xvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Radiation
and Indoor Air
(6609J)
April 2000
EPA 402-F-00-QQ2
National Academy
of Sciences Report
Links Asthma to
Indoor Environmental
Triggers
On January 19, the National Acad-
emy of Sciences (NAS) released a
report entitled, Clearing the Air:
Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures.
The U.S. EPA contracted with the
National Academy of Sciences to
_.assesa the role of indoor air quality
-and asthma.- In the report, NAS
characterized the state of the
science on health impacts and
prevention strategies, and provides
recommendations on needed
research.
The Academy's conclusions and
recommendations support EPA's
initiative to increase awareness of
the impact of indoor air pollutants on
asthma exacerbation and develop-
ment, and to increase the use of
effective indoor environmental
interventions.
For example, the report finds strong,
causal evidence linking common
indoor substances to the develop-
ment or worsening of asthma
symptoms in susceptible people.
The report finds sufficient evidence
of a causal relationship or an
association between indoor expo-
sures and exacerbation of asthma
for pet (cat and dog) dander,
cockroaches, house dust mites,
environmental tobacco smoke, fungi
and molds, rhinovirus (the common
cold), and nitrogen oxides.
According to the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention,
asthma increased 75% from 1980 to
1994. Approximately 17 million
Americans are now diagnosed with
asthma, disproportionately affecting
children and those of low income.
Over 5 million school-aged children
have asthma or one in thirteen
children. School personnel can
improve the indoor environments in
schools by reducing air pollutants
which may trigger asthma episodes.
The IAQ Tools for Schools Kit
provides step-by-step guidance on
how to reduce exposures to these
indoor environmental triggers.
Copies of Clearing the Air: Asthma
and Indoor Air Exposures is avail-
able from the National Academy
Press, or read a summary of the
report on-line at their web site at:
books.nap.edu/catalog/9610.html.
EPA and School
Nurses Team Up
Against Asthma
The National Association of School
Nurses (NASN) and EPA have
recently begun working together to
improve indoor air quality and to
reduce asthma in schools.
NASN currently has over 10,000
school nurse members and 48
state affiliate chapters.
In the past decade, school nurses
have expanded their role in school
programs. In addition to delivering
traditional health care, they are
teaching a variety of health topics,
providing parent health education,
facilitating staff wellness programs,
and participating in community
health events.
NASN is currently developing
asthma training modules to
educate school communities on
the seriousness of asthma and the
environmental triggers which may
continued on page 2
-------
School Nurses continued
increase the frequency and
severity of asthma episodes.
School nurses will deliver the
training modules at staff meet-
ings, PTA meetings and in
student health classes.
In June 1999, NASN hosted its
31st Annual National Conference
in Providence, Rhode Island.
Approximately 195 school nurses
attended EPA's session on IAQ
Toots for Schools and asthma.
As a result, many are now using
the Kit in their own schools.
For more information on EPA's
work with school nurses, contact
Kim Smith at (202) 564-9443.
National Education
Association Makes
Indoor Air Quality
A Priority
Submitted by Christine Luong,
National Education Association
At the 1999 National Education
Association's (NEA) Annual
Meeting, held in Orlando in June,
indoor air quality in schools
emerged as a critical issue. In
response to the growing need for
help in addressing IAQ problems in
schools, delegates at the Annual
Meeting unanimously passed a
"new business" item on IAQ. The
new business item was adopted as
follows:
The NEA urges all state and local
affiliates to implement the Indoor Air
Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit in
their schools starting with the 1999-
2000 school year.
Page 2
The NEA Health Information
Network's existing IAQ in Schools
program is ready for the challenge
of implementing the Indoor Air
Quality Tools for Schools Kit in as
many public schools as possible.
The NEA's goal is to help EPA
reach its goal of implementing the
Kit in 16,000 public schools across
the country by 2005.
For additional information about
NEA's involvement with IAQ Tools
for Schools, contact Christine
Luong at the Health Information
Network of the National Education
Association at (202) 822-7799, or
via email at cluong@nea.org.
American Lung
Association
Launches New IAQ
Tools for Schools
Training Program
Submitted by Katherine Pruitt
American Lung Association
The American Lung Association
(ALA) has been a major promoter
of IAQ Tools for Schools since its
inception. The only health and
environmental organization among
the Kit's co-sponsors, ALA has
served as a champion for the
program in many communities
around the country.
