THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO ENRICH ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

*] >> JEFF: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

COMING UP TONIGHT TIPS FROM MARYLAND POISON CONTROL ABOUT BUG REPELL LANDS.

THAT IS COMING UP.

THE PURPLE LINE JOINING US TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT IS HOLLY ARNOLD ADMINISTRATOR OF THE MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: THIS IS HAPPENING YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE.

>> WE ARE GETTING INCREDIBLY CLOSE.

>> Jeff: HOW CLOSE?

>> CONSTRUCTION IS 90% COMPLETE ON THE PURPLE LINE, WE TAPPED IN THE LAST RAIL.

SO ALL OF THE RAIL IS DONE FOR THE PURPLE LINE.

THE MAJOR CONSTRUCTION WE NEED TO FINISH IS ALL OF THE STATIONS THE 21 STATIONS AND THEN WE HAVE TO PUT IN THE OVERHEAD SYSTEM, THE POLES AND THE WIRES YOU WILL SEE TO ALLOW THE VEHICLES TO TRAVERSE ON THE LINE.

>> Jeff: THE PURPLE LINE THIS IS INSIDE THE WASHINGTON BELTWAY AND OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT THIS IS WITHIN MARYLAND CROSSING ALONG THE PATH FROM BETHESDA THROUGH SILVER SPRING TO NEW CARROLLTON.

HOW LONG A TRIP?

>> IT IS A 16 MILE LIGHT-RAIL LINE WE THINK THE TRAVEL LINE WILL BE ABOUT AN HOUR MOST OF THE TRIPS WILL BE SHORTER.

THE BIGGEST BENEFIT WE WILL SEE FROM THE PURPLE LINE RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT TO GO FROM BET THEZ DA YOU HAVE GO INTO WASHINGTON D.C.

WASHINGTON D.C.

AND BACK OUT ON THE METRO THAT TRIP WILL BE DONE IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES.

IT MAKES THOSE CONNECTIONS EASIER BETWEEN THE SUBURBAN PARTS OF WASHINGTON D.C.

AREA AND MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGE'S' COUNTIES.

>> Jeff: SOMEBODY GOING TO BETHESDA TO NEW CARROLLTON YOU WILL BE BETTER TO THE RED LINE TO THE ORANGE LINE.

>> IT WILL BE A COMPARABLE TRIP.

I'M SURE THE TRANSIT FOLKS WILL DO THAT.

IT IS ONE SEAT RIDE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TRANSFERRING AND WE TALK ABOUT THE PURPLE LINE IT CONNECTS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE REGION.

SO WE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THE METRO RAIL LINES.

IT CONNECTS TO PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, THE BUS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY RIGHT ON ACT TRACK.

THE COLLEGE PARK STUDENT IF YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK YOU CAN TAKE THE PURPLE LINE TO NEW CARROLLTON AND JUMP ON AMTRAK AND GET TO NEW YORK AND NEVER HAVE TO STEP IN A CAR.

>> Jeff: OVER THE SHOULDER IS THE MAP.

AND IT DOES KIND OF BEND AROUND HERE AND THERE.

IT GOES THROUGH THE CAMPUS AT COLLEGE PARK.

>> YES.

WE GO RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER OF CAMPUS WHICH HAS BEEN A CHANGE FOR THEM.

WE'VE MOVED THE ICONIC M AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.

>> Jeff: BULLDOZING THROUGH THE M.

>> WE MOVED IT ALREADY THE M GOT MOVED IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AS WE DO TRAVERSE THROUGH CAMPUS DRIVE.

>> Jeff: HOW DO YOU INTERFACE WITH THE WASHINGTON METRO THESE ARE TWO ENTITIES.

THIS IS THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

>> YES.

WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING CLOSELY WITH THEM THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT WILL CONTINUE ONCE WE ARE IN OPERATIONS.

>> Jeff: SEPARATE FARE?

