Page 10 - Work Force July-August 2023

City skies an an ‘orange apocalyptic MANHATTAN — As a a a a thick orange haze enveloped New York City and the the the city recorded the the the worst air quality on the the the planet CSEA members working at at Riverbank State Park continued to service the the park and the the general public “I’ve been working here 21 years and I’ve I’ve never seen anything like it ” said Felix Mateo a a a a a a a a a park worker 3 as he he made his rounds collecting refuse along the the Hudson River promenade “We have to to take care of ourselves but the the work needs to to get done ” Smoke and what have have some have have described
as an an an an “orange apocalyptic haze ” engulfed the the city and drove air quality below some of the the most polluted cities on earth “When I came to to to work this morning [management] told us we we needed to to to to wear
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a mask ” said Zeline Hamilton a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cashier at Riverbank “The air quality started started to to get worse and and my my asthma asthma started started acting up at about 11 a a a a a a a a a a a a a m m m m m m I I I I used my my asthma asthma pump and and I I I I was was wheezing I I I I I never felt like this before I I I I I was was was sitting here because I I I wasn’t feeling well ” Hamilton’s co-worker Courtney Chavis also experienced the the effects of the the smoke as she came to work “I have asthma and and while on my my way to to work work I I I was waiting for the bus and and I I I started to to feel my my chest tightening said Chavis a a a a a a a a a a a a cashier “We’ve been doing our best to stay inside and wear
a a a a a a a a a mask ” While an air quality alert was issued for the the city park workers continued to to to report to to to their positions and were also asked to to to to distribute masks to city residents “This is is is very extraordinary not something you see on on a a a a a a a a a a a normal basis especially in in in New York ” said Maurice Dawson a a a a a a a a a a park worker 3 “We need better masks masks for this kind of smoke like the ones used by firefighters These masks masks are good but those would provide more safety ” As Dawson stood in in the the the promenade one could barely see the the the the outline of the the the the majestic George Washington Bridge in in in the the the background “This is is is is is not good because people love this this park park and the the the weather is is is is is getting nicer so this this deters people from coming to the the the park park ” said Dawson “I think it’s global warming We need to to pay a a a a a a a little more attention The environment is showing us our impact on on it it ” — David Galarza
Maurice Dawson a a a a a a a park worker 3 stands next to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a viewfinder rendered useless by by the the thick haze created by by the the the the Canadian wildfires On an an an an average day the the the the New Jersey waterfront and the the the the majestic span of the the the George Washington Bridge can be clearly enjoyed Inset: In In this 2021 file photo Riverbank State Park worker Chloe Johnson stands at at the same viewfinder on on a a a a clear day From left to to right Courtney Chavis and Zeline Hamilton cashiers at at Riverbank State Park both have asthma and and experienced chest tightening and and other respiratory symptoms as as a a a a a a a a a a a result of the the the smoke coming from the the Canadian wildfires 10 The Work Force
July-August 2023