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If you think it is bad here, the Indonesians are getting it worse.
The haze has affected not just out island, but neighbouring Malaysia as well as the root Indonesia as well. In fact every time the PSI climbs here, the scale pole vaults in Indonesia.
Wally Tham a video director and owner of Big Red Button a production house, has taken it upon himself to help whenever the haze hits. He began two years ago when the PSI hit record breaking heights. He crowdfunded to help purchase air purifiers for the elderly in nursing homes as well as the less fortunate.
He’s even been to Indonesia to document the conditions suffered by those taking it in first hand and provide haze education to help spread the awareness of the devastation this haze causes. The visuals are devastating and downright dystopian, but it should bring you some respite knowing that what we’re suffering is naught when compared to the villagers, elderly, sickly and young in Indonesia.
N95 masks just won’t cut it in the heart of the haze. Industrial solutions come close to giving a brief respite.
Wally’s particle counter reveals that even indoors the PM2.5 count registered at 28k (50 and below is considered healthy)
In his hotel lobby, it’s a staggering 400k.
Wally has been actively looking for people to join him in his efforts to battle conditions and help with prevention. His photos can be seen on his facebook page and more information about his cause can be found there too.
Whilst firefighters are busy killing the flames, there is pressing need to help the ordinary citizen.
“We gave haze education talks on the importance of n95 masks vs surgical masks”, Wally tells us. The local authorities and doctors had been pushing ordinary surgical masks to the villagers.
If you’d like to give a hand (and dollar) to the efforts too, point your browsers here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sayang-kalimantan-sayang-equip-the-haze-fight/
What will your funds do? Here’s an excerpt from Wally:
“The Haze finds it’s beginnings in an land hundreds of kilometers away from Singapore. Where farmers and fishermen have laid down their tools and nets to fight fires everyday. Where children live with PSI levels exceeding 1500 regularly.
But there is a information gap, While we in Singapore get regular air quality readings, the residents of Kalimantan don’t. They are given surgical masks that do not seal and protect from PM2.5. They do not get satellite imagery of local hotspots to properly go fight fires.
I want to put an air quality meter, a drone and proper respirator masks into the equation.
Without a working air testing facility, Central Kalimantan has been without accurate data about the levels of PM2.5.
With a drone, fire fighters can accurately seek out hot spots and perform informed search and rescues.
And most importantly, for the ones charging into the fire, we want to give them respirators that will properly protect them from smoke inhalation.
Any extra funds raised will go to more respirators and replacement filters. Also air purifiers for hospitals and haze shelters.”
“They have delivered a drone to help find hot spots, industrial respirators and a PM2.5 counter. Now they want to render more support in fighting peatland fires with water pumps and drills” updates Wally.
Once again, give a hand where you can: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sayang-kalimantan-sayang-equip-the-haze-fight/
[plinker]