>> SEPARATE FARE WE WILL TAKE THE SMART TRIP AND TAKE THE MTA CHARM PASS SO IT WILL BE INTEROPENNABLE ON BOTH OF THEM AND THIF THE TAP RIDE GO SO YOU CAN USE YOUR SMARTPHONE OR YOUR CREDIT CARD.

>> Jeff: WE WERE LOOKING THE THE INSIDE VIEW OF ONE OF THE TRAIN SETS SECOND AGO COOL LOOKING.

ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S OPEN.

>> IT'S OPEN IT IS OFFICIALLY, I THINK THE LONGEST TRAIN CAR IN THE U.S.

IT USED TO BE IN NORTH AMERICA AND CANADA BEAT US BY A COUPLE OF FEET.

YES, FULLY OPEN WHICH HELPS WITH VISIBILITY AND SAFETY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE UP AND DOWN IT'S BRIGHT AND AIRY.

THE NEW RAIL CARS ARE EXCITING AND PEOPLE WILL LIKE THEM.

>> Jeff: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE RIDERSHIP IS GOING TO BE LIKE.

HARD TO PROJECT, I THINK?

>> WE DID PROJECTIONS PRIOR TO GETTING THE GRANT FUNDING FOR THIS.

SO 10 PLUS YEARS AGO, AND THE PROJECTIONS WERE 2045 WE WOULD HAVE 60,000 RIDERS PER DAY.

AT THIS POINT, GIVEN COVID AND CHANGES IN TERMS OF TRAVEL PATTERNS AND HOW PEOPLE ARE WORKING DIFFERENTLY, WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE BUT THE DEMAND IS THERE.

THE DEMAND FOR RIDERSHIP BETWEEN THE SUBURBAN STATIONS FOR COLLEGE PARK STUDENTS IS HUGE AND WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF RIDERS.

>> Jeff: IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ANYTHING THAT THE MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION DOES SEND US AN E-MAIL LIVE QUESTIONS AT MPT.ORG.

AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT OTHER MTA ACTIVITIES CAN WE NAIL YOU DOWN DO WE HAVE A REVENUE SERVICE DATE YET?

>> WE ARE PROJECTING END OF 2027.

BUT I WILL CAUTION THAT WE ARE ONCE WE FINISH THE CONSTRUCTION WE ARE GOING INTO THE TESTING PERIOD.

SO IT'S TESTING AND TRIAL RUNNING.

AND SO IF I CAN EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT.

>> Jeff: WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL?

>> WE HAVE THE VEHICLES AND THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO BUT THEY HAVE TO TALK TO THE WAYSIDE SYSTEM THERE'S AXLE COUNTERS THAT TELL US WHERE THE TRAINS ARE.

THERE ARE TRAFFIC SIGNALS THAT THEY HAVE TO TALK TO.

THEY HAVE TO TALK TO THE STATION AND TECHNOLOGY WORKS FLAWLESSLY ALL THE TIME.

AND SO IT'S TESTING AND MAKING SURE THAT HANDSHAKE WORKS BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND THE SYSTEM SO WE CAN SEE EVERYTHING.

THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX PARTS OF ANY PROJECT.

THERE'S SPECIALIZED FOLKS WHO DO THAT.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, THE TEAM IS READY WE'VE DONE ADVANCED PREP WORK BUT ON THE GROUND WHEN WE SEE THINGS IS WHEN THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD THERE.

>> Jeff: WHEN IT'S CLOSER WE WILL DO AN INTERVIEW ON THE PURPLE LINE.

>> WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU.

>> Jeff: THIS IS AN E-MAIL FROM BRETT HAVE THERE BEEN SOLID COMMITMENTS TO NEW COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION CLOSE TO ANY OF THE NEW PURPLE LINE STATIONS?

THIS IS SORT OF A NO-BRAINER FOR TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT?

>> YES.

THERE'S BEEN A HUGE ARM OF TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE ENTIRE PURPLE LINE AND THAT IS COMPLICATED AS WE'RE BUILDING WE ARE BUILDING AT THE SAME TIME THAT DEVELOPERS ARE THERE WE'RE SHARING SPACE AND FIGURING THAT OUT.

