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Breathing Easier: Protecting Kids With Asthma From Wildfire Smoke

Speaker(s)
Brendon Haggerty, Multnomah County (Washington) Health Department, 2014 Asthma Award Winner; BJ Biskupiak, Montana Asthma Control Program, 2025 Asthma Award Winner; Kellie Baxter, Utah Department of Health Asthma Program, 2022 Asthma Award Winner

Hear from some of EPA’s National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management winners and wildfire smoke preparedness grant program recipients. These experts shared best practices, community-engagement strategies, and innovative approaches to prepare for wildfire smoke events to protect children’s respiratory health.

Learn about —

  • The health impacts of wildfire smoke exposure on children with asthma, including the role of fine particulate matter.

  • Evidence-based strategies for minimizing children’s exposure to wildfire smoke, including indoor environmental controls and community preparedness practices.

  • The components of a comprehensive asthma management program that integrates wildfire smoke preparedness, as demonstrated by the Montana Asthma Control Program.

  • Effective practices from award-winning programs to enhance asthma control efforts during wildfire events in clinical, school, and community settings.

View the helpful resources from the webinar!

Presentation PDF
EPA Wildfire Smoke and Asthma Webinar Slides_FINAL.pdf (11.01 MB)
Webinar Category
Schools and Asthma

Why Is Coco Red?

Sponsoring Program
EPA Asthma Team
In this sequel to “Why Is Coco Orange?”, Coco and his friends experience another air quality adventure. Read how Coco, his little sister and his friends solve a mystery as they learn about how wildfires can affect air quality and health. This book is for all children, especially those with asthma, and their caretakers.

Montana Asthma Control Program (MACP)

Winner Blurb


The Montana Asthma Control Program (MACP) has an 18-year track record of addressing asthma management and the indoor environmental determinants of health through an extensive network of partners and a robust home-visiting program. MACP conducts asthma interventions through a comprehensive and coordinated approach to increase efficiency while maximizing limited resources to achieve improved asthma health outcomes. This approach includes addressing standards and policies to improve access to asthma control services; increasing Montanans’ awareness of asthma triggers, disease self-management, and resources; working with health care providers to improve delivery and use of clinical services; and educating health care providers on guidelines-based asthma management, the impacts of indoor environmental determinants of health, and strategies linking clinical and community resources. One of MACP’s initiatives is the Montana Asthma Home Visiting Program, a free service that includes consultations from trained health care professionals, empowering individuals with uncontrolled asthma and their families to gain the knowledge and tools needed to self-manage the chronic condition. 

MACP has demonstrated significant improvements in both health outcomes and cost savings among high health care utilizers including:

  • $111,800 in total cost savings (2011–2021) to Montana Medicaid from participants who completed all six program visits.
  • 80% reduction in urgent care and emergency department visits for 817 children (between 2011–2025) and 108 adults (between 2020–2025) who completed the program.
  • 66% reduction in workdays missed and a 53% reduction in schooldays missed due to asthma among participants completing the program.
Winnner Photo
Winner Photo Caption

Back Row (Left to Right): Colin Gale, Mary Anderson, Stephanie Hernandez, Courtney Geary, Leah Merchant, Margaret Mullins
Front Row (Left to Right): Jessie Fernandes, BJ Biskupiak, Angie Brakefield

Award Year
2025

Nebraska Asthma Coalition

Are you the primary contact for this program?
Yes
The Nebraska Asthma Coalition strives to improve health outcomes and quality of life for individuals affected by asthma in our state. We work to accomplish our mission through our core values of collaboration, inclusivity, data-driven decision making and commitment to addressing health disparities.
What type of program do you have?
Coalition

Asthma Center of Excellence - Children's Nebraska

Are you the primary contact for this program?
Yes
The Asthma Center of Excellence at Children’s Nebraska provides pediatric asthma care in a variety of healthcare settings through innovation, advocacy, education and research. Our multidisciplinary team of experts have the knowledge and skills to treat all types of asthma and co-existing conditions that can mimic or worsen asthma.
What type of program do you have?
Healthcare Provider

JAM Foundation Sports Day Weekend (Pickleball, Tennis, Cornhole)

Sponsoring Program
Jerome Alston Memorial Foundation
Event Date
Event Description

The JAM Foundation supports education, health & wellness, and asthma awareness. This support has been evidenced through partnerships with local schools to educate students on asthma triggers and 5k runs to support asthma awareness, health, wellness, and witness as well as funds raised for scholarships.

This year, in additional to our 8th annual Breathe Easy Asthma Awareness 5K we are introducing our inaugural Sports Day Weekend! The Weekend will consist of at least a Charity Pickleball Challenge, Charity Tennis Challenge, and a Charity Cornhole Challenge.

Whether you're a runner, a sports lover, or just want to stay active, this weekend of events is for all ages and fitness levels.

Even if you have asthma, you can join in—we’ve designed this weekend to be safe and inclusive for everyone.

Event Pricing

  • Early Bird pricing ends February 23, 2025
  • Early Bird Pricing ​Individual: $28
  • Team/Partner: $56
  • Regular Pricing
  • Regular Pricing​​ Individual: $30
  • Team/Partner: $58
  • Registration closes April 23, 2025

Registration:
Teams/Partners must register at the same time. A discount will be applied when you select "Multi-Person Pricing."
Individuals my register by themselves however, they run the risk of not having being matched with a teammate if an odd number.
For more information and details about each event visit www.jam5k.org

Place
Lark Downs Park (Pickleball) 828 Monmouth Lane Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Indian River High School (Tennis and Cornhole) 1969 Braves Trail, Chesapeake, VA 23325
Virginia Beach & Chesapeake, VA US 00000

Background
Founded in 2013, the Jerome Alston Memorial (JAM) Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by a daughter who wanted to keep her father's legacy alive after he passed suddenly on December 18, 2012, due to asthma related complications.

After Jerome's passing, his daughter learned that most people knew at least one person with asthma. However, the number of people who knew someone that had died from asthma or better yet knew that someone could die from asthma was slim to none. The Jerome Alston Memorial Foundation's goal is to raise asthma awareness and educate the community on asthma triggers in an effort to reduce deaths by asthma complications.

Each year we encounter more and more people brave enough to share their story of losing a loved one due to asthma complications.

May is Asthma Awareness month and the Jerome Alston Memorial Foundation hosts an annual 5K and now a Sports Day to raise awareness for asthma and promote health and wellness for youth and adults though movement and exercise.

The 5K has allowed us to support individuals suffering with asthma and organizations that treat asthma patients. Additionally, we have been able to provide health screenings to the community and donate funds to the American Lung Association, the Virginia Asthma Coalition, and the Western Tidewater Free Clinic. We have also been able to provide asthma education sessions to students at Cradock Middle School in Portsmouth, VA in addition to scholarships.

*On-site registration is acceptable for a $5 price increase*

**No cancellations or refunds.**

Is this an Asthma Awareness Month Event?
Yes

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