• Office-based employees to work remotely to maintain core city services 
• Police, Fire, EMS, DDOT and Trash Collection and other essential services will continue Friday 
• Mayor approves emergency purchase of 112,000 face masks, arriving throughout the day   

Mayor Mary Sheffield, Chief Public Health Officer Ali Abazeed and City of Detroit department heads this morning updated the public on their efforts to help keep residents safe during the ongoing air quality concerns caused by Canadian wildfires.  

Yesterday, air quality in parts of Detroit reached extremely hazardous levels, with Air Quality Index readings above 600 in some parts. At these levels, wildfire smoke poses a public health threat and can affect everyone, causing eye and respiratory irritation and increasing the risk of asthma attacks, heart and lung complications, and other serious health effects.  

Older adults, pregnant people, infants, children, outdoor workers, and residents with heart or lung conditions are at heightened risk. To reduce exposure and prevent smoke-related illness, the Mayor directed the distribution of masks, emergency health alerts to residents, and limits on outdoor work for City employees.

Today, the Mayor has directed that administrative office workers may work from home on Friday, July 17. City staff are expected to monitor and respond to voicemails and emails to continue providing core city business, and to conduct and participate in meetings virtually.  This includes as services normally based at the Coleman Young Municipal Center, which will be closed for business operations to the public. Based on forecasts, full on-site City services are expected to resume on Monday, July 20.

“What we are experiencing in Detroit is unprecedented and requires a full response from the city to help make sure residents know how to protect themselves and what resources are available,” said Mayor Sheffield. 

The following essential city services will continue normally

• Police  
• Fire/EMS  
• DDOT  
• Health    
• Human, Homeless & Family Services  
• GSD/Parks and Recreation (Recreation Centers will be open)  
• Animal Control  
• DoIT support services  
• DPW (Trash, bulk and recycling collection will occur)  
• DWSD repairs and customer service  
• BSEED select service including building inspections  
• Airport operations 

In addition, staff from the Department of Neighborhoods and DPD Neighborhood Police Officers will do wellness checks at senior citizen apartment buildings.  

DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY Although in person services won’t be available on Friday, many City services, such as tax and fee payments and permit applications, are available online at detroitmi.gov. In terms of some payments to the City of Detroit, individuals may utilize the DivDat kiosk or mobile app. Residents also may report issues via the Improve Detroit app.  

Health Department Guidance

Wildfire smoke contains fine particle pollution that can harm health. Exposure may cause eye and respiratory tract irritation and can worsen asthma, heart failure, and other existing heart or lung conditions.  

Everyone should take steps to reduce exposure. Older adults, pregnant people, infants, children and teens, and people with asthma or other heart or lung conditions are at greater risk of becoming sick from wildfire smoke.

• Stay indoors as much as possible 
• Keep windows and doors closed, if possible 
• Move exercise and other physical activities indoors or reschedule them until air quality improves. 
• If you must be outside, wear a properly fitted N95 or KN95 mask which filters the fine particles.  

Mayor authorizes emergency purchase of face masks

Mayor Sheffield has authorized an emergency purchase of 112,000 face masks that will be arriving throughout the day on Friday that will be distributed to all recreation centers. Masks also are being distributed along the DDOT system. 

Detroit Recreation Centers:

For those residents who do not have working air conditioning or are outside and need respite from the air quality hazard, the following City’s recreation centers are open during normal business hours.

• Adams Butzel Complex (10500 Lyndon, Detroit, MI 48238)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8 a.m.  to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.  
• Butzel Family Center (7737 Kercheval, Detroit, MI 48214)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8 a.m.  to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 
• Clemente (2631 Bagley, Detroit MI 48216)—Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  
• Coleman A. Young (2751 Robert Bradby, Detroit, MI 48207)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.   
• Community Center at A.B Ford (100 Lenox St., Detroit MI 48215)—Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  
• Crowell (16630 Lahser, Detroit, MI 48219)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.  
• Farwell (2781 E. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48234)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.  
• Helen Moore Community Center (11825 Dexter Ave., Detroit, MI 48206)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.  
• Heilmann (19601 Crusade, Detroit, MI 48205)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.  
• Kemeny (2260 Fort St., Detroit, MI 48217)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.  
• Lasky (13200 Fenelon, Detroit, MI 48212)—Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 
• Northwest Activities Center (18100 Meyers Road, Detroit, MI 48235)—Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.   
• Williams (8431 Rosa Parks, Detroit, MI 48206)—Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

City Programming cancelations

The City of Detroit also has extended its cancellation of all outdoor recreational programming – including this week’s Occupy the Summer programming on Friday. Saturday’s Late Night Basketball is still happening since it is inside, as well as Sunday’s Hoopfest. 

Emergency Alerts

The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has employed two primary messaging systems to advise residents of the health risks and provide guidance. That includes a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system message sent out Thursday to all cell phones in Detroit and the Detroit Alerts 365 which is a free subscription service.  

Detroiters can sign up for Detroit Alerts 365 messages at detroitmi.gov/departments/homeland-security-emergency-management-detroit/emergency-preparedness/detroit-alerts-365.