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Not all local schools have carbon monoxide detectors

After a carbon monoxide leak sent more than 100 people to hospitals from a school in Illinois, we discovered some local schools don’t have CO detectors in...

A carbon monoxide leak at North Mac Elementary School in Girard, Illinois sent 140 people to the hospital on Monday, September 15, 2014, according to WICS, an ABC affiliate in Springfield, Illinois.

Reports stated that students and staff members began feeling sick and were evacuated from the building.

In Illinois and Iowa, schools are not required to install carbon monoxide detectors, although homeowners are according to Jeni Rochholz, a service tech for Crawford Company Heating and Cooling.   Connecticut and Maryland are the only two states to require carbon monoxide detectors inside schools.

"It is an odorless, tasteless gas; unless you have a detector, you're not going to know it's even there," Rochholz said.

CO is found in combustion fumes, such as those produced by cars and trucks, stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and wood and heating systems.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include: nausea, weakness, lightheartedness, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. CO levels between 10-15 parts-per million can be lethal, Rochholz said.

When temperatures begin to cool in the fall, Rochholz's job is critical: ensure there isn't carbon monoxide leaking from her client's furnaces. She said carbon monoxide, scientifically referred to as CO, occurs when carbon in fuel is not burned completely.

As of Tuesday, September 16, 2014, Rock Island Schools and Pleasant Valley Schools had carbon monoxide detectors in their buildings.  Officials with Bettendorf and North Scott Schools stated they don't have carbon monoxide detectors.  Moline Schools don't have carbon monoxide detectors; however, Superintendent Dr. David Moyer said the schools don't use gas heating.

Officials with Davenport Schools had not yet responded to our call.

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