science in ACTION
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
&EPA
9
www.epa.gov/research
SMOKE SENSE STUDY SUPPORTED BY CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
Citizen Scientists Investigate Effective Health Risk Communication of Wildland Fire Smoke
Overview
Wildland fires produce air
pollution that adversely impacts
people's health. Exposure to
wildland fire smoke increases
visits to emergency rooms and
clinics for problems related to
asthma and other respiratory and
cardiovascular diseases. As the
incidence and intensity of large
wildland fires increase in the
United States, more people will
be exposed to unsafe levels of
particulate matter (PM) and other
pollutants from smoke. This
public health problem brings
forward the need for new and
innovative scientific approaches
to communicate health risks of
exposure to wildland fire smoke
to at-risk populations and
communities.
Current air pollution health risk
communication strategies have
solid footing in science and are
widely used across communities
to protect public health. These
strategies include: outreach by
EPA on air quality and the Air
Quality Index, public health
advisories, and educational
campaigns. However, it is not
known whether these strategies
are equally effective in protecting
public health during wildland fire
smoke episodes. Exposure to
wildland fire smoke can be
sudden and unexpected, last
hours to weeks, and affect
communities that may or may not
have a public health response
plan to reduce the adverse
impacts of smoke exposure. EPA
is continuing to advance the
science and technology required
= Smoke Sense
AIR QUALITY INDEX
CURRENT AQI
03
27713 <§>
AQI TOMORROW
4
m m_
03
GOOD
GOOD
i
SYMPTOM & SMOKE
OBSERVATIONS
FIRE & SMOKE
NEAR ME
o
MY PROFILE
AIR QUALITY 101
to understand the impacts of
smoke on air quality and public
health. Combining science with
communication tools can improve
delivery and timing of information
to inform decision making and
health protective behaviors.
Study Using Smoke Sense App
EPA researchers are conducting
a citizen science study called
Smoke Sense to: 1) determine
the extent to which exposure to
wildland fire smoke affects health
and productivity, and 2) develop
health risk communication
strategies that protect public
health during smoke days.
Individuals who want to
contribute to science can
participate in the study by using
the Smoke Sense app, a publicly
available mobile application.
Citizen scientists will be able to
use the app to learn about
wildland fires and smoke health
risks in their area. They will then
be prompted to report their health
symptoms during wildland fires,
their knowledge about health
risks, and the range of actions
they are able or willing to take to
improve their health condition or
lower their exposure. Users will
earn badges each week they
participate.
The study is the first of its kind
known to use a mobile
application to evaluate health
effects from wildland fires
experienced by the people who
participate, and to test whether
such an app communicates
health risks effectively. If
successful, data gathered
through Smoke Sense will help
EPA researchers and
communities determine how
smoke impacts our health and
productivity and gain important
insights needed to develop health
risk communication methods
during smoke days.
The study will occur during the
2017 fire season. At the end of
the study, the Smoke Sense app
will go offline temporarily for
updates.
The Smoke Sense app can be
used on Android phones and will
be available for use on Apple
devices in the future. Smoke
Sense app user identities will be
anonymous and non-
identifiable.
To download the app, go to
www.epa.gov/air-
research/smoke-sense.
Contact
SmokeSense@epa.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
June 2017

-------