Troy Schools buy air quality monitoring system

Troy residents may now keep tabs on their local air quality thanks to a new monitoring system installed by the local school district.

Faced with an early fire season, administrators with Troy Public Schools bought an air quality sensor to help inform day-to-day decisions about whether or not to hold outdoor activities this fall. Officials can now refer to the monitor and decide within minutes whether or not to call off recesses or athletic practices, according to Superintendent Jacob Francom.

The district purchased the device for around $300 from Purple Air, a company that manages a low-cost air quality sensor network. Before settling on the Purple Air monitor, Francom said administrators contacted the U.S. Forest Service and EPA in hopes of purchasing a higher-grade sensor.

While government officials didn’t have any monitors to spare, they recommended the district buy a sensor from Purple Air, which offers devices that are only slightly lower in quality than those used by the federal agencies.

In the past, Troy school administrators have had to rely on air quality sensors positioned in Libby and Bonners Ferry. Since Troy is isolated in a small valley, Francom said readings from monitors in other cities are often inaccurate indicators of the local air quality.

School administrators will not restrict outdoor activities when the air quality index is below 100. If the index is between 100 and 150, Francom said athletes would be allowed to practice outside, but without outdoor conditioning.

When the index surpasses 150, administrators would limit the time students spend outdoors. School officials would also take precautions to protect students and adults with underlying health conditions.

Air quality data from the sensor is accessible at https://fire.airnow.gov.