Coquitlam schools getting carbon monoxide detectors after incident in Quebec

The Coquitlam School District is installing at least 200 carbon monoxide detectors in its schools, with more coming soon, after a recent rash of poisonings in B.C., as well as an incident in Quebec that sent dozens of elementary students and teachers to hospital.

"We had started to install carbon monoxide detectors, but then when the more recent incidents came into play, we decided to take a much more active role in ensuring that almost all buildings are covered," said Ivano Cecchini, executive director of facilities and planning for the Coquitlam School District.

According to Cecchini, some of the schools had carbon monoxide detectors before the decision to put them everywhere, but it depended on the type of heating systems used — and mostly they've been installed around roof-top heating units.

In early December, 13 people at a Vancouver office became ill and were rushed to hospital. The following day, five people were airlifted to hospital after a carbon monoxide poisoning incident in Barriere, B.C.

A couple weeks ago, 43 students and staff at a Lasalle elementary school in Quebec were hospitalized — Some of them had lost consciousness. That incident was blamed on a faulty furnace system causing a leak. 

"We're going to be in the range of about 80 buildings that we're going to install. What we're going to do is start off just making sure that we've got the more portable systems that you would purchase — similar to a residential unit — as a starting point," said Cecchini.

After a risk assessment, the school district plans to install a more complicated, hard-wired system.

Cecchini said the push to get the new carbon monoxide detectors installed throughout Coquitlam's schools came from staff, but it was supported by trustees "In a big way."

He said it's not mandatory for school districts in the province to have carbon monoxide detectors throughout schools.

Nearby in the Vancouver School District, detectors are not common.

"Not all schools require carbon monoxide detectors as they are only required in underground parking garages and ice rinks," said a Vancouver School District spokesperson in an emailed statement.  

"Where we have carbon monoxide detectors, there is a regular monitoring program. Detectors are checked annually for proper operation by a mechanical engineer," the statement said.

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