FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCONOMOWOC, WI –March 25, 2018. Oconomowoc High School (OHS) and the Oconomowoc Arts Center (OAC) will re-open for school on Monday, March 26, for regular school hours and operation. With the help of Environmental Management Consulting, Inc. (EMC), we have been monitoring the air quality inside OHS and the OAC since the afternoon on Thursday, March 22. Since approximately noon on Friday, March 23, the EMC equipment has found no carbon monoxide (CO) reading above 1 part per million (ppm), either in the OAC or other places throughout the school. We had Western Lakes Fire District representatives in the building on Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24, to check for carbon monoxide and both times they detected no CO. The minor difference between the EMC and Western Lakes carbon monoxide readings is credited to the highly specialized equipment provided by EMC, which can detect much lower levels of pollutants than the Western Lakes equipment.
On Friday, March 23, we were informed by Western Lakes Fire District Chief Brad Bowen, that five individuals treated at area hospitals were found to have slightly elevated blood levels of carbon monoxide. Those blood levels ranged from 2.3 ppm to 3.1 ppm, and these individuals were monitored, then released.
Dr. Timothy Westlake, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Prohealth Care Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, cited toxicology literature that an individual would likely not experience clinical symptoms until carbon monoxide blood levels exceeded 10 ppm. The vast majority of patients tested that day, had normal blood levels.
At the afternoon briefing on Friday, March 23, with EMC, Western Lakes Fire District, and Butters-Fetting, we were informed that equipment inside the OAC showed slightly elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Over a period of several hours, levels slowly rose to a maximum of 5 ppm, then declined to 0 ppm. While these levels were below the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standard of safety of 9 ppm, the District thought it was necessary to attempt to determine the source of these readings before allowing anyone into the building. As a result, OHS and the OAC remained closed. All practices and events planned at OHS and the OAC for the weekend were also canceled.
On Saturday, March 24, the building continued to be monitored throughout the morning and no abnormal CO readings were found, either in the OAC or other places throughout the school. The OAC air handling units were scheduled as unoccupied overnight, which means they were not moving any air. The hot water heater was turned on with the OAC air handling units still scheduled as unoccupied, and the impact of this move was monitored for a change in the OAC CO levels. After four hours of operation there were no abnormal CO levels in the OAC. At 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, the Western Lakes Fire District inspected the OAC and adjacent spaces and also found no readings of carbon monoxide. As a result, the District, with the support of the Western Lakes Fire District, believed it was safe to allow students and staff into OHS to reclaim their belongings. CO levels continued to be monitored the entire time students and staff were in the building retrieving items, and levels remained normal.
Overnight on Saturday, the boiler in the OAC mechanical room continued to run, but the water heater was shut off in an attempt to once again isolate the source of the CO. The OAC air handling units were still set to unoccupied during this time. CO levels were monitored overnight, with the average CO reading of .4 ppm on the EMC equipment. With no abnormal readings, the decision was made to bring the building back up to full operation and continue to monitor throughout the day on Sunday, March 25.
“We have had no levels above any recommended or regulatory limits,” said Bill Freeman, from Environmental Management Consulting, Inc. (EMC). He went on to say, “After over 30 years of testing air quality in schools and buildings of many types and sizes, we can say that the levels documented here are typical of normal school or similar building operations.”
EMC has worked with us directly since last Thursday, March 22, and was with us at our morning briefing meeting today. As of 11:00 a.m. today, we have had no readings above 1 ppm since the 5 ppm reading reported at our 12:00 p.m. briefing on Friday, March 23. Please remember that the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) safety standard is 9 ppm and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standard is 50 ppm. We are bringing the building back up to fully occupied settings and will continue to monitor CO levels throughout the day and overnight.
We have isolated and tested the boiler and hot water heater in the OAC, the only pieces of equipment that could possibly produce carbon monoxide. Each time this equipment was tested, no CO was detected. As a result, we have not been able to identify a source for the raised levels of CO in the OAC. However, since the CO levels detected have always been below safety standards and have stayed below 1 ppm since the afternoon of Friday, March 23, we are intending to open OHS for normal school operations tomorrow, Monday, March 26.
We will have Western Lake Fire District, EMC, and District staff on-site prior to the start of school to ensure air quality remains safe for students and staff. Going forward, we will continue to monitor CO levels in the OAC with equipment from EMC as well as additional monitors which have been placed throughout the building.
SUMMARY OF EVENTS AT OHS
Thursday, March 22, 2018:
- At approximately 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 22, students from Silver Lake Intermediate School (SLI) were practicing for a Choir Concert in the Oconomowoc Arts Center (OAC) at Oconomowoc High School (OHS).
- Shortly after rehearsal began several students started feeling lightheaded and nauseous. A medical alert was announced in the building and OHS Principal Jason Curtis, School Police Liaison Officer, Adam Parkhurst, and OHS staff responded immediately.
- Out of an abundance of caution, students were evacuated from the building and police, fire, and medical responders arrived at school. Students feeling ill were transported to area hospitals.
- At the recommendation of the Oconomowoc Police Department, classes at OHS were canceled. In an attempt to have an orderly dismissal, students with keys and cars were released first, students that walk to school were released immediately after. Students being picked up by parents were directed to St. Jerome’s Catholic Church, where students were released to parents with staff supervision. The remaining OHS students were bused home and SLI Choir students were returned to Silver Lake Intermediate School. Staff members were then sent home.
- When students were evacuated from the building, Western Lakes Fire District tested the OAC and OHS for carbon monoxide (CO), and there was no CO detected.
- The Waukesha County Hazmat Unit was then called to evaluate whether there were any dangerous or foreign substances in the air inside the OAC or OHS. Nothing was detected.