Nearly half of Lung Association
offices nationwide are involved in
activities to improve Indoor Air
Quality in schools, and mariy^ are
currently conducting outreach
programs: training school
personnel, involving students and
their parents, and working with
coalitions and decision makers.
-------
In part because of the success of
the program to date, the ALA
Board of Directors voted in
February 1999 to adopt IAQ Tools
for Schools as a core program for
the organization, making it one of
a handful of programs that all local
Lung Associations are expected to
deliver in a consistent way.
To help local Lung Associations
develop effective promotional
programs for IAQ Tools for
Schools, the Indoor Air Programs
staff at the ALA national office has
launched a year-long series of
regional trainings. The one-day
workshops are designed to give
ALA staff and volunteers the
background and skills they need to
train school personnel and other
community stakeholders to
implement the guidance in IAQ
Tools for Schools.
Sessions include an overview of
indoor air quality issues in schools;
ideas for marketing the program to
schools and other community
stakeholders; strategies for
training different audiences to
implement the program in the
schools; developing partnerships;
and measuring program outcomes.
The first training was held in San
Jose, California in August, 1999.
Seventeen staff and volunteers
from 14 Lung Associations in
California and Washington
participated, bringing with them
considerable expertise in lung
health, indoor air quality,
communications, development and
strategic planning.
Shelly Rosenblum from EPA
Region 9 served as one of the
trainers, and was able to give
participants some technical
background for the program, along
with the promise of guidance and
support for their efforts when they
got back home to their local
associations. One of the highlights
of the day was hearing
presentations from teachers Adina
Neal and Ruth Sweet. Ms. Neal,
who is serving as the IAQ
Coordinator for the Saugus school
district, shared her difficult but
ultimately rewarding experiences
with an IAQ crisis situation. Ms
Sweet talked about the benefits of
working through the students to
bring IAQ to the attention of the
school population, as she did very
successfully with a program she
and her third graders call "Crabby
Cathy."
The second workshop was held in
Detroit, Michigan at the end of
September 1999, with thirteen
participants from across the
midwestern states. Sheila Batka
and Helen Tsiapas from EPA
Region 5 served as co-presenters.
Several of the participants who
have been most involved with IAQ
Tools for Schools also shared their
experiences in informal
presentations. One of the
highlights from this training was
hearing how local Lung
Associations in Ohio have been
able to leverage their efforts to a
higher level of success by working
through the very active State
Indoor Air Coalition.
ALA expects to hold two more
regional IAQ Tools for Schools
trainings this winter and spring,
reaching at least another 20 local
Lung Association offices. Each
participating Lung Association is
asked, as part of the training, to
make a commitment to taking
some action to promote IAQ Tools
for Schools this year. Individuals
and organizations working on IAQ
Tools for Schools outreach are
encouraged to contact their local
Lung Association as a potential
community partner at 1 -800-
LUNG-USA.
PageS
-------
Low Cost/No Cost
Training:
An EPA Regional
Perspective
Submitted by Sheila Batka
EPA, Region 5
Recently, EPA's Region 5 held an
Indoor Air Quality, "Train-the-
Trainers" workshop, organized by
the American Lung Association
(ALA) of Metropolitan Chicago for
its Americorps/Chicago Health
Corps staff.
The training was small (about
twelve participants) and informal,
making it easier to address
participants' needs. Because the
participants had backgrounds in
health-related disciplines, they
were already familiar with indoor
air quality issues, so not as much
time was spent discussing IAQ
background information. Instead,
the training focused on using IAQ
Tools for Schools, including: doing
classroom activities that utilized
the checklists and problem-solving
wheel for mock IAQ incidents in
schools; explaining the principles
of integrated pest management
(IPM); and learning to use basic air
monitoring equipment in a building
walk-through.
The training included a variety of
resources such as slides and
photographs of IAQ problems,
overheads explaining the process
of implementing IAQ Tools for
Schools, technical reference
material and walkthrough ideas,
audience notes of overheads, and
activity sheets of mock IAQ school
incidences. EPA's Region 5 also
provided a list of resources that
was co-developed by EPA and
other IAQ and school experts in
the Region. This resource list
included Resources for Schools,
Tips for Schools, and Resources
for Homeowners. EPA Regional
IAQ staff may be able to provide
you with resources to further
enhance your own IAQ Tools for
Schools training.
