Wildfire Study Door-to-Door Survey Volunteer Opportunity

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In October 2017, Northern California experienced large and destructive fires under conditions of exceptionally hot and dry winds. Over 100,000 people were evacuated, 185 were hospitalized, 44 died, and over 9,000 structures were destroyed. These fires were unusual in the vast urban and suburban areas affected. Research is needed on both physical and mental health consequences of these fires. Concerns related to toxic chemicals widely used in building construction and interior furnishings may produce different exposures than typical forest and wildland fires, resulting in adverse health outcomes. Additionally, traumatic experiences may have long term impacts on emotional and mental health.

The UC Davis Wildfire Study research team is recruiting volunteers to conduct door-to-door surveys in Napa County. The purpose of the survey is to learn about how people in Napa experienced the wildfires, their needs related to the impacts of the fires, and potential health impacts of the fire. This information will be used to understand how wildfires may affect health status and to help local agencies and health care organizations prepare for the future.

The surveys will be conducted over five to six Saturdays in the months of October, November, and/or December. Each eight-hour workday includes two 15 minute breaks and a lunch period. During the first Saturday, the first half of the day will be devoted to a training based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) protocols for "Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER)".

Wildfire Study Volunteer

• Complete mandatory trainings: training based on the CDC’s protocols for CASPER, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training, and/or other online training(s).
• In partnership with community liaisons, contact households door-to-door in Napa County.
• Recruit potential participants for the survey.
• Conduct wildfire survey with questions about needs and health conditions, as well as demographic data.
• Distribute outreach/health education materials.

This position is suitable for volunteers wanting to improve their communication skills by interacting with others on a professional level, especially concerning health-related issues; those wanting to develop skills in disaster response and epidemiology; and/or those who want to gain more experience with health-related data collection.

TO APPLY: Please e-mail Camille Burlaza at ciburlaza@ucdavis.edu or fill out this form at the following link: https://ucdavis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3zaptp8OIFgPqx7.