Outdoor Workers in Florida, Georgia Face Health Risks from Wildfire

People, especially those with asthma, allergies and breathing problems, are advised to stay indoors to avoid the lingering smoke from the Georgia and Florida wildfires.

For some, that is not an option. Their livelihood and the safety of others depend on their outdoor jobs.

Yard workers and law enforcement officers have been toiling in this thick air lately. They say the past several days have been difficult. But smoke or no smoke, they say the job must be done.

Suwannee county landscaper Rusty Grinnell says he's noticed a lot of people not coming out to the business because of the smoke.

"Saturday we should've had business for Mother's Day. Our boss Mr. Terry says it's gone down greatly. It severely disrupted our whole income."

Grinnel says unfortunately he doesn't have that luxury to avoid being outside. He still has to get up in the mornings and dig his way through the irritation of the smoke.

"It just makes me want to get done with all my work faster to get out of the smoke."

Suwannee County Deputy Joe Rodriguez says he's been out in the smoke day in and day out, assisting motorists evacuating the smoke-infested areas and calming fears of the flames spreading. He says the smoke takes a toll on him as well.

"When it's really thick it bothers your eyes; it burns. Sometimes it makes you cough, but only when you're in the areas where it's really thick when you get closer to the county line near Columbia County."

Other outdoor jobs such as construction workers require employees to have to endure the same. But health officials say anyone with asthma, emphysema, or bronchitis should monitor their breathing carefully, but even better, stay indoors.

When out in the smoke, symptoms to watch for are wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty of taking a full breath, chest heaviness, light headedness, and dizziness.

Health officials say you can take any regular medications that you may have, and if that doesn't work, seek medical attention.