- Oconomowoc Transport tested the buses that SLI students rode to OHS, and found no carbon monoxide. The Waukesha County Hazmat Unit also tested the buses and found no CO.
- Silver Lake Intermediate Choir students that were evacuated from the OAC were transported, by bus, back to SLI.
- Upon returning to SLI, several students that did not show symptoms while at the OAC complained of feeling ill. Emergency personnel responded to SLI to evaluate students there.
- Thursday afternoon, Environmental Management Consulting, Inc. (EMC) placed air quality monitoring units in the OAC and OHS classrooms/hallways on the northern end of the building to monitor for carbon monoxide, Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), carbon dioxide, and Temperature and Relative Humidity. EMC also placed a second monitoring unit to test for CO, Oxygen Level, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Air to Vapor Mixtures.
Friday, March 23, 2018:
- Overnight, the EMC equipment inside OHS and the OAC, monitored the air for carbon monoxide (CO), Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), carbon dioxide, and Temperature and Relative Humidity. A second EMC monitoring unit tested for CO, Oxygen Level, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Air to Vapor Mixtures.
- As planned, additional test equipment was installed in the morning, to test for thousands of other potential chemicals.
- Butters-Fetting, the District’s heating and ventilation contractor, was also on site, completing inspections of the building’s heating and ventilation systems and found nothing unusual or inoperable in our systems.
- Western Lakes Fire Chief Bradley R. Bowen, confirmed the Medical Division transported a total of 64 patients by ambulance to Oconomowoc and Aurora Hospitals. The individuals transported included both students and faculty of the school. Throughout the day, the two Emergency Departments evaluated an additional 40 walk-in patients for related symptoms. Another 72 individuals were assessed on the scene for symptoms but did not require transport. He also confirmed that a total of 5 of the individuals that were transported to the hospital were found to have blood levels of CO ranging from 2.3 ppm to 3.1 ppm, and underwent treatment.
- That morning, Chief Bowen also confirmed that everyone who was either transported or came to the ER on their own Thursday had been released. No one remained overnight.
- At the afternoon briefing on Friday with EMC, Western Lakes Fire District, and Butters-Fetting, we were informed that equipment inside the OAC showed slightly elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Over a period of several hours, levels slowly rose to a maximum of 5 ppm, then declined to 0 ppm. While these levels were below the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standard of safety of 9 ppm, the District thought it was necessary to attempt to determine the source of these readings before allowing anyone into the building. As a result, OHS and the OAC remained closed. All practices and events planned at OHS and the OAC for the weekend were canceled.
- In an effort to isolate the cause of these readings, the hot water heater and summer boiler in the OAC Mechanical Room were also shut off at approximately 3:00 p.m. The OAC air handling units were also scheduled as unoccupied, which means they were not moving any air in the space. All of this was done in an attempt to isolate the source of the CO in that area.
- In cooperation with Western Lakes Fire Department, we identified a safe way for students to retrieve instruments left in the band room during the evacuation, needed for the WSMA Solo & Ensemble competition on Saturday.
- With the outside door to the band room propped open to provide fresh air, and with a Western Lakes representative present to monitor CO levels in the room, students were allowed inside to retrieve their instruments. CO levels never went above 0 ppm in the room during this activity. Thank you to the Western Lakes Fire District for making this possible.
Saturday, March 24, 2018:
- The building continued to be monitored throughout the morning and no abnormal CO readings were found, either in the OAC or other places throughout the school.
- CO levels were monitored and did not have any abnormal readings overnight or Saturday morning. The hot water heater was turned on while the OAC air handling units were still scheduled as unoccupied, and the impact of this move was monitored for a change in the OAC CO levels. After four hours of operation there were no abnormal CO levels in the OAC.
- At 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, the Western Lakes Fire District inspected the OAC and adjacent spaces and also found no readings of carbon monoxide.
- As a result, the District, with the support of the Western Lakes Fire District, believed it was safe to allow students and staff into OHS to reclaim their belongings.
- Principal Curtis sent a letter to OHS parents and students informing them of the plan to have students safely retrieve belongings Saturday afternoon.
- CO levels continued to be monitored with normal levels the entire time students and staff were in the building retrieving items. Pick up went smoothly.
- Overnight the boiler in the OAC mechanical room was turned on, but the water heater was shut off in an attempt to once again isolate the source of the CO. The OAC air handling units were still set to unoccupied during this time.
- CO levels were monitored overnight. With no abnormal readings, the decision was made to bring the building back up to full operation and continue to monitor throughout the day on Sunday, March 25.
Sunday, March 26, 2018:
- Overnight, the OAC boiler ran with the air handling units still set to unoccupied. There were no abnormal CO readings. The overnight average CO reading was .4 ppm on the EMC equipment.
- Environmental Management Consultants, Inc. (EMC) has worked with us directly since last Thursday, March 22, and was with us at our morning briefing meeting today.
- As of 11:00 a.m. today, we have had no readings above 1 ppm since the 5 ppm reading reported at our 12:00 p.m. briefing on Friday, March 23.
- Please remember that the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) safety standard is 9 ppm and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standard is 50 ppm.
- We are bringing the building back up to fully occupied settings and will continue to monitor CO levels throughout the day and overnight.
- We are intending to open OHS for normal school operations tomorrow, Monday, March 26.
- We will have EMC monitoring air quality in these areas and District staff on-site prior to the start of school on Monday, March 26, to ensure air quality remains safe for students and staff.
- Going forward, we will continue to monitor CO levels in the OAC with equipment from EMC as well as additional monitors which have been placed throughout the building.
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