11/01/2023: Wildfire Smoke Exposure & Post-Fire Cleanup: Mitigating Hazards

Wildfire Smoke Exposure & Post-Fire Cleanup: Mitigating Hazards

About the webinar:

As urban environments encroach on undeveloped lands, and changes in climate lead to longer and more active fire seasons, the risk of wildfire smoke exposure is increasing. This presentation will identify hazardous components people are exposed to both indoors and outdoors, and discuss health impacts on high-risk and on healthy individuals. Learners will also explore methods to minimize exposure risk, and how to safely clean interior surfaces after a fire.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

  • Identify hazardous components of wildfire smoke, and the impact of smoke on firefighters, outdoor workers, indoor workers, and homeowners within a 1,000 mile radius
  • Describe exposure groups who are more seriously impacted by wildfire smoke exposure, and resulting health outcomes
  • Recognize and mitigate hazards from settled dust inside offices and dwellings following a wildfire smoke event
  • Identify strategies to prepare for a wildfire smoke event

Speaker: Michael Strange, CIH

Michael Strange, CIH, began his 40 year career working in a pulmonary function laboratory, then an industrial hygiene and environmental lab. He became a CIH in 1990. He was a senior consultant for Zurich Insurance for 5 years, then a principal consultant for Chubb Global Risk Advisors, where his consultation practice was utilized in Australia, Europe, Africa, as well as Canada and Mexico. Today, he enjoys semi-retirement, consulting, and publishing.

Certificates of Completion

Certificates of Completion will be available to webinar participants who are present for the complete, live webinar, and logged in with their registered email address. Call-in attendees are not eligible for certificates at this time - Please download the Zoom app to log in via email on your smartphone whenever possible.

In order to receive your Certificate of Completion, qualified learners must complete the post-webinar evaluation within 7 days of the webinar. A link to the evaluation will be emailed to qualified learners 24 hours after the webinar via no-reply@zoom.us. Qualified learners who submit their evaluation will receive a Certificate of Completion via email, and can also print/save the certificate from their browser after submitting their evaluation.

If you're not able to attend the live presentation, no problem! We record most presentations and will host them on our website provided we have permission to do so. Presentation recordings are not eligible for Certificates of Completion.

ACCREDITATION

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 Contact Hour. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

ACCESSIBILITY:

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact Michelle Meyer at (510) 642-8365 or mmeyer@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.