WE ARE LOOKING AT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT ALONG THE PURPLE LINE STATIONS AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT WILL CONTINUE.

>> Jeff: IS THIS DEDICATED RIGHT-OF-WAY OR PLACES I KNOW COLLEGE PARK YOU BULLDOZED THE M BUT ARE WE GOING DOWN BALTIMORE'S LIGHT-RAIL, ON HOWARD STREET IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE THAT?

>> IT WILL BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ALIGNMENT.

I MENTIONED BETHESDA TO SILVER SPRING AT THAT TIME IS DEDICATED BUT THROUGH COLLEGE PARK WE ARE MIXED TRAFFIC IN ON CAMPUS DRIVE.

SO IT COULD BE A CAR, LIGHT-RAIL VEHICLE, BUS, ALL IN ONE ROW THERE.

DIFFERENT THAN WE HAVE ON HOWARD STREET IN BALTIMORE.

>> Jeff: WE ARE SITTING HERE IN OWENS MILLS THE BALTIMORE METRO RAIL SYSTEM, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM YET DRIVING ALONG 795 BUT YOU HAVE NEW ROLLING STOCK THERE.

>> WE DO.

WE ARE REPLACING ALL OF OUR 40 PLUS-YEAR-OLD VEHICLES WITH NEW VEHICLES MANUFACTURED RIGHT HERE IN MARYLAND.

IN HAGERSTOWN.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE IN SERVICE AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

WE HAVE TWO MORE THAT ARE GETTING READY AND ENTER SERVICE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS AND BY THE END OF THE MONTH WE HOPE TO HAVE 9 AND WE WILL HAVE 78 NEW VEHICLES.

>> Jeff: HOPEFULLY BETTER RELIABILITY AND MORE COMFORT?

>> THAT IS THE GOAL.

HUGE INCREASES IN RELIABILITY.

OUR 40-YEAR-OLD CARS HAVE CHUGGED AND DONE THEIR BEST AND THE TEAM DOES A GOOD JOB BUT THEY ARE NOT AS RELIABLE AS WE WANT.

THE NEWER VEHICLES HAVE BETTER SEATS, BIKE RACKS, PLACES TO PUT STROLLERS.

THE WINDOWS ARE BRIGHTER AND BIGGER SO IT IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR RIDERS THERE.

>> Jeff: VIEWER LOOKING AT THE PICTURES WE PUT ON TV INSIDE THE PURPLE LINE SAYS WHERE ARE THE SEATS?

I SEE FEW SEATS DOES NOT WANT TO STAND FOR AN HOUR.

ARE THERE MORE SEATS?

>> THERE ARE I CANNOT TELL YOU THE SPECIFIC NUMBER OF SEATS BUT THERE'S SOME THAT FLIP UP ON THE SIDES DEPENDING ON THE PICTURE YOU MAY SEE SOME FLIPPING UP.

THROUGHOUT THERE IS A VARIETY OF SEATS.

>> Jeff: THERE IS A TRADE-OFF BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF FIXED SEATS AND YOUR CAPACITY?

>> YES.

AND WE THINK AS PEOPLE ARE GETTING OUT OF A UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND FOOTBALL GAME THEY ARE GETTING ON FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME AND WILL TAKE THE TRAIN.

>> Jeff: I ALWAYS WONDER IF THEY CAN BE CALLED MASS TRANSIT.

YEARS AGO I WAS COMING OUT OF AN 0ER8S PLAYOFF GAME AND WALKING OUT OF CAMDEN YARDS AND SEEING THE LIGHT-RAIL STATUS SIGN AND THERE WAS A TRAIN 20 MINUTES AWAY.

AND WHEN IT GETS THERE IT'S ONLY GOING TO HAVE 50 SEATS OR SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT REALLY ABLE TO MOVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE REALLY FAST.