Region 5 frequently works with
non-profit partners, such as ALA to
provide course participants with
specific information enabling them
to be knowledgeable about IAQ
and to implement IAQ Tools for
Schools in their communities. The
benefits of small, focused training
workshops, like the EPA/ALA
training, is that information can be
fine tuned to meet the specific
needs of the class. Some IAQ
training courses are professionally
organized with national experts on
IAQ and offer continuing education
credits.- Othercourses are- avail.- ..
able that have been put together
on a shoestring budget.
The following information was
developed by Region 5 to assist
you and your organization as you
prepare to sponsor an IAQ Tools
for Schools workshop in your area.
Where do you get speakers/
presenters?
All ten Regional offices of EPA
have experienced indoor air staff
who actively train school personnel
and local partners about IAQ in
schools. They may be able to
assist in the training or provide
suggestions for other speakers in
your area.
Some speakers may be able to
provide gratis training, especially if
they are collaborating with EPA or
its partners. Make sure that your
speaker's expertise relates to your
,..audjence'.s needs.,,Te.achers and_
parents may need general IAQ
background information and an
introduction to IAQ Tools for
Schools, whereas school facility or
health personnel may need a
different level of expertise.
Sources of potential speakers may
be found through the following
organizations: local affiliates of
EPA's national partners, such as
the American Lung Association
chapters, National Education
Association, American School
Board Officials, or the National
Parent/Teachers Association.
Speakers may also be available
through local or state health,
environmental or education
agencies; local or state IAQ
offices; asthma or school coalition
members; and university/training
center instructors involved in IAQ
work.
Page 4
-------
How do you determine the size
of a training and find a location ?
Depending on the size of a pro-
posed training, local partners may
be able to provide free space in
their offices or obtain space in a
public building. Smaller trainings
may be held in a school during off-
hours, where it might be possible
to do a building walk-through.
With larger audiences, a typical
auditorium setting will be appropri-
ate.
Smaller groups (less than 35) may
benefit if the training is set up to
include more individualized,
roundtable discussions. Informal
discussions between the
instructorand class participants
can occur with a smaller group,
allowing the instructor to gauge the
audience's knowledge and spend
more time on specific issues of :
interest.
What resources are needed for
IAQ Tool for Schools training?
IAQ Tools for Schools Kits - You
may wish to ask participants to
bring their own Kits if they already
have them, or charge a nominal
fee to order the Kits yourself.
Trainers may be able to provide
free Kits, if they have ordered
them from EPA in advance, but
they may require certain criteria to
be met. Otherwise, all of the
printed material (except for the
IAQ Problem-Solving Wheel and
videos) is found on EPA's web
site.
IAQ Tools for Schools Presenta-
tion materials -The IAQ Tools for
Schools Training Modules (see
page 13) are available on CD-
ROM. They contain overhead
slides for training school staff and
a Train-the-Trainers module. In
addition, Regional offices and
state/local partners may have
developed overheads on risk
communication, technical issues,
school walk-throughs and imple-
mentation ideas. As an additional
resource, trainers/presenters
should provide copies of
overheads to participants so they
may take notes on each slide.
Local Resources Lists - Some of
the Regional offices, partners and
state and local agencies have
compiled resources in your area/
Region that supplement the
information provided within the
IAQ Tools for Schools Coordin-
ator's Guide. Suggestions on
other environmental issues that
affect schools, or contact names,
numbers and web sites of state
and local agencies and local
partners are always helpful for the
participants.
Participants - Allow time within
training for networking, either
through extended breaks or
activities which require participants
to interact with each other. Small
group activities, where participants
use the checklists and problem-
solving wheel for a mock IAQ
incident, allow the participants to
learn from each other, as well as
keep the training interesting.
Many resources are available to
assist you as you organize IAQ
Tools for Schools training events.
Contact your Regional office for
more information. To locate the
EPA Regional office in your area,
see the map on page 14 or visit
the EPA Home Page at:
www.epa.gov/epahome/
Iocate2.htm. Click on Regions.
Please let us know how your event
works out. Email Paula Selzer at
selzer.paula@epa.gov with your
story for this Bulletin.
ming module on CD-ROM,
|Jiop °$paSf 13- To find a Partner in your community,
£our BpA^regional office.
£J2Z±l^LjlLv±'
r.J
Page 5
-------
raining IMews
EPA Trains
School Personnel to
Address Presidential
Initiative
In response to a call by President
Clinton, EPA recently undertook
an Urban Schools Initiative. This
demonstration project improved
the indoor air quality in a Washing-
ton, D.C. public school.
