Air Pollution Advisory Issued

I guess these past 2 days were not the best days to be spending so much time in the field...
Hillsborough County News May 11, 2011:
Air Pollution Advisory Issued In Hillsborough County For Today
The Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (http://www.epchc.org/) has issued an Air Pollution ADVISORY due to elevated levels of the pollutant OZONE (http://www.epchc.org/ozone.htm).
This advisory was in effect as of 3 p.m. yesterday, May 10, and remains in effect until dusk today, Wednesday, May 11.
OZONE (http://www.epchc.org/ozone.htm) levels reached 66 parts per billion (PPB) at the E.G. Simmons Park monitoring station yesterday afternoon, and were forecasted to stay at a high level, resulting in an eight-hour average greater than the acceptable standard of 75 PPB. A level of 76 PPB for an 8 hour average translates to an Air Quality Index (http://www.epchc.org/current_air_quality.htm) of 101.
Air Quality Index values from 101 - 150 are considered Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Individuals with pre-existing respiratory ailments, the elderly, or the very young may want to take this into consideration when planning any outside activities.
For more information, contact: Tom Tamanini, Environmental Protection Commission, Air Management Division at 813-363-8815.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design – CPTED

Reducing opportunities for crime in a neighborhood and around your home creates a safer environment. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a planning tool that emphasizes using environmental tactics and designs to create a safer home. CPTED eliminates opportunities for criminals in and around your property. When CPTED principles are applied, people who use an area feel safer and would-be criminals are discouraged from committing a crime.*
CPTED consists of four key strategies.
1. Natural Access Control—Getting into and out of your home.
· Locate walkways, fences, landscaping and lighting to direct visitors to your front door and away from private areas.

· Install small walls or gates between the street and house to indicate entry points.

· Plant thorny plants along fence lines and under windows to deter access by intruders.

· Keep the garage door shut and locked.
2. Natural Surveillance—Maximizing safety by maximizing your visibility.
· Don’t let landscaping obstruct views from doors and windows.
· Keep the front door at least partially visible from the street
· Install windows in main living areas so you can see the yard and driveway.
· Illuminate all doorways that open to the outside, and use dusk-to-dawn sensors on lighting fixtures.
· Install motion sensing lights around the garage and outside your home.
3. Territorial Reinforcement—Using physical attributes to show ownership.
· Mark clear boundaries with fences and landscaping.

· Create transitional areas between the street and the home with front porches or stoops

· Make the home address clearly visible from the street.

· Display security system signage at access points.
4. Maintenance—A well maintained home creates a sense of ownership.
· Keep trees and shrubs trimmed back from windows, doors and walkways.

· Trim hedges to three feet in height and prune lower tree branches up to seven feet to maintain clear visibility of streets and sidewalks.

· Keep lawn mowed and neat, as uncut grass and weeds send a signal that a home is uninhabited.

· Keep exterior lighting in working order.

· Keep yards free of items that might attract theft.
*National Crime Prevention Council
This crime prevention tip is provided by the Hillsborough County Criminal Justice Department. For more information or more safety tips, residents should call 813-276-2033 or visit http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/liaisons/criminaljustice .

From HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEWS- January 25, 2011