IS THIS GOING TO BE SETUP BETTER?

>> YEAH, THE PURPLE LINE VEHICLES IT'S GOING TO BE 300 PLUS PEOPLE ABLE TO RIDE THE TRAINS 400 PLUS.

YOU CAN GET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ON THERE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT SEVEN-AND-A-HALF MINUTE HEADWAYS.

IT CAN MOVE A TON OF PEOPLE.

IF YOU THINK OF TRYING TO GET 400 PEOPLE OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE TRAIN IS GOING TO WIN.

VIEWER WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT PARKING.

WILL THERE BE DEDICATED PARKING LOTS ALONG THE PURPLE LINE?

>> NO.

>> IT IS A TOUGH AREA.

>> AND THE PURPLE LINE WAS DESIGNED TO BE COMMUNITY-BASED ORIENTED AND WALK UP STATIONS ALL OF THE STATIONS ARE WALKABLE.

WE HAVE BUILT 19 MILES OF SIDEWALKS ALONG THE ALIGNMENT SO WE CAN ENSURE PEOPLE HAVE GOOD ACCESS TO IT AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH STATE HIGHWAY AND THE LOCAL COUNTIES AS WELL TO HAVE BETTER WALKABILITY TO CONNECTIONS.

>> Jeff: TELL ME ABOUT LIGHT-RAIL MODERNIZATION.

>> LIGHT-RAIL MODERNIZATION IS GOING TO FIX THE WAIT.

THE LIGHT-RAIL WAS BUILT IN THE 90s AND THE GOAL WAS BUILD IT FAST BUILD IT NOW AND THAT HAPPENED AND IT OPENED IN TIME FOR THE FIRST GAME AT CAMDEN YARDS.

THE SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW IS LARGELY THE SAME SYSTEM THAT WE HAD IN 1992.

THERE'S BEEN DOUBLE TRACKING BUT THE VEHICLES ARE THE SAME.

>> Jeff: THAT IS RIGHT IT WAS SINGLE TRACKED IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.

>> IT'S STILL SINGLE TRACKED IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.

BUT WHEN IT OPENED LARGE PORTIONS WERE SINGLE TRACKED.

AND SO THIS IS 1.4 BILLION INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING TO REVITALIZING THAT SYSTEM.

WE WILL REPLACE THE OLD VEHICLES YOU HAVE TO WALK UPSTAIRS TO ONES YOU CAN ROLL ON AND ROLL OFF.

SO IT WILL BE EASIER TO GET ON AND OFF WHICH CENTER FIELDS UP TRAVEL TIMES.

WE ARE WORKING WITH BALTIMORE CITY TO FIX HOWARD STREET AND THE FACT THAT YOU CAN WALK FASTER THAN YOU CAN TAKE THE TRAIN WE'RE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES LIKE WAGGING LEFTS INSTEAD OF LEADING LEFT.

A LOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS WE WANT TO FIX.

IT'S NEW VEHICLES, NEW STATIONS, AND NEW SIGNAL SYSTEMS FOR THE TRAINS.

>> Jeff: WE HAVE A MINUTE.

LET'S DO ANOTHER VIEWER QUESTION.

FROM THE EASTERN SHORE WILL THERE EVER BE A PASSENGER TRAIN THAT TRAVELS BETWEEN OCEAN CITY THROUGH SALISBURY AND ACROSS THE BRIDGE?

THAT IS A TOUGH ONE.

>> THAT IS A TOUGH ONE.

>> Jeff: I THINK THERE ARE TRACKS THAT GO UP DELMARVA, PHILADELPHIA MAYBE.

>> THERE IS FREIGHT RAIL ALONG THE EASTERN SHORE THAT IS NOT IN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR NOT GOOD FOR PASSENGERS.

THE FOCUS IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR EXISTING SYSTEM STANDS UP TO THE MEETING THE NEEDS OF TODAY.

>> Jeff: AND A SENTENCE OR TWO WHAT DO YOU WANT RIDERS TO KNOW?