Checklists (i.e. Building Mainte-
nance, Ventilation, Teachers)
published in the IAQ Tools for
Schools Kit, served as a starting
point in identifying IAQ problems in
the school. Using the checklists,
staff collected information during a
school walk-through and devel-
oped an action plan to address
priority needs. Ultimately, consid-
erable capital improvements were
made in the school as a result of
the action plan.
The total project cost was about $3
million dollars, split between the
D.C. Public Schools and EPA.
The majority of the cost incurred
was associated with deferred-
maintenance items, such as the
HVAC system and damage
caused by excess moisture.
Over $1 million dollars of the
cost went to repair damages
attributable to poor maintenance
of the ventilation system. (An
EPA economic analysis of the
repairs performed showed that if
$370 per year over 22 years (a total
of $8,140) had been spent on
preventive maintenance, $1.5
million in repairs could have been
avoided.)
Gene Kilby, Director of Facilities
and Maintenance Staff, DCPS
addresses training participants
D.C. School personnel register
and receive Kits
As a result of the renovation,
school facilities personnel have
developed and are implementing a
preventive maintenance program
to reduce future costs associated
with IAQ problems at the school.
The building is now in much better
condition. The principal, Dr.
Johnetta Smith, stated, "...When
the children returned to school,
they were in awe. Excited, happy,
and pleased to see a whole new
school. The kids have a lot of
pride in the school."
In an effort to promote better air
quality in schools, the District of
Columbia Public Schools, EPA,
and Environmental Health and
Engineering, Inc. teamed up to
School personnel and EPA staff discuss
IAQ Tools for Schools
train over 200 D.C. Public School
employees and officials on indoor
air quality. In July of 1999, two
training sessions were conducted
at the elementary school. All of
the participants received IAQ Tools
for Schools Kits and heard presen-
tations on school air quality,
ventilation, and the improvements
made in the school.
As a follow-up to the training,
Cheryl Eason and Keith Keemer
from the District of Columbia's
Radon Office will assist a number
of D.C. public schools as they
implement a pilot program using
IAQ Tools for Schools Kit. It is
hoped that the Charles Young
demonstration project will provide
valuable information not only for
the DC Public Schools, but for
other schools nationwide.
For more information on the D.C.
Schools pilot program contact Ms.
Eason or Mr. Keemer at (202) 442-
8993.
Page 6
-------
EPA and Partners
Continue the
Training Tradition
EPA continues to partner with
national non-profit organizations to
train school personnel to use the
IAQ Tools for Schools Kit.
In the fall of 1999, EPA teamed
with the American Association of
School Administrators, the National
Association of School Nurses, the
National Education Association,
the National Association of County
Officials, the American Association
of School Administrators, and the
American Lung Association in
separate training events. These
workshops were designed to train
their members to develop plans for
using the Kit in their own communi-
ties.
Although the Kit was designed to
be implemented without any formal
training, the workshops provided a
forum for increasing IAQ aware-
ness, an opportunity for action
planning and networking, and a
chance to hear success stories
about schools across the country
who are successfully using the Kit.
Many of the workshops also
featured a school walk-through
aimed at giving participants an
opportunity to visit a school and
become familiar with the process
of doing a checklist, the first step
in developing an IAQ management
plan.
Feedback from IAQ Tools for
Schools trainings is always
positive, but there is still room for
improvement. EPA is now plan-
ning to expand and combine these
workshops in a more holistic
approach. By including adminis-
trators, school board members,
teachers, nurses, and facilities staff
in the same workshop, IAQ Tools
for Schools training may be even
more effective.
To find out about upcoming
training opportunities in your area,
visit the IAQ Tools for Schools web
site at: www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/
html. If you are sponsoring an
upcoming training, or know of one
in your area, and would like it
announced on the web site,
contact Kim Smith at (202) 564-
9443.
IAQ Tools for
Schools Incentives
Program
EPA is expanding its efforts to
create healthier indoor environ-
ments for children in our nations
schools by launching an incentives
program to spur the use of the IAQ
Tools for Schools in school
districts across the country.
EPA has developed a six-compo-
nent marketing, technical support,
and awards program to make it
easier and more rewarding for
schools to improve their indoor air
quality through the use of IAQ
Tools for Schools. The program
was developed based on feedback
obtained in focus groups, a
national stakeholders' meeting
held in April 1999, and from
anecdotal information collected at
various IAQ Tools for Schools
training workshops. The six
components are described below:
An Outreach Campaign will focus
on the importance of good IAQ in
schools and its connection to
student performance.
