Daily Mail reports that nineteen-year-old Courtney Partridge-McLennan died from an asthma attack from choking on bushfire smoke last November in Glen Innes, New South Wales. Her older sister, Cherylleigh Partridge claims she died in bed, with her cellphone light on and her inhaler close to her on the morning of November 29, 2019.
On Wednesday, the victim's family provided evidence at a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry to inform them about the health impacts of the recent bushfire season.
Courtney, one of six children, was not considered as severely asthmatic. Her family says she had been able to manage the condition her whole life successfully.
Ms. Partridge told the inquiry how Courtney had struggled to overcome the asthma attack brought on by the smoke and that her sister was unaware of the severe danger it posed. Additionally, she says air quality monitoring isn't done in her area, which leaves residents in the dark regarding the safety and air quality in their surroundings.
She called for up-to-date and comprehensible air quality data to be readily available for people across all of NSW. The inquiry heard a government campaign was necessary to provide real-time air quality reports to help asthmatics make decisions on what level of protection they needed.
What Happens During an Asthma Attack?
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, an asthma attack involves the inflammation and obstruction of the bronchial tubes. These passages permit air to go in and out of the lungs. At times, it could be a terrifying experience since people who experience this struggle to draw in a full breath as their chest tightens and their breathing quickens.
The attack's duration can vary depending on its cause and how long the airways have been inflamed. Mild episodes could last only a few minutes while more severe ones can last from hours to days. Mild attacks can also be resolved spontaneously, sometimes requiring medication, such as a quick-acting inhaler. On the other hand, more severe asthma attacks can be managed through appropriate treatment.
Triggers of an asthma attack could be brought about by exposure to an allergen, such as grass, weeds, trees, pollen, dust mites, or animal dander. Other common triggers are air irritants, like smoke, chemical fumes, perfume, and other sources of strong odors.
Bushfires in NSW
The BBC reported that about 100 bushfires were raging in the Australian state of New South Wales last year in December. The most severe one was described to form a "mega blaze" north of Sydney. More than 2,000 firefighters were battling the bushfires, which were reported to further escalate in intensity.
In November, the bushfires that spread near Glen Innes killed three people and left the town submerged in thick smoke. According to news reports, the air quality in some regions of New South Wales reached tremendously hazardous levels. Furthermore, it was believed that just by inhaling air from the outside would become the equivalent of smoking an entire packet of cigarettes.
According to Michele Goldman, the Asthma Australia chief executive, that hazardous air quality should be treated with more urgency since they have now come to realize the true health impacts of exposure to smoke. She has then called for the development of a systematic approach which aims to measure and report the air quality across the country.
