Official Notice from Cal on Air Quality issues for Cal vs. WSU game

9,920 Views | 42 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by B.A. Bearacus
BearGreg
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Staff
We are continuing to closely monitor the air quality in Berkeley before Friday's football game against Washington State, which is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m., and are in communication with the Pac-12, Washington State and air quality experts as we determine the best course of action. We are working through an unique situation, and the health and safety of our student-athletes, fans, coaches and all those who work home football games is of utmost concern. As of the time of this release, we do not anticipate any changes to our scheduled game with Washington State.

The NCAA Sport Science Institute provides parameters for activities when air quality is poor, and we are using the recommendations as a guideline. The NCAA uses a sustained Air Quality Index (AQI) of 200 or above as a threshold to delay or cancel competition.

As of 10 a.m. Thursday, the AQI for the Berkeley area was 155 (see: airnow.gov). AQI numbers from smoke are highly dependent on wind direction and can change rapidly. While prior data doesn't predict the future, over the past few days, the AQI has tended to decline into the evening hours and fell into the 80s (moderate level) by 7 p.m. Wednesday.
killa22
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Sounds to me like they are setting up a narrative to justify holding the game.
bearsandgiants
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I'm imagining all the players with respirators painted with scary teeth.
bearister
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killa22 said:

Sounds to me like they are setting up a narrative to justify holding the game.


"Save that argument for the jury" we used to say.
Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside
oskidunker
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We already had one player die because of questionable decisions.
BearlyCareAnymore
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BearGreg said:

We are continuing to closely monitor the air quality in Berkeley before Friday's football game against Washington State, which is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m., and are in communication with the Pac-12, Washington State and air quality experts as we determine the best course of action. We are working through an unique situation, and the health and safety of our student-athletes, fans, coaches and all those who work home football games is of utmost concern. As of the time of this release, we do not anticipate any changes to our scheduled game with Washington State.

The NCAA Sport Science Institute provides parameters for activities when air quality is poor, and we are using the recommendations as a guideline. The NCAA uses a sustained Air Quality Index (AQI) of 200 or above as a threshold to delay or cancel competition.

As of 10 a.m. Thursday, the AQI for the Berkeley area was 155 (see: airnow.gov). AQI numbers from smoke are highly dependent on wind direction and can change rapidly. While prior data doesn't predict the future, over the past few days, the AQI has tended to decline into the evening hours and fell into the 80s (moderate level) by 7 p.m. Wednesday.
I don't know what the numbers mean exactly, but I didn't think we reached 200 yesterday afternoon and definitely nobody should have been playing in that. It was awful. It is not as bad today and it does seem to go down at night. My guess is it will be okay at game time, but that standard is not good.

Now I'm guessing it is generally designed for sustained air pollution vs. particulate matter from smoke, so it might be okay under normal circumstances, but again, if yesterday afternoon was not 200, that is not the right standard.
Golden One
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AQI for tomorrow in Berkeley is predicted to be 158, and will likely be lower in the evening. If that prediction holds, the game will go on.
wifeisafurd
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Golden One said:

AQI for tomorrow in Berkeley is predicted to be 158, and will likely be lower in the eveninig. If that prediction holds, the game will go on.
I'd rather the conference defer to the AQI which at least has the expertise in the area.
BeggarEd
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oskidunker said:

We already had one player die because of questionable decisions.

Bears2thDoc
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LOL!!!!
200 is the upper limit of 'UNHEALTHY"
Unhealthy" AQI is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

201 is the lower limit of "VERY UNHEALTHY"

  • "Very Unhealthy" AQI is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

NCAA is a piece of work.

https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi

Then again, what does Cal care....They serve 30,000 people water out of a garden hose.
pingpong2
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For reference, Beijing's max in the past two days has been 159. 200 is nuts.
BearChemist
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pingpong2 said:

For reference, Beijing's max in the past two days has been 159. 200 is nuts.
I though Beijing should be constantly in 200+ territory.... Anyways AQI is just a number and yesterday was very unpleasant even AQI was < 200. Ashes on every car in the parking lot.
joe amos yaks
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Monitor BS.
Unequivocally, nobody with asthma (any age group) or respiratory issues should attend the game . . . even with free admission.
Teams should sit and not play, and the University will avoid future litigation for gross negligence (exploitation).
Let Larry Scott and PAC-12 Network in their classic loose fit pleated pants play the ATO in their cargo shorts.
Bears2thDoc
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According to AirNow, if the game was scheduled in the middle of the fire zone, NCAA would allow the game to play....AGI<200.
minkjr
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"What's the problem?"
Cal88
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One of the other red spots on the US maps is in south TX, current air quality level in much of Houston is 200 as of 5om CDT, I think it's their basic smog problem on a day with stagnant air, I doubt they're about to cancel any sporting events there though...



