The agreement provides funding to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness

This federal Project Grant award, provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation under CFDA 66.044 - Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings Grant Program, will fund the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness. Key activities include:

• Engaging partners to increase wildfire smoke awareness and create a clean air shelter recognition program in six communities
• Developing culturally-appropriate messaging on wildfire smoke and air quality, and providing training to building managers on HVAC maintenance and indoor air quality
• Establishing a community recognition program for public buildings that meet criteria for cleaner air shelters, with 18 total recognitions (6 per year) and deployment of air monitoring equipment and air cleaners to those locations
• Evaluating the process and improving for replication in other high-need areas

The total award amount is $694,439, spanning from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2027. DPHHS will issue sub-awards of $1,500 each to help identified public buildings achieve the clean air shelter recognition.

Specifically, the montana department of public health and human services (dphhs) health improvement section (his) will engage a variety of partners to increase wildfire smoke awareness, create and pilot a clean air shelter recognition program in six communities for easy replication in other high need areas, create culturally appropriate and tailored messaging on wildfire smoke and air quality, and provide training to building and facility managers on HVAC maintenance and importance of good indoor air quality (IAQ).activities:the activities include: -work with MT dept. Of labor, HVAC operator organizations, school facility managers, and other public building managers to communicate training opportunities -identify ashrae training and host annual training for building managers -create materials for public building managers about ventilation and air quality as IT relates to smoke, inversions, heat, and communicable diseases -host DIY air filter sessions at libraries or other public places in identified communities -create a toolkit or smoke readiness plan draft for community use -support identified buildings/organizations to create a communication plan and host a smoke readiness awareness week. -maintain the dphhs air quality website as a platform to share smoke readiness resources -host focus groups in identified communities, including one specifically with each identified tribal nation, to identify new messaging to emphasize overall clean IAQ -broadcast existing and newly developed smoke awareness messages via radio, social media outlets or via community organization -convene a workgroup to develop cleaner air recognition program criteria and checklist for public buildings. -solicit applications or approach priority locations to participate in a clean air recognition program in public buildings in six (2/year) communities -review checklist responses, support changes, and award up to 18 (6 per year) recognitions to establish cleaner air shelters. Award small subaward -deploy air quality monitoring and air cleaners to clean air locations -evaluate process and improve for replication subrecipient:building staff subaward (18X$1,500, 6 buildings per year): subaward will be used to help identify public buildings to achieve the cleaner air shelter recognition, receive air filters and monitor, and serve as a public gathering place during poor air quality events, outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: a. A toolkit or smoke readiness plan draft for community use b. Materials for public building managers about ventilation and air quality c. A community recognition program the expected outcomes include: - expansion in communities and/or community buildings adopting smoke readiness plans; - increase in awareness, capacity, and action to reduce building occupants' exposure to wildfire smoke within highly impacted communities; - increase in community buildings that effectively reduce occupants' exposure to wildfire smoke; - increase in population served by community buildings that effectively reduce occupants' exposure to wildfire smoke; - increase in availability of air monitoring data to inform wildfire smoke management activities; the intended beneficiaries include six counties and two tribal nations: missoula, ravalli, flathead, lake, glacier, and lincoln. The two tribal entities are blackfeet nation and the confederated salish and kootenai tribes (cskt)