First responders put their lives on the line to help others, and our team helps safeguard their protection. 

Our team on contract with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Respiratory Protection Program works with staff to test respirators and establish secure fits. Similarly, they provide these fit tests for fire department personnel on a regular basis to ensure optimum safety.

In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, our team provided critical support to NIH healthcare personnel by performing fit tests of their N-95 masks. When fitted correctly, N-95 masks offer the highest level of protection because of their snug fit and ability to filter out large and small particles.

Person hands a face mask to another person. Mask is linked to a machine with a computer monitor.
Providing an N-95 mask fit test.
Providing a respirator fit test.

See More Success CSS Stories

map of globe with swirls of orange around the center and blue around the poles

Atmospheric Processing System Support

The NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) is an operational retrieval algorithm that NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services has been using since 2002. This system generates near real-time atmospheric profiles of temperature, water vapour, and trace gases, as well as Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) needed for weather forecasting. CSS Remote Sensing…

fire

Fire Detection Support

CSS provides fire detection support to the Atmospheric Science and Technology Applications team with NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services. CSS Surface Characteristics Scientist serves on the Fire Emissions and Fire Detection teams, providing data manipulation, algorithm development, and performance evaluation for the system. This ensures fast and reliable satellite data to stakeholders,…

Bare Earth with sparse grass

Remediating Soil Surrounding Abandoned Mines 

CSS employees have been providing field, lab, and horticultural support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to develop and test methods for the remediation and revegetation of contaminated soils around selected abandoned mines in the western United States. One of the promising approaches is to incorporate biochar into the soil. Using biochar helps effectively adsorb trace metals and reduce their…