The expanding role of school nurses: an ozone awareness flag program

Children with asthma are at risk of experiencing the effects of ozone on the respiratory system at a lower concentration than normal or with a greater morbidity. The North Texas Asthma Consortium partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Asthma Coalition of Texas to implement an ozone awareness program in schools in North Texas. The goal of the ozone awareness program was to introduce and support a process for schools to raise ozone awareness in the school and community. Schools participating in the program fly a green, yellow, orange, or redflag each day alerting students, school staff parents, and community members about the ozone. Activities for an active indoor curriculum on high ozone days, education about asthma and the effect of ozone, tools for implementing the program, and flags were provided. The program has been presented to almost 250 schools with 85 schools participating.