USC Students organize LA wildfire relief efforts distributing medical supplies to local organizations

Students from Keck School of Medicine of USC led wildfire relief efforts as part of Blueprints for Pangaea USC to support Californians affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires.

“The wildfires started towards the end of winter break and we wanted to start an initiative to address the needs of families specifically in Altadena, Pasadena, and the Palisades,” says Emily Hsieh, a progressive degree student in the Master of Science in Global Medicine program in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at Keck School of Medicine.

Hsieh is a senior advisor of the operations branch of Blueprints for Pangaea USC, a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that redirects lifesaving medical supplies away from landfills to medical professionals in underserved settings, both locally and globally.

“During the first week of the semester, we arranged a team of members to start collecting N95 masks, gloves, and other useful medical supplies for families affected by the fires. There was a great need for masks because the air quality was terrible, not just in the communities impacted, but in the surrounding areas as well,” says Hsieh. “The wildfires impacted our local community and with the proximity being so close to USC, it definitely invoked a great sense of urgency compared to our regular drives.”

“It was a very meaningful couple of days where we pulled together to distribute masks to various organizations,” says Sophia Dettweiler, another progressive degree student in the Master of Science in Global Medicine program and the vice president of operations. “Blueprints is such a unique organization in that it provides college students an opportunity to make a tangible impact on issues we care about. I love that we combine sustainability and health which are topics that I am passionate about.”

Hsieh shares that since 2020, their organization has redistributed over $1 million in medical supplies. Its international reach includes shipments to Ukraine, Mexico, Vietnam, and Myanmar, and its local impact outside the wildfire relief consists of supporting homeless shelters and community clinics in Los Angeles.

Keck School of Medicine Donation

On February 6, 2025, the Master of Science in Global Medicine program at the Keck School of Medicine donated medical supplies to Blueprints for Pangaea USC. Good Day LA on Fox11 News featured the student’s efforts and joined them at their warehouse located near USC’s Health Sciences Campus.

“About 28 student volunteers showed up that day and we handled everything from inventory to delivery, and the processing of thousands of medical supplies including personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitization materials. We distributed them to Tapestry LA, a safe shelter connecting evacuees with resources; Share A Meal, a mobile kitchen providing meals for those in need; Helping Hands Senior Foundation, providing support for seniors; and Stray Cat Alliance, addressing the needs of pets affected by the fires,” says Hsieh.

“Since the fires impacted large communities there wasn’t just one organization that we could donate to. So, we started the day early at 6:00 a.m. in preparation for distribution to multiple sites. There was a great sense of urgency to get supplies out because the wildfires impacted so many people and took long to contain. Many families had lost everything including their homes, which housed their supplies—whether that was personal possessions or even medical equipment,” says Hsieh.

“Sometimes when horrible things happen in the world, we feel like we can’t really do anything about them, but this was something that we could help with. It was a really great team effort. Unlike our usual shipments, we distributed the supplies in our own cars. We had teams driving around Los Angeles delivering supplies to our partners, so we were able to have a quick turnaround time,” says Dettweiler.

Passion for community engagement

Hsieh and Dettweiler have no intention of slowing down soon. They both hope to continue building relationships in the community beyond their education, and improve waste in the health care system.

“When I first enrolled at USC, I was looking to be a part of something that aligned with my personal and professional goals. There are many populations across the world that suffer from inaccessibility to healthcare and inequities. To add another layer, there is a lack of sustainability within our health care system. We take for granted our surplus of medical supplies and let them go to waste when communities here and abroad could really utilize and benefit from them,” says Hsieh.

“For me, I was interested in the people-centered side of health care and medicine. I believe it’s really important for future health care providers to have an understanding of the population and systems level from a public health perspective,” says Dettweiler.

Blueprints for Pangaea USC accepts applications every fall and spring semester.

“We’re looking for people with passion for our mission, whether that’s on the sustainability side, or those simply looking to make an impact on their communities. Recently our new members started organizing their own shipments and it has been amazing to see their passion projects come to life. I would encourage all students to apply if they are interested in our work. We have a wide variety of majors, interests, and skills represented,” says Dettweiler.