Mold drives out firefighters

[Guest guest]

Mold drives out firefighters

Hazmat teams, crew relocated while station undergoes $60,000 cleanup

By Jerome Burdi

Sun-Sentinel.com - Fort Lauderdale,FL

Posted August 19 2006

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-

pmold19aug19,0,3980757.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

Mold has chased one of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's hazardous

material teams and other firefighters out of their station west of

Lake Worth.

Spores found in Station 31 forced its closure this month after

firefighters complaining of respiratory problems paid for an

independent study of the station, built almost 50 years ago,

authorities said.

The 27 firefighters, who worked in three shifts of nine people, are

now stationed in Greenacres Public Safety substation on Haverhill

Road. The hazardous materials team is in Station 30 on Pierson Road

in Wellington.

Union members in June voted to pay to inspect 10 stations for mold.

Using public dollars would take more time, union spokesman Armand

Nault said.

On Aug. 3 the union presented a copy of Pompano Beach-based Mold

Medic Services' report, stating a potentially toxic mold grew in the

firehouse at 3439 Lake Worth Road.

The station was closed an hour later and the firefighters relocated.

The county later sent in its own testers, REP Associates of West

Palm Beach, which produced a report stating the firehouse was

habitable except for the gym. But as a precaution, the whole station

was closed and is undergoing a $60,000 mold removal, officials said.

" We're not going to let any employees occupy that station until all

of the mold is taken out, " county Fire-Rescue spokesman Don DeLucia

said. " According to these reports there is no toxic mold. "

Though the union is satisfied with the results, firefighters from

Station 31 say they want to make sure the problem is fixed

permanently.

" We don't want to go back to a Band-Aid type situation in the

station, " said Chuck Lupo, district chief assigned to special

operations. " We want it fixed and we want it tested and retested. "

Mold Medic Services said the firehouse contained Stachybotrys

spores, a greenish-black mold that grows in moist areas and may

become toxic.

DeLucia said no valid worker's compensation claims have been filed

as a result of the mold and was not sure when firefighters will

return to the building. He said response time has not been affected

by moving the station, whose hazmat team is responsible for areas

between Southern and Boynton Beach boulevards.

Jerome Burdi can be reached at jjburdi@... or 561-243-

6531.

[Guest guest]

Right on KC this was just sent to me by the canker group Keep up the good work.

Elvira

[] Mold drives out firefighters

Mold drives out firefighters

Hazmat teams, crew relocated while station undergoes $60,000 cleanup

By Jerome Burdi

Sun-Sentinel.com - Fort Lauderdale,FL

Posted August 19 2006

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-

pmold19aug19,0,3980757.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

Mold has chased one of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue's hazardous

material teams and other firefighters out of their station west of

Lake Worth.

Spores found in Station 31 forced its closure this month after

firefighters complaining of respiratory problems paid for an

independent study of the station, built almost 50 years ago,

authorities said.

The 27 firefighters, who worked in three shifts of nine people, are

now stationed in Greenacres Public Safety substation on Haverhill

Road. The hazardous materials team is in Station 30 on Pierson Road

in Wellington.

Union members in June voted to pay to inspect 10 stations for mold.

Using public dollars would take more time, union spokesman Armand

Nault said.

On Aug. 3 the union presented a copy of Pompano Beach-based Mold

Medic Services' report, stating a potentially toxic mold grew in the

firehouse at 3439 Lake Worth Road.

The station was closed an hour later and the firefighters relocated.

The county later sent in its own testers, REP Associates of West

Palm Beach, which produced a report stating the firehouse was

habitable except for the gym. But as a precaution, the whole station

was closed and is undergoing a $60,000 mold removal, officials said.

" We're not going to let any employees occupy that station until all

of the mold is taken out, " county Fire-Rescue spokesman Don DeLucia

said. " According to these reports there is no toxic mold. "

Though the union is satisfied with the results, firefighters from

Station 31 say they want to make sure the problem is fixed

permanently.

" We don't want to go back to a Band-Aid type situation in the

station, " said Chuck Lupo, district chief assigned to special

operations. " We want it fixed and we want it tested and retested. "

Mold Medic Services said the firehouse contained Stachybotrys

spores, a greenish-black mold that grows in moist areas and may

become toxic.

DeLucia said no valid worker's compensation claims have been filed

as a result of the mold and was not sure when firefighters will

return to the building. He said response time has not been affected

by moving the station, whose hazmat team is responsible for areas

between Southern and Boynton Beach boulevards.

Jerome Burdi can be reached at jjburdi@... or 561-243-

6531.