NEW YORK — Cloudy skies and poor air quality are expected in the region again this week due to smoke from wildfires, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned Tuesday.
The governor asked high-risk communities, such as children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems, to avoid being outdoors on Wednesday. For this reason, hundreds of thousands of high-quality N95 masks will be available to New Yorkers to address air quality impacts.
In New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority will distribute masks to travelers at major transit hubs. Additional masks are being made available for counties outside of New York City in state-managed stockpiles for later distribution to the public.
Masks will be available at the following locations:
- Grand Central Terminal (Manhattan)
- Pennsylvania Station (Manhattan)
- Fulton Center (Manhattan)
- Jamaica Station (Queens)
- Port Authority Bus Terminal Main Concourse, South Wing (Manhattan)
- Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn
- Great Contest, The Bronx
- Shirley Chisholm State Park
- Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
- Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park (Harlem)
- Roberto Clemente State Park (The Bronx)
The FDNY will also be distributing masks in all five boroughs. N95 masks would be available at local stations, maximum 2 per person:
“Air quality is expected to worsen again on Wednesday and Thursday due to windy conditions combined with the wildfires burning in Canada. The FDNY encourages you to wear N95 or KN95 masks. If you need high-quality masks, you can stop by by your local fire station Limit 2 per person,” the FDNY said in a tweet Tuesday night.
