Results tagged “asthma”

The NYPD has lost its first officer to swine flu after a Brooklyn cop died following a seven-week fight with the virus. 27-year-old Officer Ryan Johnson of Brookhaven on Long Island died yesterday after weeks in a coma following his diagnosis on June 17th. He was a five-year veteran of the force out of the 83rd precinct in Bushwick. There is some debate as to whether a preexisting condition exacerbated the H1N1 virus—health officials said that Johnson had long suffered from asthma, but his mother denied that. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that Johnson "fought valiantly over many weeks, often expressing his desire to return to the job." As of the Health Department's most recent report a month ago, the swine flu death toll in New York City was at 47.

In April, Mayor Bloomberg signed a bill giving New York the toughest laws against vehicular idling; leaving your engine running for more than three minutes is punishable by fines ranging from $220 to $2,000 for repeat offenders. And the limit in a school zone is just one minute. At the bill signing, Bloomberg declared, "Those of us that want to leave a good life for our children, and want to have clean air for us to breathe, and clean water to drink... it's incumbent on us to really carry the fight."

NYC’s air quality has gotten substantially worse compared to other cities, according to the American Lung Association's annual "State of the Air" survey. Since last year the city jumped from 10th worst in the nation for ozone pollution (smog) to an eighth place ranking. And in the category of short-term particle pollution (soot), NYC nabbed 13th place after ranking 17th worst in the last study. (L.A., the undisputed smog heavyweight, coasted to 1st place again.)

    

Thick black smoke hovering above Washington Heights is apparently a common occurrence, but it is legal? The Gay Recluse has some photos of the area and says it's the result of "improperly maintained or outdated boiler systems," with one building in particular being a main culprit (671 West 162nd Street). Has anyone seen something similar, or worse? This certainly can't be helping with the rising asthma problem.

Tomorrow, a new state task force will convene to talk about the threat of mold to the health of New Yorkers and what can be done about it. The New York State Toxic Mold Task Force was formed at the urging of health experts, who are concerned that there isn't enough being done to combat an organism that wrecks properties and endangers the lives of tenants and homeowners. According to state senator Liz Kreuger representing...