Outdoor Air Quality
Ithaca’s air quality is generally quite good but recent wildfires in North America have had an impact on local air quality and can create unhealthy conditions, especially for those who are sensitive to the effects of poor air quality. This can include the very young, older adults, and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. When pollution levels are elevated, the New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals limit strenuous outdoor physical activity (such as walking instead of running) to reduce their risk of adverse health effects.
Air quality is measured using the Air Quality Index, a scale from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern. AirNow.gov has additional information on the Air Quality Index (AQI) and current air quality conditions for Ithaca,NY.
High quality masks, such as N95 and KN95 masks, can be worn outdoors to reduce the inhalation of fine particles from the air. Cloth masks and surgical masks are not effective at reducing inhalation of pollutants.
Welcome to Cornell University’s beautiful Ithaca campus! The Division of Public Safety wants to help you build connections to important campus resources and services. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with emergency actions and public safety terms by viewing the short emergency preparedness video below. View Cornell’s emergency action guide and emergency preparedness information to better prepare.
Audio transcript from Emergency Preparedness at Cornell video
What to do in an Emergency
CALL 911 for any situation that requires IMMEDIATE police, fire, or medical response to preserve life or property. From cellular phones call Cornell Police at 607-255-1111 or use a Blue Light or indoor emergency phone.
Refer to the Emergency Action Guide for detailed information on what to do in an emergency. Take time to read through the guides in advance, so you know what actions to take when a crisis occurs.
Emergency Notifications
CornellALERT is the university’s emergency notification system and is used for situations involving an immediate threat to the safety of the community.
You can receive alerts on your cellular phone if you have enrolled your phone number or installed the Rave Guardian app and activated it for the Cornell Ithaca Campus. All CornellALERT messages are sent to @cornell.edu e-mail addresses of current students, employees, and affiliates. The emergency.cornell.edu website displays all active CornellALERT messages and provides additional information.
If you receive a CornellALERT message you should promptly follow the directions given in the message and monitor emergency.cornell.edu for additional information.
Got 2 minutes? Watch this video to learn how to do Hands Only CPR!