Park earns award for air quality monitoring system

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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has earned the national Safety and Health Group Award from the National Park Service for its work monitoring air quality within the park and communicating the information to the public and employees.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has earned the national Safety and Health Group Award from the National Park Service for its work monitoring air quality within the park and communicating the information to the public and employees.

In 2011, the park’s air quality team installed seven stations that measure sulfur dioxide and volcanic particulate levels downwind of Halemaumau and Puu Oo. The findings are monitored and shared in real time at hawaiiso2network.com.

The site offers a multitude of data, including air quality findings, weather conditions and wind direction.

The team also established a policy to guide corrective actions within the park, including temporary area closures as necessary to protect visitors and staff from dangerous fumes. Mobile electronic road signs are programmed to convey current conditions and alerts.