DOE Performs Air Quality Tests in Building

At our meeting with DOE and Con Edison representatives on December 17, Bernie Orlan from DOE committed to performing a series of near-term air quality tests prior to those Con Edison plans to perform in February as part of a broader indoor environmental assessment. As a representative of the DOE's Division of School Facilities, Mr. Orlan could gain immediate access to our school building and take air samples that would help us gain quicker feedback on the school's heating season air quality, rather than having to wait for Con Edison to secure the necessary access letter from the DOE's central office.

Students began their winter break at the close of school on Friday, December 21. The next day, before the custodians began major cleaning, Mr. Orlan arrived at MCSM with summa canisters (see picture above) to take air quality samples around the building. He sampled at various locations that had already been agreed upon by DOE, Con Edison, and the NY State Department of Health when they met at MCSM on December 17. Once Con Edison has returned in February for its air and soil gas tests in our building, we will be able to compare results from the December and February tests taken in exactly the same building locations.

Air quality samples must be sent to a technical laboratory for analysis, after which a report will be prepared. As soon as results are available, we will present them at the first available PTA meeting, post them to this site, and report on them in the Parent Newsletter.

Stay tuned for more.