A Recruitment Campaign will
identify and distribute IAQ Tools
for Schools to schools and school
districts most likely to read and/or
use the Kit.
A Mentoring Program will provide
an open line of communication
among front-line school personnel,
to network and share experiences
and successes.
Technical Tools will provide
innovative materials to support the
use of the Kit to achieve good
indoor air programs in schools.
An Awards and Recognition
Program will publicly recognize
leaders promoting school environ-
mental issues.
Private Sector Partnering will
facilitate the partnership of schools
with corporations and businesses
who wish to display their environ-
mental and civic leadership by
providing technical assistance to
schools and school systems who
are implementing the Kit.
This summer, EPA will launch the
incentives program nationwide.
See page 13 for details about the
upcoming National Symposium in
August, 2000.
Page 7
-------
rom
oun
New Book from
Architect's Group
Examines State of
School Buildings
The American Institute of Archi-
tects (AIA) released a new booklet
this fall on the state of the nation's
school buildings. The booklet,
Good Enough for Congress? A
Pictorial Representation of Why
Americans Deserve Better School
Buildings, challenges Congress to
focus its attention on the dire need
for school construction and
modernization.
The booklet contains photographs
of the former high school buildings
of various members of the House
Ways and Means and Senate
Finance Committees. It includes
photographs, statistics, and facts
about each school and other
education facilities in each
member's respective state and
encourages members of Congress
to take immediate action to provide
a quality learning environment for
our nation's children.
The AIA believes the United States
must upgrade and modernize its
education facilities to equip
America's students with the
necessary resources to meet the
global challenges of the 21st
century.
The U.S. General Accounting
Office reports that one-third of the
country's public schools, which
house more than 15 million
children, are in need of "extensive
repair or replacement." The
average public school is 42 years
old, and with record enrollments of
53.2 million children this year,
enrollment is expected to continue
to climb.
Several legislative
proposals, including,
H.R. 1660, Public
School Modernization
Act of 1999,
introduced by Rep.
Charles Rangel (D-
N.Y.); H.R. 1760,
America's Better
Classrooms Act of
1999, introduced by
Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.);
and S. 1454, Public School
Modernization and Overcrowding
Relief Act of 1999, introduced by
Sen. Charles Robb (D-Va.), would
boost the incentive for school
construction by providing tax
credits, generating an estimated
$25 billion in school construction
activity.
These bills can be viewed by
searching the Thomas Legislative
Information web site from the
Library of Congress. The web site
is http://thomas.loc.gov/. A copy of
the booklet can be viewed on the
AIA web site at:
www.e-architect.com/gov/
schoolpics/home2.asp.
Our Web Site Has
A New Look
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/
If you have visited the IAQ Tools
for Schools web site lately, you
may have noticed that we have a
new look. The site has been
redesigned and the information
and content substantially in-
creased.
In addition to updating and revising
some of the existing information on
the site, we have added informa-
tion on the IAQ Tools for Schools
Incentives Program and an outline
of the Tools for New Schools
initiative. A What's New Page
features this Bulletin, and previous
copies of the IAQ Tools for Schools
Bulletin, in PDF format. We will
soon have the recently published
IAQ Tools for Schools: Actions to
Improve Indoor Air Quality on the
site in PDF and HTML formats, so
visit frequently.
We encourage you to take a look
at the revised site and provide us
with comments. Please send any
comments or suggestions directly
to the webmaster at:
long.james@epa.gov.
Page 9
-------
Asthma is a growing problem in our
nation's schools. Many asthma
episodes are associated with
environmental triggers caused by
poor indoor air quality. The following
articles are meant to help parents
and teachers become more aware
of the problems associated with
asthma in schools.
Does Your Child's
School
Trigger Allergies?
Submited by Colleen Horn
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of
America
You can work hard to minimize the
allergens to which your child is
exposed at home, but you have
much less control over his/her
school setting. Still, if your child is
experiencing allergic reactions at
school, you should visit the school
and classroom, look for potential
problems and ask the principal and
teachers to cooperate by making
the educational environment as
allergen-free and irritant-free as
possible. As you review the list
below, place a check mark beside
those steps that may be appropri-
ate at your child's school.
Remove pets (for example,
guinea pigs, gerbils, mice) from
the classroom.
Avoid keeping piles of newspa-
pers in the classroom since they
may attract mold.
Check books and bookshelves
frequently for mold growth, and
to prevent dust accumulation.
Keep room closets free of dust-
accumulating items, old clothes
and moisture sources.
