South Heartland District Health Department

Clean Air, Safe Sun – protecting your health is never out of season!

May 02, 2025

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We’ve had some great weather recently – which means many of us will be spending more quality time outdoors! This month I’d like to share a few tips about air quality and sun safety – and ways to keep healthy while enjoying the out-of-doors!

What’s the outdoor air quality? Do you know what’s in the air you’re breathing? Poor air quality can result from natural sources, like wildfires, or can be human made, such as from manufacturing processes and energy production.

Even when the sky looks clear, invisible pollutants like dust, smoke, and tiny particles can travel deep into our bodies impacting our lungs and hearts. While all of us need to be aware of our air quality, some of us are more sensitive to poor air quality, including children, the elderly, and individuals with asthma or other chronic conditions. One short-term effect can be difficulty breathing; long-term exposure can lead to more serious issues, such as heart disease and an increased risk of cancer.

To stay informed about local air quality, you can monitor conditions in our health District by visiting our website (southheartlandhealth.ne.gov), where we are now posting air quality information coming from sensors installed in our counties.

We have two sensors installed in Hastings and Superior that are providing real-time updates every ten minutes. We also have 3 more sensors that will be coming on line soon from Red Cloud, Sutton and Kenesaw. This will ensure access to the most accurate and up-to-date air quality information near you. There is an air quality index on our webpage along with a link that will take you to a map that shows air quality across the United States. You can zoom in to see an air quality index report for each sensor.

The air quality index is a numerical and color-coded scale that tells us the current air quality: Green is best. As the air quality gets worse, the colors change to Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple and Maroon. As the risk levels get worse, more caution is recommended for more people.

For example, if air quality reaches the orange range (100 PM) or worse, we recommend minimizing outdoor exposure, especially for sensitive populations. When the air quality is in the maroon range (>300 PM), this is an emergency condition, when everyone is at risk and more likely to be affected if exposed for 24 hours.

These air monitors are a new service the health department is putting in place. We were able to make this happen with funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that were awarded to South Heartland through the Nebraska DHHS, in order to build our environmental health capacity.

While the information provided by the air monitors can be especially helpful to those with asthma or chronic conditions, I encourage everyone to check out the air quality maps so you are aware of the quality of the outdoor air you are breathing and can take steps to protect yourself, when necessary!

Be safe in the sun! With more time outside, there is more opportunity for sunburns, sun damage or sun overexposure to our skin.

Harmful rays from the sun can damage your skin and may also cause eye problems, weaken your immune system, and give you skin spots, wrinkles, or "leathery" skin.

Sunburn is a type of skin damage caused by invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Tanning is also a sign of skin damage. When skin cells are damaged, they can turn cancerous – potentially growing uncontrollably and spreading to other places in your body.

In fact, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States: there are more than 5 million skin cancers diagnosed every year. Overexposure to UV light (either from the sun or from artificial sources like tanning beds) is the most preventable cause of skin cancer.

Good news: the most common types of skin cancer are preventable! Practicing sun safety all year long can greatly reduce the risk for developing skin cancer:

     1. Be Serious about Sunscreen: Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with “sun protection factor” (SPF) of at least 30. Don’t forget to protect your ears, nose, lips, back of your neck and tops of feet.

      2. Reduce Time in the Sun: Limit sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest. Even on an overcast day, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can get through the clouds. Stay in the shade as much as possible throughout the day. 

     3. Wear Sun-Protective Clothing: When possible, wear clothes that protect your body, covering as much of your skin as possible. Use sun-screen on skin not covered by clothing.

     4. Protect Your Eyes: Shades protect your eyes from UV rays, which lead to cataracts later in life. Use sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays. 

Protecting your health and your family’s health is never out of season! Please stay healthier by monitoring air quality and practicing sun safety now, this summer, and all year long!

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Michele Bever, PhD, MPH, is the executive director for South Heartland District Health Department, serving Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster Counties in Nebraska. She may be reached at 402-462-6211 or toll free at 877-238-7595.