Smoke and Fire Damage Testing Services

Huntington Beach, California, February 21, 2024

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it had selected a non-profit community organization in Los Angeles to receive over $1,880,000 in grant funds to enhance wildfire smoke preparedness and protection in local communities. The grant will help protect the people of South Los Angeles from wildfire smoke by strengthening preparedness infrastructure in an economic development project and community space in the area, and using the site as the launch pad for a grassroots education and outreach campaign.

According to the EPA:

The Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings grant program is a new federal program to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness by providing grants to states, federally recognized tribes, public preschools, local educational agencies and non-profit organizations. Projects are designed to assess, prevent, control or abate wildfire smoke hazards in community buildings that serve the public, and that serve disadvantaged communities or vulnerable populations.

Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of gases and particles from burning vegetation and other materials. As a wildfire burns, many different compounds are released in the smoke. These may include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter (PM), benzene, acrolein and aldehydes. Exposure can cause many symptoms, such as eye and throat irritation, wheezing and coughing. It can also worsen other illnesses, such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and heart and blood vessel diseases.

“Preparing for wildfire smoke to protect people and property is important in places like California that face this threat every year,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “To protect building occupants and workers from wildfire smoke exposure risks, LA Testing provides air quality and industrial hygiene laboratory testing services, sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, monitoring instruments and personal protective equipment.”

To learn more about air testing and monitoring resources, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. To access a fire and smoke damage test kit, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com. 
 

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for environmental and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, bacteria, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.