Avoid conducting physical
education or other activities in
open areas or fields during high
pollen and mold count days.
Remove plants from classroom.
Provide pillows with allergen-
proof casings for preschoolers
who take naps at school.
Provide adequate fresh air
through ventilation in the class-
room; ask that trees, shrubs and
flowers be trimmed back from
classroom windows.
If food allergies are present,
educate staff and children. Have
an emergency plan and make
sure it is understood by every-
one. Keep a supply of allergy-
free treats at school for unex-
pected celebrations.
Prohibit smoking on school
premises (indoors and out-
doors).
Vacuuming and cleaning with
chemical solutions should be
done after school hours.
Areas where chemicals are used
should be aired out.
Check that the school is well-
ventilated and that these ventila-
tion systems and filters are
cleaned or replaced
regularly.
Managing Asthma in
School
The teachers and other staff at
your child's school need to know
how to handle both everyday
situations and emergencies related
to your child's asthma. Share with
them the following information,
provided by the Asthma and
Allergy Foundation of America.
What To Look For:
Anxious look
Stooped body posture
Perspiring
Rapid respirations (greater than
25-30 per minute at rest)
Painful breathing
Retractions (a concave appear-
ance of the chest as the child
struggles to breathe)
Nasal flaring
Nausea/vomiting
Fatigue
Decreased peak flow value (if a
peak flow meter is used at
school to monitor your child's
status)
hat's the Relationship between Schools and Asthma?
.use an estimated 5 rnjHjpn children under 18 years of Age have
_ima, ancTit is the leading cause of absenteeism due to a chronic
Tdition, asthma is a serious public heaM IssueTn schools. Children
spend up to eight hours a day in the school building; thus a healthy
aor environment is crucial in the management of asthma. By
Implementing the \AQ Tools for Schools Kit, schools can improve
r air quality for all students, and most especially for those with
eir exposure to pollutants that may trigger
ima.
Page 10
-------
inr
ormcort
What To Listen For:
Complaints of chest tightness
Persistent coughing
Irregular breathing
Abnormal sounds (decreased or
absent breathing sounds;
wheezing; rattling sounds while
breathing)
Prolonged expiration
What To Do For An
Asthma Crisis At School:
Review the student's current
medication and emergency
medications and asthma
management plan.
Have the student sit upright and
check his breathing with a peak
flow meter if possible.
Administer prescribed medica-
tion by inhaler. (Medication
should be inhaled slowly and
fully.)
Administer medication by
nebulizer if prescribed.
Reassure the student and
attempt to keep him/her calm
and breathing slowly and
deeply.
Student should respond to
treatment within 15-20 minutes.
Recheck with a peak flow
meter.
If there is no change, or if the
student's breathing becomes
worse, contact the parent
immediately and call for emer-
gency help.
Seek Medical Emergency
Care If The Student Has
Any Of The Following:
Coughs constantly
Is unable to speak in complete
sentences without taking a
breath
Has lips, nails and mucous
membranes that are gray or
blue
Demonstrates severe retrac-
tions and/or nasal flaring
Is vomiting persistently
Has 50 percent reduced peak
flow reading
Has a pulse greater that 120
per minute
Has respirations greater than 30
per minute
Is severely restless
Shows no improvement after
15-20 minutes
Can Children With
Asthma Participate
in Gym Class?
Children with asthma can and
should participate in a full range of
activities at school, including gym.
By following these simple points,
you can help ensure your child's
success.
Be sure your child is under a
doctor's care.
Help your child to understand
his/her asthma plan and take
their medicines as prescribed.
Make sure the gym teacher
understands that your child has
asthma and how he/she can be
part of your child's asthma
management plan.
Be sure your child uses his/her
inhaler right before gym class
(and after if needed) to prevent
exercise-induced asthma (EIA),
especially if the class is held
outside during cold weather or
pollen season.
Help your child feel comfortable
telling the gym teacher if
breathing becomes rapid and
difficult. Understanding that the
child needs to use an inhaler at
this time is important.
Make sure your child under-
stands that he/she must tell an
adult whenever their medication
is not working.
With a proper treatment plan,
children with asthma should be
able to fully participate in gym
class and team sports. Contact
school personnel, teachers and
coaches to let them know about
your child's asthma management
plan. Ask your doctor to complete
a Student Asthma Action Card,
available free through the Asthma
and Allergy Foundation of
America, to help share your child's
asthma management plan with the
school. Together you can create a
winning combination for health.
