As we look back on the past year, one standout moment comes to mind — our response to the air quality crisis in New York City sparked by Canadian wildfires. This unexpected situation was a serious threat, and it pushed us to act swiftly.
Our city grappled with severe air pollution from wildfire smoke, reaching hazardous levels. To put it in perspective, a normal Air Quality Index (AQI) is 50. But shockingly, Brooklyn recorded an alarming AQI of 413, and Queens had 407, marking an 800% increase over the safe threshold. Globally, New York City ranked second in air pollution, following only New Delhi, India.
Once again as a network, with great agility, we rose to the challenge. Our network providers and CHW, deeply rooted in their neighborhoods, distributed an impressive 200,000 masks across the city during the wildfire crisis this summer. This ensured the safety of both our community members and healthcare facilities. With an additional excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service, our primary care physicians played a crucial role in guiding the community through this environmental crisis.
Our proactive efforts didn't go unnoticed. Major media outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, CBS, ABC, The New York Post, and NY1 conducted expert interviews to showcase our approach. This situation emphasizes the urgent need to address the underlying factors of the social determinants of health, especially in disadvantaged communities. Issues like poor air quality, lack of access to healthy food, unstable housing, and chronic diseases have a significant impact on people's health and well-being, making it even more challenging for those dealing with health issues.