In Europe, several Spanish cities including Madrid are at the top of the scale, a reading of 100 on that scale corresponds to a polutant density of 400 micrograms per cubic meter, so more than twice current Berkeley levels

http://www.airqualitynow.eu/comparing_home.php
http://www.airqualitynow.eu/about_indices_definition.php

On a bad day, Beijing and Shanghai get up to 600 micrograms per cubic meter:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/01/16/china-smog-air-pollution/4504729/
oskidunker
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I bet they dont play football
JadenceBear
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Data shows that "Official Notice" is correct that the AQI for PM2.5 (PM2.5 is the type of pollution generated from the fires) in Berkeley has been dropping considerably in the evenings since the fires started:
- Mo, 10/09 - http://50.57.200.217/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data?DataViewFormat=daily&DataView=aqi&StartDate=10/9/2017&ParameterId=316&StationId=1030
- Tu, 10/10 - http://50.57.200.217/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data?DataViewFormat=daily&DataView=aqi&StartDate=10/10/2017&ParameterId=316&StationId=1030
- We, 10/11 - http://50.57.200.217/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data?DataViewFormat=daily&DataView=aqi&StartDate=10/11/2017&ParameterId=316&StationId=1030
- Th, 10/12 - http://50.57.200.217/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data?DataViewFormat=daily&DataView=aqi&StartDate=10/12/2017&ParameterId=316&StationId=1030

For reference the AQI data for the previous home games this season:
- Weber State on 9/9 - http://50.57.200.217/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data?DataViewFormat=daily&DataView=aqi&StartDate=9/9/2017&ParameterId=316&StationId=1030
- Ole Miss on 9/17 - http://50.57.200.217/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data?DataViewFormat=daily&DataView=aqi&StartDate=9/16/2017&ParameterId=316&StationId=1030
- USC on 9/23 - http://50.57.200.217/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data?DataViewFormat=daily&DataView=aqi&StartDate=9/23/2017&ParameterId=316&StationId=1030

Note that the Ole Miss game was played when AQI for PM2.5 was in the same "Moderate" range as Berkeley was the past few evenings. I don't recall any complaints about air quality then.

I monitor air quality way more than most people (I own two particulate matter counters that I use daily to test indoor air, decide time of day to workout, etc) and the AQI for PM2.5 for the last few evenings in Berkeley is not ideal but hardly remarkable. That said I do think the game should be postponed or moved because the wind patterns may not be the same as previous days (as the Official Notice acknowledges) and the wind may even change mid game. For most other games, changes in wind direction won't have a large effect on air quality.

I have season tickets and have no scheduling conflicts w/ the game but I won't be attending due to air quality concerns.
tequila4kapp
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Bears2thDoc said:

LOL!!!!
200 is the upper limit of 'UNHEALTHY"
Unhealthy" AQI is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

201 is the lower limit of "VERY UNHEALTHY"

  • "Very Unhealthy" AQI is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

NCAA is a piece of work.

https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi

Then again, what does Cal care....They serve 30,000 people water out of a garden hose.
Thank you for posting this. I tried to find the AQI for the days I've been talking about coaching my youth team. I can't find it. From memory it was at the top of the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" range. As I've mentioned elsewhere, in practice that level meant outside physical activity was very unrealistic.

IMO the NCAA's standards are irresponsible and unsafe, and Cal / Pac12 is stupid for following them. I hope nobody is harmed because of this. I mean really, a little common sense can go a long way...like maybe if Larry Scott decided to play 5 sets or run 5 miles in this stuff he'd be singing a different tune.
BearSD
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Tweet from the ESPN sideline reporter for tomorrow's scheduled game:

bearsandgiants
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They turned off the radiation monitors after ***ushima. Entire coast was "down for maintenance." What makes you trust the data now? If you're breathing smoke, it's worse than 200.

Edit:
Lol. A town in Japan is a bear insider bad word. Forkin hilarious.
Bear19
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Bear 19
KoreAmBear
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bearsandgiants said:

They turned off the radiation monitors after ***ushima. Entire coast was "down for maintenance." What makes you trust the data now? If you're breathing smoke, it's worse than 200.