>> THE MTA TEAM IS WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM AND DELIVER THE SERVICE THAT OUR RIDERS NEED AND WE HAVE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT.

>> Jeff: VERY GOOD.

HOLLY ARNOLD IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: AND WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> Jeff: NOW, THE COMBINATION OF A LOT OF RAIN AND WARMER TEMPERATURES IS PERFECT FOR BREEDING MOSQUITOES AND OTHER BUGS WITH SOME TIPS ON SUMMER BUG SPRAYS AND OTHER MATTERS WE ARE JOINED BY MELINDA LEE A CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY FELLOW AT THE MARYLAND POISON CENTER WHICH IS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE SCHOOL OF PHARMACY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, JEFF.

>> Jeff: A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT DEET I DID NOT KNOW.

THERE WAS A TWEET FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION RECENTLY, AND THERE'S CONCERNS WITH YOUNGER KIDS RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

SO DEET IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MORE WELL-KNOWN BUG REPELL LANDS THAT WE'VE HAD.

IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1950s.

BUT THERE ARE PREVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT SPECIFICALLY INFANTS AND CHILDREN.

BEING A BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE ON USING DEET ON THEIR SKIN BECAUSE THEY ARE CHILDREN, CHILDREN AND INFANTS THEIR SKIN IS MUCH THINNER THAN AN ADULT'S.

SO THEY MAY ABSORB MORE CHEMICALS THAN SAY IN AN ADULT HUMAN.

BUT THE EPA AND THE AAEP, WHICH IS THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS LIFTED THAT AGE RESTRICTION.

SO IT IS YOU CAN USE DEET IN CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN TWO MONTHS OLD, BUT THERE IS A CAVEAT THEY DO MENTION TRY TO BE CONSERVATIVE WITH YOUR USE.

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE PRODUCT LABEL BEFORE APPLY TO GO TO THEIR SKIN.

TRY NOT TO EXCESSIVELY SPRAY ON THEIR SKIN MORE THAN NECESSARY.

AND USE OTHER MEASURES BESIDES JUST USING BUG SPRAY SUCH AS MAKING SURE THEIR ARMS AND LEGS ARE COVERED YOU CAN USE A MOSQUITO NET THOSE ARE ALL VALID WAYS TO PREVENT BUG BITES.

>> Jeff: FOR SLIGHTLY OLDER KIDS, I THINK THE ADVICE WAS TO NOT SPRAY IT ON THEIR HANDS.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEIR HAND ALSO WINDUP IN THEIR MOUTH OR EYES?

>> YES.

SO ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE ON THE YOUNGER SIDE.

THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO PUT ANYTHING THAT IS ON THEIR HANDS, THEY CAN GRASP IN THEIR MOUTH TO LIMIT ANY SORT OF MOUTH EXPOSURE AND INJENNINGS OF THESE BUG SPRAY REPELLENTS.

WE ADVISE TO AS A PARENT OR GUARDIAN OR WHOEVER APPLY IT TO YOUR HANDS YOURSELF AND THEN APPLY TO THEIR FACE.

NEVER SPRAY THESE PRODUCTS DIRECTLY INTO THEIR FACE.

SPRAY ON TO YOUR HANDS AND THEN RUB IT ON THEIR FACE THAT WAY.

THAT ALSO LIMITS POTENTIAL RESPIRATORY OR BREATHING ISSUES THAT COMES FROM BEING BLASTED BY THE CAN.

AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO APPLYING IT TO THEIR HANDS APPLY IT SPARINGLY.

DON'T TRY TO GET TOO MUCH ON IT.

WHERE THEY MAY INGEST AN AMOUNT THAT MAY NOT BE TOO PLEASANT FOR THEM.

>> Jeff: TELL ME ABOUT THE WORK OF THE POISON CENTER.

IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 50 YEARS.

IT EXPANDED THE RANGE OF WHAT YOU DO TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRE STATE OF MARYLAND.

AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AS WELL.

