Following guidance from the Environmental Health & Safety Institute (EHSI), Southwestern Community College is actively working to secure the services of an engineering firm for repair and remediation at Jackson County Early College’s Building.
At EHSI’s recommendation, students and school personnel vacated the building on Oct. 17. They moved to the Balsam Center on SCC’s Jackson Campus before lab samples were sent for analysis.
Those results, which arrived Tuesday (Oct. 22), revealed stachybotrys spores (commonly known as “black mold”) in two rooms of the JCEC Building. Allen McCullough of EHSI confirmed the tests do not indicate severe mold infestation but recommended engaging a trusted engineering firm for necessary repairs and remediation.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our students, employees and our partners with Jackson County Public Schools,” said Dr. Don Tomas, SCC President. “We appreciate EHSI’s guidance, and we will follow it until all necessary repairs and remediation are completed.”
Moisture issues had led SCC personnel to reach out to EHSI. After a visual inspection last week, McCullough conducted air monitoring including mold-sampling. Rooms 102 and 103 are the only two impacted spaces. Testing has confirmed the mold is contained to those two rooms and has not spread elsewhere in the building.
Due to the recent storm devastation in Western North Carolina, most contractors and engineering firms are in high demand. The earliest a qualified engineering firm/mold-eradication specialist is available for an initial consultation is Monday, Oct. 28.
Once repairs are completed, McCullough will conduct follow-up inspections with additional air sampling before re-entry is considered. No date has been set for operations to return to the building.
“The college has done its due diligence,” McCullough said. “Based on these results, immediate action will be taken.”
College officials have consulted with the Jackson County Department of Public Health and will continue following environmental recommendations.
Below is some additional information regarding mold:
According to the CDC, “At present, no test exists that proves an association between Stachybotrys chartarum and particular health symptoms. Individuals with persistent symptoms should see their physician. However, if Stachybotrys chartarum or other molds are found in a building they should be removed.”
The Cleveland Clinic adds: "All types of mold can affect people who have mold allergies. However, black mold isn’t any more dangerous than any other types of mold. How quickly black mold affects you depends on whether you have any allergies or sensitivities to it. Your body is unique, and how you react to black mold may differ from how others respond to it.”
