Re: Mold connected to illness

[Guest guest]

he required lung surgery to treat a lung infection from aspergillus.

he is greatful that they reacted quickly. yep, quick proper medical

attn. is very important isn't it.

--- In , " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...>

wrote:

>

> Published February 14, 2008 12:44 am - Valdosta-Lowndes County

> Airport Authority members took measures to step up the

investigation

> and removal of mold contamination at the airport's general aviation

> terminal Wednesday after they heard staff reports and comments from

> a key airport employee who needed surgery after exposure.

>

> Mold connected to illness

> The Valdosta Daily Times*

> BY BILLY BRUCE

>

> http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/local_story_045004430.html

>

> VALDOSTA — Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority members took

> measures to step up the investigation and removal of mold

> contamination at the airport's general aviation terminal Wednesday

> after they heard staff reports and comments from a key airport

> employee who needed surgery after exposure.

>

>

> , manager of Valdosta Flying Service, the airport's

fixed

> base operator that keeps offices in the general aviation building

at

> 2626 Madison Highway, told authority members at the board's

> Wednesday morning regular session that he required lung surgery to

> treat an infection from exposure to aspergillus, a form of airborne

> mold.

>

> Aspergillus species are highly aerobic and are found in almost all

> oxygen-rich environments, where they commonly grow as molds on the

> surface of a substrate, as a result of the high oxygen tension.

Some

> Aspergillus species cause serious disease in humans and animals,

and

> can be pathogenic, according to www.aspergillus.org.

>

> said he spent six days in the hospital, is not yet back to

> full-time work, and is working in temporary quarters near the

> general aviation building to avoid further exposure, on doctor's

> orders.

>

> Authority Chairman Joe Prater and Airport Manager Bob Holliway

> discussed several steps that have been taken to remove the mold,

but

> authority members also suggested other measures that will be taken.

>

> The general aviation terminal was built in the 1940s. Its roof has

> been know to leak on occasion and its heating and air conditioning

> system (HVAC) has been replaced before, airport officials said.

>

> Prater said a heating and air conditioning expert inspected the

> building and determined there was no mold in the HVAC system. Air

> samples also turned up no mold. The expert suggested several steps

> to ensure that the mold doesn't recur, including removal of rubble

> in a few rooms, removal of old ceiling tiles that may have mold

from

> roof leaks, installation of high efficiency air filters to resolve

> moisture and residue problems, and removal of all ceiling tiles in

> the lobby and office areas.

>

> Holliway said the rubble has been removed, the old ceiling tiles in

> some areas have been removed, and the ceiling tiles in the lobby

> area and offices will be removed as soon as possible, once the new

> tiles are received.

>

> Also, the carpet will be removed and replaced with new floor tiles,

> and an air opening was installed above 's office window so air

> can flow and not get stale, he said.

>

> " We've done everything on the list that he suggested, " Holliway

said.

>

> was appreciative, but not fully satisfied.

>

> " I thank you for acting as quickly as you have, " said. " But

> there is still mold coming out. It comes out on my desk. It's

> probably not so bad because we're in the dryer winter period, but

it

> will get worse in the more humid summer period. "

>

> said he had an HVAC expert do an inspection, and he found

> some " fuzzy stuff " and moisture. " It's not quite as dramatic as he

> suggested " in his report, said.

>

> Holliway said some of the mold spores came in from the outside. He

> said the expert he worked with said not to have a duct cleaning

> service clean the ducts because it could make the problem worse.

>

> Authority member Rob suggested having two separate,

> independent HVAC engineers inspect the building's air handling

> systems to determine if the tonnage capacity is too strong for the

> terminal building.

>

> " If the unit is over-sized, it won't operate at a correct speed. We

> don't want to chase our tail and clean something if the mold is

only

> going to return when the humid season comes, " said.

>

>

> Prater agreed to ' suggestion and said he looked forward to

the

> day when the airport could tear down the old general aviation

> terminal and replace it with a brand new facility.

>

> That won't occur until the authority has FAA approval and money to

> pay for relocation of the airport's existing control tower and

money

> to build the new terminal.

>

> " Even if we had a dump truck full of money left out there, it will

> still be two years before we get a new building, " Prater said.

>