Toxic mold shutters fire station

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Posted: Oct 28, 2005 - 11:47:56 PDT

http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2005/10/28/local/news02.txt

Toxic mold shutters fire station: Firefighters move into trailers in

parking lot while Main Street station gets cleaned up

By STACY D. STUMBO

The Springfield News

Springfield, Oregon

Springfield Fire and Life Safety crews at one station house have

learned the hard way that headaches, joint pain and nausea are signs

there might be a " fungus among us. "

Firefighters from Station No. 1, located at 6853 Main St., have been

displaced since toxic mold was discovered in the building this

summer.

SFLS Deputy Chief Garitz said fire personnel are working out of

mobile trailers in the station's rear parking lot while construction

crews get rid of the mold.

The SFLS provides fire protection and medical first response

services to Springfield and three nearby water and fire districts in

an 18.76-square-mile area.

Department officials determined that none of its other facilities

were equipped to take on Station No. 1's personnel, and that doing

so would slow emergency response times.

" We didn't want that to happen, " Garitz said.

Garitz said it is unclear what precisely caused the mold, but some

neighboring businesses have recently detected the same toxic spores.

Leaks created by a defective solar water heating system may have

contributed to the problem.

" This has kind of been an ongoing thing, " he said. " Firefighters

working at the station started noticing congestion, joint pain and

other symptoms. They started asking, `Gosh, what could it be?' "

The City of Springfield has opted against demolishing the structure,

instead hiring contractors to get rid of dry rot and mold.

Working out of the trailers has been an inconvenience but is better

than being subjected to potentially hazardous surroundings, Garitz

said.

Crews assigned to the station work 24-hour shifts.

" You eat there, sleep there, do everything there that you would do

at home, " he said. " We just need a healthy, safe environment. "

The structure will be re-tested before crews are allowed back

inside.