For more information, contact
Colleen Horn at the Asthma and
Allergy Foundation of America
(202) 466-7643. Or visit their web
site at: www.aafa.org/
Page 11
-------
ew wt
tf h fAQToofs
EPA Publishes Two
New Brochures
IAQ Tools for Schools: Actions
to Improve Indoor Air Quality
EPA's Indoor Environments
Division recently designed and
released a colorful new brochure to
promote IAQ Tools for Schools.
The brochure was designed to
promote the Kit to K-12 schools
and other interested stakeholders.
The promotional brochure provides
information on IAQ Tools for
Schools including unique insert
cards with guidance and action
items for facility managers, teach-
ers, administrators, and health
officers. The brochure offers tips
on community sponsorship of IAQ
programs in schools and includes a
postcard to order the Kit.
The text includes quotations from
enthusiastic Kit users and nation-
ally recognized education leaders.
National Education Association
President Bob Chase states, "NEA
members and the children they
serve are already benefitting
hugely from the Indoor Air Quality
Tools for Schools Kit. In support
of the Kit, delegates at NEA's July
1999 national convention voted to
urge all of our state and local
affiliates to implement the program
in every school."
The brochure measures 9" x 11"
when folded, but actually opens to
a poster-sized 20" x 24", illustrating
key indoor air quality concepts that
the IAQ Coordinator can post on a
door or bulletin board for reference.
The key concepts are:
"All schools should implement the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit. It's
great to have so many people involved in the health and safety of
students."
Jim Stefanik, Director of Facilities, Chicopee County Schools, Chicopee, MA
Why IAQ is important in schools
What actions school personnel
can take to improve the IAQ in
their schools
Who should use the IAQ Tools
for Schools checklists.
To order a copy of the brochure,
call the IAQ Clearinghouse at
(800) 438-4318 or FAX (703) 356-
5386.
Managing Asthma
in the School Environment
Another brochure is being pub-
lished as a companion piece to the
IAQ Tools for Schools Kit. The
purpose of the publication is to
better link indoor air quality to
asthma.
IAQ Tools for Schools: Managing
Asthma in the School Environment
is a full-color, 18-page booklet that
focuses on steps that schools can
take to help students and staff
breathe easier. The brochure is
designed to provide:
General asthma information
Information on indoor environ-
mental asthma triggers found in
schools
Suggested action items from
IAQ Tools for Schools to help
reduce or eliminate these
asthma triggers in the school
setting.
The publication also includes an
Asthma Action Card designed by
the Asthma and Allergy Founda-
tion of America. The card is
designed for the families of
students with asthma to complete
and return to the school nurse or
other school official.
Students with asthma are encour-
aged to identify their asthma
triggers on the card, and include
medical and emergency contact
information. A parent or caregiver
and a physician should also sign
the card.
The booklet will be available this
spring. Check EPA's web site for
more information.
Page 12
-------
f/VOToofs -f
IAQ TooJs for
Schools
National Symposium
EPA is sponsoring a National
Indoor Air Quality Tools for
Schools Symposium to be held
August 3rd - 5th, 2000 in Baltimore,
Maryland at the Renaissance
Baltimore Harbor Place Hotel. Two
to three hundred attendees are
expected to participate in this event
and will include stakeholders from
major school based not-for-profit
organizations, health-based
organizations, and state, county,
and city officials.
This Symposium will highlight
sure-fire ways to adopt EPA's
Indoor Air Quality Tools for
Schools Program in a school/
school district.
The Symposium will host concur-
rent break-out sessions that will
focus on the specific challenges
school/school districts face every
day while trying to implement a
strategic indoor air quality man-
agement plan in their schools.
The sessions will offer recommen-
dations and provide a forum for
school personnel to network with
their peers and share successes.
EPA will also launch the IAQ Tools
for Schools Incentives Program
which includes a mentoring
program, and will present national
awards to schools in recognition of
environmental leadership in the
indoor air quality arena.
For more information about the
Symposium, contact the national
office of the American Association
of School Administrations, National
Education Association, National
Association of School Nurses,
American Lung Association,
International City/County Manage-
ment Association, National Asso-
ciation of County/City Health
Officials, or the National Associa-
tion of Counties.
^ , . .
ools for Schools Training Btodules Are Here!
S*^ip~!^Wj₯' *>$» * i^*""! ? j < V*- » ^ * * 3.