Edit:
Lol. A town in Japan is a bear insider bad word. Forkin hilarious.
Meanwhile words like asshat, dickweed and biotch [pi-s didn't make it] [sh-t didn't make it][d-bag didn't make it], [bstard didn't make it] make it.
Bear19
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oskidunker said:

I bet they dont play football
You've never heard of the Beijing RoughRiders or Shanghai Colonials?
Bear 19
Bear19
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minkjr said:


"What's the problem?"

Classic. Lol.
Bear 19
wifeisafurd
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Cal88 said:

One of the other red spots on the US maps is in south TX, current air quality level in much of Houston is 200 as of 5om CDT, I think it's their basic smog problem on a day with stagnant air, I doubt they're about to cancel any sporting events there though...



In Europe, several Spanish cities including Madrid are at the top of the scale, a reading of 100 on that scale corresponds to a polutant density of 400 micrograms per cubic meter, so more than twice current Berkeley levels

http://www.airqualitynow.eu/comparing_home.php
http://www.airqualitynow.eu/about_indices_definition.php

On a bad day, Beijing and Shanghai get up to 600 micrograms per cubic meter:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/01/16/china-smog-air-pollution/4504729/

Stop confusing things with facts. Let the self-proclaimed experts rant.
TheFiatLux
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wifeisafurd said:

Cal88 said:

One of the other red spots on the US maps is in south TX, current air quality level in much of Houston is 200 as of 5om CDT, I think it's their basic smog problem on a day with stagnant air, I doubt they're about to cancel any sporting events there though...



In Europe, several Spanish cities including Madrid are at the top of the scale, a reading of 100 on that scale corresponds to a polutant density of 400 micrograms per cubic meter, so more than twice current Berkeley levels

http://www.airqualitynow.eu/comparing_home.php
http://www.airqualitynow.eu/about_indices_definition.php

On a bad day, Beijing and Shanghai get up to 600 micrograms per cubic meter:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/01/16/china-smog-air-pollution/4504729/

Stop confusing things with facts. Let the self-proclaimed experts rant.
you should send a note to jack clark since he's kept his team inside this week. I guss he's one of those self proclaimed experts you're talking about.
sycasey
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TheFiatLux said:

you should send a note to jack clark since he's kept his team inside this week. I guss he's one of those self proclaimed experts you're talking about.
Daytime practices would be under very different conditions than a nighttime game. Every day this week, the air quality has improved at night. Any actions taken in response to daytime air quality are not good arguments against playing a nighttime game.
BearlyCareAnymore
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wifeisafurd said:

Cal88 said:

One of the other red spots on the US maps is in south TX, current air quality level in much of Houston is 200 as of 5om CDT, I think it's their basic smog problem on a day with stagnant air, I doubt they're about to cancel any sporting events there though...



In Europe, several Spanish cities including Madrid are at the top of the scale, a reading of 100 on that scale corresponds to a polutant density of 400 micrograms per cubic meter, so more than twice current Berkeley levels

http://www.airqualitynow.eu/comparing_home.php
http://www.airqualitynow.eu/about_indices_definition.php

On a bad day, Beijing and Shanghai get up to 600 micrograms per cubic meter:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/01/16/china-smog-air-pollution/4504729/

Stop confusing things with facts. Let the self-proclaimed experts rant.


At this point you guys are just being jerks. You are not here so you have no idea what is going on so you are being slaves to a number that may or may not really be equivalent. I can only speculate that the standard is not as effective at dealing with an acute incident like a massive wildfire. But while you two self proclaimed experts think you can read a number and apply it, the experts here are advising completely differently from what you think you know. Schools have been closed all over the place. I guarantee you, Houston's normal smog is not worse than what we've been dealing with. You can go on thinking we are wimps all you want while everyone here tries to tell you what it is like here and just keep revealing yourselves to be massively insensitive *******s. I started out scoffing at this and changed my tune quickly as things got worse. Tequila, who has generally been an anti-snowflake kinda guy also described misjudging the situation. The ESPN sideline reporter said she didn't know how you play football in this (when the air had significantly improved). Right now on the Game they are debating this with respect to the Raiders and taking calls from people who work outside. I heard a construction welder and a guy who hauls heavy machinery- two obvious snowflakes who can't hang. Latter guy said he has $500 in tickets to the Raider game and he is happy to eat the cost. They shouldn't play. (What a p****). But you tough guys can belittle everything from miles away.

