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EMS air, water testing results released

ELKINS — On Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Shawn Dilly, the superintendent of Randolph County Schools, released three informational documents regarding air quality and water testing this week at Elkins Middle School, including a statement from the West Virginia Army National Guard’s 35th Civil Support Team about its inspection of the school.

EMS was shut down Friday after students complained of becoming ill at the school Oct. 24 and being treated at Davis Medical Center.

EMS reopened for classes Monday, but once again students reported being ill and being treated at the hospital.

On Monday afternoon, Dilly announced that the school would be on remote learning while testing was conducted. On Tuesday morning, he clarified that the remote learning phase would continue through Friday.

On Wednesday, Dilly sent out a press release, water testing results and the West Virginia Army National Guard’s statement.

Dilly said in the press release that, since Oct. 24, six separate inspections of the school have taken place, including a “comprehensive air quality assessment” that was conducted over the weekend by Green Home Solutions, which he said “provided a broader spectrum of air quality analysis.”

The press release states that two initial inspections confirmed that “no carbon monoxide (CO) or other hazardous levels are present, and all air quality readings are within normal, safe ranges.”

The Elkins City Fire Department also conducted an independent inspection of the building Monday and verified the previous findings, Dilly wrote.

“I have full confidence in the expertise of the Fire Marshal, the Elkins City Fire Department, the 

West Virginia Department of Education’s HVAC Technician and Indoor Environmental Specialist, and other health and safety professionals involved,” Dilly said in the press release. “These individuals have dedicated their careers to safeguarding the public, and they are collaborating closely with us to ensure that Elkins Middle School provides a safe environment for all.”

The West Virginia Army National Guard statement, written by Ryan Schwartz, commander of the 35th Civil Support Team, states that on Monday, Elkins Fire Chief Steve Himes requested that Michael Miller, director of the Randolph County Office of Emergency Management and 911 Center, contact the 35th CST.

The team arrived at the school Tuesday to conduct a “comprehensive evaluation” of the building and a “series of advanced tests, including assessments of CO levels, off-gassing from roofing materials, and other critical air quality measures,” Dilly said.

In his statement, Schwartz wrote that Miller advised the team that on Oct. 24, “students at the school began to complain of headaches, with some being seen at the local hospital” and that “initial mission information indicated that multiple agencies, including Elkins Fire Department, conducted atmospheric monitoring of the school over the course of 5 days resulting in few, very low readings of carbon monoxide (avg 2-3 PPM in measured areas indicating normal background readings).”

“The 35th CST was requested and activated through the WV National Guard Joint Operations Center to prepare for deployment to Elkins Middle School to conduct additional atmospheric monitoring,” Schwartz wrote. The team arrived on-scene at 8:25 a.m. Tuesday “to conduct linkup with site officials and initiate monitoring.”

The team found no elevated readings during an initial building reconnaissance in areas that were of “high interest,” according to the statement. The team also reported that oxygen levels were at a normal 20.8% in the school’s kitchen, boiler room, Room 106, Room 107, and all hallways and common areas on all three floors of the building. 

The team reported that their second search, which involved using a portable gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer with a library of over 70,000 chemicals, also found “no elevated readings or identifications.”

During a third search, Schwartz wrote that there were “no elevated readings or identifications.”

Elevated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were indicated at “1-2 feet from (a) roof bonding agent” that was being used on the building’s roof; however, those readings “validated equipment use and indicated expected results directly from a VOC containing material. No other areas monitored on the roof resulted in any elevated readings.”

“All monitoring activity conducted by the 35th CST indicated no readings above equipment internal standards, normal background or expected results directly from the roof bonding material in use,” Schwartz wrote in the statement’s final assessment and recommendation. “(The) team concurred with (the) plan to conduct water sampling by the municipal water department for further analysis in support of decision making.”

Dilly confirmed in his press release that the Elkins Water Distribution Department was contacted to conduct a water quality assessment within the building on Tuesday. The WDD collected and evaluated water samples from the EMS kitchen, the first, second and third floor water fountains, the second floor girl’s bathroom, the third floor boy’s bathroom and the first floor men’s bathroom. The results, which Dilly also released Wednesday, confirmed that the building’s water is “within normal safety limits.” Dilly said the Elkins-Randolph County Health Department has reviewed and verified the findings.

“Randolph County Schools will continue to monitor air quality at Elkins Middle School and will take all necessary actions to maintain the highest safety standards,” Dilly said in the release. “We will inform our community of updates as we work alongside local health and safety experts.”

Dilly wrote that “Randolph County Schools has worked in close cooperation with the WV Fire Marshal, Elkins Fire Department, Mountaineer Gas Company, the Office of Emergency Management/911 Center, West Virginia Department of Education, Green Home Solutions, local and state Health Departments, and has reached out to Homeland Security, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the WV Center for Threat Preparedness for further support. Randolph County Schools extends our gratitude to each of these agencies and the Army National Guard’s 35th Civil Support Team for their commitment to ensuring the continued safety of our facility.”

For more information, contact Randolph County Schools at 304-636-9150.

The three documents released by Dilly on Wednesday afternoon can be seen in full at theintermountain.com.

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