HOW BUSY ARE YOU?

ARE THERE CERTAIN TIMES A YEAR WHERE YOU KNOW THE PHONE IS GOING TO RING?

>> YES.

SO WITH THE POISON CENTER OBVIOUSLY IT DEPENDS PER STATE BUT LIKE YOU MENTIONED WE NOW COVER THE ENTIRETY OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND PLUS WASHINGTON D.C.

SO DEFINITELY HAS GOTTEN MUCH MORE BUSY SINCE WE STARTED TAKING OVER THE WASHINGTON D.C.

AREA.

IN TERMS OF WHEN IS THE HEIGHT OF OUR CALL VOLUME, I'D SAY PROBABLY MORE TOWARDS THE SUMMERTIME BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE HOME, EVERYONE IS OUT PLAYING.

SO WE TEND TO GET MORE CALLS ABOUT BITES, STINGS, PLANT EXPOSURES PEOPLE DOING THINGS OUTSIDE.

BUG REPELL ENDS IS ONE.

>> Jeff: YOU BROUGHT UP SWIMMING POOL SUPPLIES.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PHONE NUMBER BECAUSE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE I SAW WAS THAT EVERYBODY SHUT PUT THIS PHONE NUMBER IN THEIR CELLPHONE.

THE 800 NUMBER, 800-222-1222.

IT'S NATIONAL AND THAT WILL CONNECT YOU TO YOUR LOCAL POISON CENTER.

>> YEAH, EXACTLY.

IT IS A NATIONAL NUMBER.

SO LIKE YOU MENTIONED 1-800-222-1222 THAT WILL CONNECT YOU TO YOUR LOCAL POISON CENTER.

IF YOU ARE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, OR IN DC YOU WILL BE CONNECTED WITH OUR POISON CENTER THE MARYLAND POISON CENTER.

SOMETIMES THERE'S INTERFERENCE WHERE YOU MAYBE CONNECTED TO A DIFFERENT STATE BUT THEY COULD EASILY FORWARD YOU OVER TO THE CORRECT STATE.

>> Jeff: AND HOPEFULLY HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION.

NOW, THE POOL SUPPLIES, NOT EVERYBODY AROUND HERE HAS A BACKYARD POOL IT IS A SHORT SEASON BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO DO YOU WINDUP HAVING CHLORINE PRODUCTS AROUND.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG THERE?

>> YEAH, SO, WITH POOL SUPPLIES SPECIFICALLY CHLORINE TABLETS, WE SOMETIMES GET CALLS ABOUT EXPOSURE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPOSED TO CHLORINE GAS FROM THESE TABLETS.

THEY TYPICALLY COME IN OR THEY CAN COME IN THOSE LARGE PLASTIC BINS.

SO PEOPLE WHO OPEN THEM UNKNOWINGLY, GET BLASTED WITH PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CHLORINE GAS.

WHICH IS PRETTY IRRITATING TO THE LUNGS.

SO THEY COULD HAVE SOME COUGHING, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE BREATHING.

SOME THROAT IRRITATION.

BUT USUALLY WITH THESE EXPOSURES, THEY TEND TO RESOLVE ONCE PATIENTS ARE ABLE TO REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM THE AREA.

SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IS A GOOD PROBLEM WITH CHLORINE IT HAS THAT NOXIOUS SMELL, SO.

>> Jeff: SO YOU KNOW IT.

>> YOU KNOW IT'S PRESENT AND THAT'S THE CHEMICAL TELLING YOU TO GET OUT OF THAT AREA.

SO ONCE YOU REMOVE YOURSELF, YOU MAY STILL HAVE LIKE LASTING COUGH, BUT THAT SHOULD RESOLVE A FEW HOURS AFTER THE EXPOSURE.

>> Jeff: I THINK THE ADVICE ON POISON STUFF THE LONG TIME AGO WAS THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A CONTAINER IT WAS A LITTLE TINY THING SYRUP OF ESPECIALLY CONTACT TO INDUCE VOMITING AND YOU DON'T ADVISE THAT ANY LONGER?

