The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) will be distributing free air purifiers to residents of Guadalupe and Casmalia on Thursday.
The distribution event is scheduled to take place at the Guadalupe Dunes Center from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on September 30. The Dunes Center is located at 1065 Guadalupe Street in Guadalupe.
On Sunday, the APCD handed out more than 500 air purifiers to Guadalupe and Casmalia residents. They have 151 remaining purifiers to distribute.
The air purifiers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to one per household. Those requesting a purifier will need to show proof of address in Guadalupe or Casmalia.
The giveaway is part of APCD's Clean Air Rooms Pilot Program.
APCD officials say the goal of the pilot program is to provide high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers to Santa Barbara County residents in traditionally underserved areas where many of the residents work outdoors and may be subjected to wildfire smoke.
Officials say HEPA devices can reduce particulate matter indoors by more than 90-percent. They suggest using a HEPA air purifier to create a clean air room during wildfire smoke events.
If you are considering purchasing an air purifier, the APCD suggests looking for a device with these features:
- Certified by California Air Resources Board for sale in the State of California
- HEPA-rated
- Energy-Star-rated
- A light indicator for filter replacement
- Effective for the size of the room where you intend to use the device
- Quiet operation-approximately 45 decibels or less
To check current air quality conditions in Santa Barbara County, visit the APCD website.