3d the MQ Tools for Schools Training Modules to assist with training people to use the
fCf foolsjjor ^^oofe'Mt^ThejTipdules are now available on CD-ROM. In fact, there are three modules;
i one Sesignerfto meTtlSe'needs'of diverse audiences using the Kit
^^^Ig, ,., .^t^^, / , , *
_^ for decision makers and general audiences. For example, it might be
__ arclsland Administrators who may decide to Implement IAQ Tools for Schools in
nd districts." """7""*""
,-,^^^^J?'^^::^i\r\ "' .v '-' " - - ''-'-' '-*1
jjule/j is designed to raise audience*awareness about the importance of indoor air quality and motivate
sgtrQ|i.m)t»is ii^^fTo.u.r, presentation.
filel2 is designed fotrain IAQ Coordinators. It provides more in-depth technical knowledge and skills*
djifSTmplement an fAQ program in a school or school district It is a day-long presentation.
t^^^gfKS^gi.j.^^.f^fyliirinjyn, ^_ * 5» ~ -. ,
5ajy|PA's rlationy*Service Center for Environmental Publications at (800) 490-9198 or visit their
5 atw^^egl^ovTncepihom/ to order a copy. Requests for mulitple copies wiHbe considered on a
'-case basis. """""
llease
I'e-
^rg.also PDF versions of each of the modules posted on EPA's website at www.epa.gov/faq/schools.
.
rfflftjoil about the Training Modules, contact John Gueyin at (202) 564-9055 or
|wn John @ epa.gov*.
- ~ *fe
jr
Page 13
-------
Regional Contact Information
The following Is a list of EPA indoor air quality contacts.
Mary Beth Smuts
Eugene Benoit
US EPA/Region 1
1 Congress Street Suite 1100
Boston, MA 02114-2023
(617)918-1533
Larainne Koehler
Matthew Hiester, Rachel Chaput,
Jean Feola
US EPA/Region 2
290 Broadway 28th Floor
New York, NY 10007-1866
(212)637-4010
Christina Schulingkamp
Fran Dougherty
US EPA/Region 3
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
(215)814-2704
Henry Slack
Marion Hopkins, Linda Thomas,
Cindy Gibson
US EPA/Region 4
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303-3104
(770)562-9100
Sheila Batka
Helen Tsiapas, Daniel O'Riordan,
Darice Ellis
US EPA/Region 5 (AE-17J)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604
(312)353-6686
Michael Miller
Traci Fambrough, Paul Scoggins
US EPA/Region 6 (6PD-T)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
(214)665-6714
Michael Marshall
Vickie Pastorino
US EPA/Region 7 (ARTD/RALI)
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913)551-7605
Megan Williams
US EPA/Region 8 (8P-AR)
999 18th St. Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2466
(303)312-6147
Barbara Spark
Shelly Rosenblum, Louise Hill
US EPA/Region 9 (Air-6)
75 Hawthorn Street
San Francisco, CA94105
(415)744-1048
Brook Madrone
US EPA/Region 10 (OAQ-107)
1200 Sixth Avenue, 10th Floor
Seattle, WA 98101
(206)553-7660
F^r
Regional
"go to;. .www,£ga;|^^
Page 14
-------
Thank You For
Your Contributions!
Thanks to everyone who has contributed articles for this and the
previous edition of the IAQ Tools for Schools Bulletin. Please
keep them coming!
Our main concern is protecting children's health and the environ-
ment from harmful indoor air pollutants. EPA works cooperatively
with people who share our concern about health and environmental
issues pertaining to indoor air quality.
In future editions of the IAQ Tools for Schools Bulletin, we would
like to share some of your perspectives on issues, successes,
and challenges you have experienced. Whether you use the
guidance in EPA's Kit, or another indoor air quality management
plan, we would like to hear from you.
While supplies last, school districts, schools, EPA Partners and
their affiliates may receive a free copy of the Indoor Air Quality
Tools for Schools Kit by sending a request on official school
letterhead to:
EPA Kit
PO Box 37133
Washington, D.C. 20013-7133
Or, by FAXing the request to:
(703) 356-5386
The entire text of the Kit can be downloaded for free from EPA's
web site at: www.epa.gov/iaq/schools. Other information on
indoor air quality is also available from EPA's web site, through
your EPA Regional office, or by calling EPA's Indoor Air Quality
Clearing House at: (800) 438-4318.
Page 15
-------
UNITED STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
P.O. BOX 42419
CINCINNATI, OHIO 45242
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
PRESORTED
FIRST CLASS MAIL
US POSTAGE PAID
EPA PERMIT NO. G-35
------- |