The University of Washington Natural Hazard and Disaster Reconnaissance Facility (RAPID) received an annual $1.5 million grant by the National Institutes of Health that allows for an expansion of staffing, equipment upgrades and greater research on the long-term health outcomes for communities affected by natural disasters.
Joseph Wartman, UW Civil & Environmental Engineering professor and the director of RAPID, expressed great enthusiasm about the grant and emphasized its ability to shift our understanding of the impacts of natural disasters on public health.
An area of focus will be on the aftermath of wildfires, where the RAPID team will collaborate with public health researchers to study groundwater contamination, smoke inhalation effects and other health-related consequences of such disasters.