The air seems to be clearing enough today. But congrats on blindly following the administration without question. It's not like they've had to admit negligence in safety practices in court or anything. We can trust them blindly.
B.A. Bearacus
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As of 5am this morning:

Cal Junkie
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This is atrociously bad.

Don't have the game or practice outside. Also, wood smoke is 12x as bad as cigarette smoke, and that does not include burning batteries, paints, electronic devices, oils, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycyclic_aromatic_hydrocarbon#Human_exposure
sycasey
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B.A. Bearacus said:

As of 5am this morning:


FYI, these numbers are better than yesterday, which means that most likely by evening the air quality will be okay.
wifeisafurd
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TheFiatLux said:

wifeisafurd said:

Cal88 said:

One of the other red spots on the US maps is in south TX, current air quality level in much of Houston is 200 as of 5om CDT, I think it's their basic smog problem on a day with stagnant air, I doubt they're about to cancel any sporting events there though...



In Europe, several Spanish cities including Madrid are at the top of the scale, a reading of 100 on that scale corresponds to a polutant density of 400 micrograms per cubic meter, so more than twice current Berkeley levels

http://www.airqualitynow.eu/comparing_home.php
http://www.airqualitynow.eu/about_indices_definition.php

On a bad day, Beijing and Shanghai get up to 600 micrograms per cubic meter:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/01/16/china-smog-air-pollution/4504729/

Stop confusing things with facts. Let the self-proclaimed experts rant.
you should send a note to jack clark since he's kept his team inside this week. I guss he's one of those self proclaimed experts you're talking about.
I know its part of the make-up Grows posters to blame Cal for everything, but just to confuse you with some silly things that have been said here:

1) The air is worse than Chinese non-attainment cities. Bull.
2) The AD or Cal makes the decision about no go or go. Bull
3) The Conference shouldn't rely on the local Air District because their standards are arbitrary and not based on science. Bull, the local agency doesn't even set the standards the State Board did, after huge numbers of studies and hearings, all of which you can read on the State Board's website. Amazingly, it is the same standards adopted by the EPA and the Pac. BTW the local Board is just an enforcement function, so you guys need to direct your uniformed venom at the right agency. Reminds me of Barsky blaming Cal administrators for issuing bonds for the stadium only to find out the decision was made and that the bonds were issued by UC, not Cal.
4) Everyone is not practicing during the day or holding sports. Yes, that is because during the day, thresholds have ben exceeded, and people like Jack Clarke are following guidelines. The problem is that during the night the air has been and continues to be at safe levels, below 80 on the scale at game time.

You guys are being laughed at over on the insider site.
sp4149
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wifeisafurd said:


I know its part of the make-up Grows posters to blame Cal for everything, but just to confuse you with some silly things that have been said here:

1) The air is worse than Chinese non-attainment cities. Bull.
2) The AD or Cal makes the decision about no go or go. Bull
3) The Conference shouldn't rely on the local Air District because their standards are arbitrary and not based on science. Bull, the local agency doesn't even set the standards the State Board did, after huge numbers of studies and hearings, all of which you can read on the State Board's website. Amazingly, it is the same standards adopted by the EPA and the Pac. BTW the local Board is just an enforcement function, so you guys need to depict your uniformed venom at the right agency.
4) Everyone is not practicing during the day or holding sports. Yes, that is because during the day, thresholds have ben exceeded, and people like Jack Clarke are following guidelines. The problem is that during the night the air has been and continues to be at safe levels, below 80 on the scale at game time.

You guys are being laughed at over on the insider site.
I wouldn't know as I had to let my subscription lapse when I couldn't pay by Paypal. I have been fighting account ID hacking (Equifax???) and am not using unknown third party credit card sites for payments. If the account payment links were established prior to this last June and have been trouble free; I am continuing to use them. For all new transfers of funds I only use Paypal, right now I have been shown to be vulnerable to external identify/financial account information theft and am in a lock-down mode as a reasonable precaution.
UrsaMajor
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WIAF:

You and the Chancellor apparently disagree about who makes the decision. The ultimate decision is ours (which is why Cal is on the hook for costs and lost revenue). The decision will be based on what the so-called experts at the BAAQD and the state air quality board recommend.
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