Guiding Wildfire Response and Recovery
CSS supports communities following catastrophic wildfires to ensure that items discarded during site cleanup are properly identified, sorted, and sent to an appropriate disposal facility.
Air Monitoring and Household Hazardous Waste Removal Help Devastated Communities During Recovery Efforts
Homes are filled with hundreds of items that are safe in normal conditions but pose significant environmental and health risks after being engulfed in fire. CSS supports communities following catastrophic wildfires to ensure that items discarded during site cleanup are properly identified, sorted, and sent to an appropriate disposal facility. In the aftermath of the recent North Bay/Sonoma, Camp, and Santa Cruz/Carmel wildfires in California, we led teams conducting household hazardous waste (HHW) collections, environmental and asbestos assessments, and multimedia sampling. We also performed on-site air monitoring to protect the health of workers and returning residents, checking for unsafe levels of asbestos, volatile organic compounds, and other airborne hazards that may have been released in the fire. Our staff oversaw safety compliance, prepared daily Incident Command System (ICS) reports, coordinated with senior EPA leaders, and handled requests for special services. We also performed quality assurance reviews of completed removals and assisted with data management.
Additional Projects
ITC Tank Farm Fire Emergency Response
In response to a dangerous fire EPA ordered CSS’ senior field operations specialists to a facility near Houston where massive tanks stored highly flammable liquids to help manage emergency response activities.
Grape Microbiota
CSS was selected to develop an experiment payload to examine the effect of microgravity throughout the various stages of wine fermentation.
Analytical Support for the Drinking Water Emergency in Flint, Michigan
Helping 100,000 Residents Affected by Elevated Lead Levels in Local Water Supply Lead contamination found in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan had a catastrophic impact on the community and its residents. CSS supported EPA’s response to the crisis by providing mobile and fixed analytical laboratory services and data review. Over a nine-month period, our…
Service Areas
Facilities Operations & Maintenance
We understand your facility support needs and deliver customized solutions.
Environmental Resource Assessment & Management
We apply science to address challenges affecting the nation’s natural resources.
Satellite Data Applications
Helping create a more environmentally sustainable, weather-ready, and secure nation through application of earth observation data
Earth & Space Science Support & Operations
We deliver scientific support to advance our clients’ research goals.
Emergency Preparedness & Response
We help our clients prepare for and protect the health and environment of communities after disasters and hazmat releases.
Human Health Risk Assessment
We help advance the understanding of chemical effects on people and the environment.
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