SSM Tests 100 Households to Help LA Wildfire Studies
Orange County homeowners are being sought for the next stage of the study.
By Jon Schibsted, Safety Services Management
Gathering post wildfire smoke contamination samples.
Safety Services Management (SSM) is gathering environmental samples from 100 residential properties in Altadena and Pacific Palisades for a research project conducted by UCLA, USC, and Loyola Marymount University (LMU). This is a large and important project for our company. We are honored to participate.
The study examines affected but undamaged homes in the Eaton and Palisades fires and other contaminants that may be present in these homes. Results of the study will be useful for making decisions about recovery and cleanup efforts.
Learn more about the wildfire research project
The homes we surveyed differ in whether and how they were remediated. Some were never remediated. Some had cleanup work done by the home’s occupants. Others had professional remediation services.
Surveying multiple types of homes allows researchers to compare the results from different homes and evaluate how remediation affects test results.
What SSM Is Collecting
Our sampling procedures for the wildfire project include:
Indoor and outdoor air samples collected for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Settled dust samples containing heavy metals such as lead.
Settled dust samples analyzed for asbestos.
Surface samples taken to detect combustion products such as soot and ash.
Our job is to gather samples for university researchers who will use the data to learn more about chemical contaminants in homes and the effectiveness of cleanup efforts.
Homes Needed in Orange County
We need information about comparison properties outside the smoke plume determined in the study area. Comparison properties are in Orange County between Fullerton and Newport Beach in the region depicted in the recruitment map.
Our primary need is pre-1950 homes, along with some newer homes.
Older homes can have dust contamination from older sources unrelated to the fire. Lead paint and remodeling activities are two possible sources.
Learn more about sources of lead in homes from the EPA
Testing homes from similar time periods that were not exposed to smoke can provide a baseline for comparison with the results from homes exposed to smoke. Testing these control homes is a valuable component of the study.
How to Sign Up
Selected households will be offered free testing through this study. There are a limited number of tests available, and registration for the study does not guarantee a test. The study team will contact selected households to verify their eligibility for and participation in testing.
If you live in the area shown on the recruitment map, we invite you to sign up using the link below. We are particularly interested in hearing from homeowners of pre-1950 homes.
Enroll in the Orange County Home Testing Study
If you have friends or family with older homes in this area, please share this post with them.
