The agreement provides funding to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness

The Corporation of Gonzaga University, doing business as Gonzaga University, received a $1,102,696 project grant from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings Grant Program (CFDA 66.044). The grant funding will be used to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness in Spokane, Washington. Key activities include indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring, establishing three new cleaner air centers at community centers, implementing a wildfire smoke risk reduction stakeholder symposium, and conducting a public education campaign. The university is collaborating with the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, City of Spokane, and University of Washington on this three-year project, which aims to reduce indoor exposure to wildfire smoke pollutants and increase community resilience. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive smoke readiness plan, real-time air quality and heat information dashboards at the cleaner air centers, and a qualitative analysis of community perceptions and experiences related to wildfire smoke.

Specifically, this recipient will the gonzaga center for climate, society, and the environmentmdash; in collaboration with the city of spokane, spokane regional clean air agency, and the university of washingtonmdash; requests support from the EPA for activities that will reduce indoor exposure to pollutants in wildfire smoke in the city of spokane and in three community centers serving disadvantaged communities. Activities will include wildfire smoke health awareness outreach, indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring at cleaner air centers, HVAC upgrades to improve air filtration and handling, and a community-engaged process of developing smoke readiness plans, both at the building and community levels to be implemented during wildfire smoke events. Activities:the proposed activities include: - an indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of wildfire smoke mitigation activities - establish each of the three city-owned community centers as cleaner air centers. - a community-engaged evaluation of perceptions and experiences of wildfire smoke - a wildfire smoke risk reduction stakeholder synthesis symposium. - outreach activities and targeted outreach to members of the public through community organizations and institutions subrecipient:1. Subaward: spokane regional clean air agency, regional clean air agency, working in collaboration with spokane regional health district, plans to develop and implement a community-based, strategic awareness and outreach campaign around wildfire smoke. 2. Subaward: city of spokane, the city of spokane is committed to executing the following AC#65533;#65533; VI#65533;#65533; ES: (1) HVAC upgrade at northeast community to reduce wildfire smoke exposure; (2) establish three new cleaner air centers at community centers to reduce wildfire smoke exposure; (3) obtain portable air cleaners, for use by WCC during wildfire smoke events; (4) develop, implement, and assess the effectiveness of a city level and building level wildfire smoke readiness plan; (5) assist with community survey implementation, as developed by gonzaga university partners. 3. Subaward: university of washington, the university of washington is committed to executing the following AC#65533;#65533; VI#65533;#65533; ES: (1) will lead the design, facilitate, analyze, and publish findings from the wildfire smoke risk reduction stakeholder synthesis symposium [year 1]; (2) provide design and analysis support for the project's community-engaged evaluation of perceptions and experiences of wildfire smoke community survey [YR. 1]; (3) provide design, analysis, and evaluation support for the project's planned 'data walks' [YR. 2]; (4) provide methods and evaluation support for smoke readiness community outreach AC#65533;#65533; VI#65533;#65533; ES, delivered by community-based organizations [2]; (5) provide methods and analysis support for community cleaner air shelter sensor data [2]. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include. 1. A smoke readiness plan 2. Three new cleaner air centers with heat information dashboards 3. Wildfire smoke risk communication stakeholder synthesis symposium 4. Public education campaign the expected outcomes include : 1. 3 new cleaner air centers, each with indoor and outdoor sensors, real time air quality and heat information dashboard, and building level smoke readiness plan. This addition of sensors will increase availability of air monitoring data to inform wildfire smoke management activities. Quantitative analysis of community-wide survey data will provide detailed understanding of community perceptions and experiences of wildfire smoke so as to guide and inform smoke readiness planning. 2. A qualitative analysis of community survey data walks, outreach and engagement through regional wildfire