How Utah schools keep kids safe during inversion season

SALT LAKE CITY — An inversion is expected to build this week across the Wasatch Front, and Utah schools may keep students inside if the air quality gets too bad.

School nurses and administrators will monitor daily pollution levels.  Pollution levels will be provided by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. Faculty can also look at other monitoring websites like Purple Air to assess risk levels in their area.

Then, Utah school districts, like Weber and Alpine, will compare that information to inversion air quality index charts from the DEQ. Combining the two pieces of information will help them determine whether kids may play outside or not.

“Just depending on where that [PM 2.5 level] is at on a daily basis will help us determine whether we need to restrict or even eliminate outdoor activities,” said Lane Findley with the Weber County School District.

According to the air quality index chart from the DEQ, some air quality levels may be safe for certain children but harmful to those with respiratory problems like asthma.

Nurses and school administrators will check those daily PM 2.5 particle levels. After that, they will decide whether to keep all children inside or just those children with breathing issues.

Schools are also prepared to keep all children inside during recess if the temperature gets too low for safe outdoor activity.

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Related reading:

• Air quality is unhealthy. What causes Utah’s weather inversions?
• Coping with poor air quality
• Is illness or poor air quality causing that cough?
• Inversion may worsen this week, NWS says
• How Utah’s wildfires and winter inversion impact heart health

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