SO I SHOULD THROW IT OUT?

>> YES.

IT IS, I THINK I'M SHOWING MY AGE IT'S BEYOND MY TIME.

BUT IT'S IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT HAS BEEN USED TO INDUCE VOMITING.

SO ONE OF THE POISON MITTS WE GET IS IF ME OR SOMEONE I KNOW OR MY KID INGESTED SOMETHING THAT MAYBE POTENTIALLY HARMFUL, I SHOULD INDUCE VOMITING SO THEY DON'T ABSORB IT IN THEIR STOMACH.

WE ADVISE AGAINST DOING THAT BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

THROWING UP ESPECIALLY IS SOMETHING THAT IS CAUSTIC, BLEACH OR SOMETHING ACIDIC OR BASIC, VERY STRONG HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS, IF IT BURNS GOING DOWN IT'S GOING TO BURN COMING BACK UP.

SO WE DON'T RECOMMEND INDUCING VOMITING.

THOSE SCENARIOS, THERE IS THE RISK IF YOU DO INDUCED VOMITING OF IT GOING DOWN THE WRONG PIPE.

SO YOU COULD INHALE SOME OF THE VOMIT AND THAT CAN CAUSE MORE ISSUES.

MAYBE MORE SEVERE THAN WHAT THE ACTUAL EXPOSURE WAS.

>> Jeff: HOW OFTEN DOES A PHONE CALL TO THE POISON CENTER NEED TO BE DIVERTED TO 911?

HOW OFTEN IS IT REALLY SERIOUS LIKE A CHILD'S GOTTEN INTO A CLEANING SUPPLIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> I CANNOT GIVE YOU A STRAIGHT STATISTIC OF HOW OFTEN WE DIRECT PATIENTS TO CALL 911.

BUT I WILL SAY AT LEAST FROM THE DAILY CALLS THAT WE GET MAJORITY OF THEM ARE BENIGN SO THEY ARE USUALLY HOME CALLS.

FROM PARENTS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE AT HOME AND THEY ARE ASKING IF THEY CAN STAY AT HOME OR DO THEY NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET SEEN.

TO BE EVALUATED.

SO THAT'S THE BULK OF OUR CALLS WE OCCASIONALLY WE GET THE SEVERE EXPOSURES WHERE WE SAY YES, YOU NEED TO CALL 911 SO THEN AN AMBULANCE CAN COME AND TAKE YOU.

>> Jeff: BEFORE WE GO, THERE IS A GROWING THREAT YOU WERE TELLING ME ABOUT SUBSTANCES THAT PEOPLE PICK UP MAYBE IT'S OUT OF THE WAY AT THE GAS STATION OR A VAPE SHOP SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WHAT ARE THOSE?

>> YEAH, SO UM, SOMETIMES WHAT YOU CAN FIND AT GAS STATIONS THEY COULD OCCASIONALLY BE REFERRED TO AS GAS STATION HIGHS.

THESE PRODUCTS ARE TYPICALLY USED RECREATIONALLY SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE USE IT EITHER TO SELF TREAT EITHER THEY HAVE A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND THEY USE IT TO SELF TREAT OR JUST FOR FUN.

AND GET HEAD HIGH.

BUT THESE PRODUCTS FOR EXAMPLE, KRATOM, 70H, EVEN SOME OF YOUR THC PRODUCTS CAN BE QUITE HARMFUL.

AND SINCE MAJORITY OF THESE GAS STATION HIGHS AREN'T REGULATED BY THE F.D.A., WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT EXACTLY IS IN IT.

SO WHAT IS -- WHAT DOES SAY ON THE LABEL CAN BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT IS.

>> Jeff: GOOD GRIEF.

MELINDA LEE IS WITH THE MARYLAND POISON CENTER WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" FOR THIS WEEK.

WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE" AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS.

JOIN US FRIDAY EVENING AT 7:00 P.M.

FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[*]