(Editor’s note: Superintendent Patty Page’s comment in the 10th paragraph is corrected. A word was omitted in the earlier version, changing the context of her statements.)
POULSBO — Poulsbo Elementary School principal Claudia Alves didn’t notify parents of gas-like odors that forced the evacuation of their classrooms — on Sept. 17 and 25 — until Sept. 28.
The Herald left phone messages for Alves at the school and her home Oct. 20 and 21. She didn’t return messages as of Oct. 22, but she wrote in an email to parents on Sept. 28, “in the future you will be notified on the day of the evacuation.” And Chris Fraser, president of the North Kitsap Education Association, said “schools have put new protocols in place with concerns relating to odors.”
According to staff and district officials, a contractor was repairing the heat exchangers — a part of the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system — at Poulsbo Elementary on Sept. 16 when a gas-like odor was detected. “We were called to the school for a gas odor [that day] and found no leaks,” Cascade Natural Gas spokesman Mark Hanson wrote in an email to the Herald.
On Sept. 17, Cascade Natural Gas was called again. “Teachers and students complained of headaches and nausea,” Hanson wrote, and the company detected a natural gas leak on the school roof. “It was shut off for repairs. No CO or gas was detected in the building,” Hanson wrote. Teachers took students outside for “a short period of time,” according to Superintendent Patty Page.
On Sept. 22, Cascade Natural Gas was again called to the school because of a gas odor and detected a natural gas leak on the school roof, but no gas was detected inside the building.
On Sept. 25, a classroom reported a gas-like odor and students were moved to the art room until the odor could be investigated. Page said district maintenance employees checked for gas with a gas-detection device and found no gas inside the building.
On Sept. 28, Alves first notified parents of the gas-odor reports and room evacuations of Sept. 17 and 25.
“My belief is that we could have been better, more timely [in notifying parents] and it would have been good to give more specific info,” school board President Beth Worthington said. “The district really wants to get it right and keep parents informed.”
On Oct. 2, Page emailed parents and staff, “an HVAC company detected trace amounts of gas at the units on the roof, and they determined three of the valves have pin-sized holes. They agreed that replacing all valves and unions will eliminate the issue. The company also stated that there was never any chance of any unsafe situation occurring at any time.”
She added, “I understand that children may have come home with complaints of headaches and/or nausea, and given the issues with odors in the building, this can be very concerning for parents. Please know that we take your child’s safety and well being very seriously. As is always our protocol, if your child is not feeling well and needs to call a parent or guardian to be picked up we will ensure that happens.”
On Oct. 5, Cascade Natural Gas returned to the school “at the request of the repair crew to check their work,” Hanson wrote. “No gas leaks [were] detected. While testing the roof top units [we] found that exhaust ducts were not sealed properly and were leaking exhaust. [The] school will have it fixed.”
That day, Alves sent an email to parents. “This morning we experienced some gas smells inside the building … although the work they are doing is during non-school hours, residual gas smells can linger for a short period of time even after the work is completed prior to the start of school.”
On Oct. 21, Worthington told the Herald, “We finished the repairs the week before last, and we haven’t smelled anything since.”
Although Page had earlier advised parents that their children may have come home complaining of headaches and/or nausea, she told the Herald on Oct. 21 she “didn’t anticipate this was going to be that big of an issue. It was not an issue in terms of students’ safety.”
On Alves’ initial delay in notifying parents of the odors and class evacuations, Page told the Herald, “We didn’t feel it was significant to share with the parents at the time, but we learned a lesson. I think we probably should have anticipated the level of social media that is able to portray information that is not necessarily accurate.” She said understands why parents reacted angrily.
On its website, www.cngc.com, Cascade Natural Gas indicates that the entire school should have been evacuated when gas was smelled.
“If you smell gas inside, evacuate everyone immediately, including pets,” the company advises. “From a safe location, outside of the building and away from the gas leak, call the Cascade Natural Gas emergency contact number …” It also recommends calling the fire department at 911.
“Do not use a telephone or cell phone inside the building. Do not open or close any windows.Do not flip light switches, pull plugs or operate electrical devices … Any sparking could ignite the gas.”
“If you smell gas outside, evacuate the area immediately. Do not use electronic devices or cell phones near the area of the leak … Keep other people and animals away from the area.”
