6015 or Pat
Eck, 503-262-4970.
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Call 800-620-0950 or email
gary@akiyamafinancial.net.
Call 800-620-0950 or email
gary@akiyamafinancial.net.