Praising God Following the Carbon Monoxide Leak at the Girls' School
Early yesterday morning I was interviewed on Daybreak Montreal with Mike Finnerty regarding the carbon monoxide leak at our girls' school Monday. (This article explains what took place that day). A couple of hours after I gave the interview, I received a call from CBC asking if I would agree to a television interview. At 12:15 PM, a reporter arrived at our home and filmed the girls and me, along with a classmate of Isabella's who was over for a playdate. Two additional articles resulted, both of which featured parts of our testimonies (available here and here). Finally, last night's lead story on CBC's evening news was the incident at the school. A brief portion of my interview aired at minutes 1:49-2:05.
(Update: After I posted this, I was interviewed on television three more times. The first was briefly in French in front of the school (I appear 3:20-3:34). The second was more involved, as CityNews heard me on the CBC, and contacted me for an interview. So, I once again had a news crew come to my home to give our account of the events. Finally, two weeks after the carbon monoxide poisoning, I gave another interview in our home.)
In the aftermath of the event, I see much to thank God for:
1. No one was seriously injured. Considering that the levels of carbon monoxide were 5x higher than the level that would've triggered an evacuation, this is truly a blessing. For those who live in warmer parts of the world, here's some facts I learned through this experience: Many buildings in cold climates are heated with oil, and carbon monoxide is a byproduct of this process. It's an odorless and colourless gas - which is precisely why it's so scary and dangerous. Tales abound in Quebec and elsewhere of partial or entire families dying in their sleep or in their cars due to exposure to this lethal gas. It could've been much, much worse.
2. The school acted quickly and calmly. Children displaying more serious symptoms associated with carbon monoxide poisoning were taken by ambulance to three different area hospitals - but none went alone. Knowing that each child was accompanied by a staff member or parent demonstrates the tenderness with which our children are cared for at École des Découvreurs.
3. As for the those displaying few or no symptoms, they were evacuated without creating a panic. Relocated to the gym of a nearby school, the kids enjoyed a movie projected onto a big screen and indulged in some Domino's Pizza. Themselves unaware of the seriousness of the matter, students remained calm and orderly.
4. On a regional level, this served as a wake-up call to school boards to ensure that they have CO detectors installed and checked regularly. Residential buildings may also review their safety protocol as well. Perhaps many lives will be saved by the precautionary measures that will result from this event. I, for one, will make sure our home is equipped with a functional CO detector, that is for certain.
5. On a personal level, I see the Lord's hand watching over Isabella. That day, she was scheduled to attend an early morning music class, along with the students who are part of the before-school (and often after-school) daycare program offered for working parents. She was having a hard time getting out of bed after a busy weekend, so we decided to let her sleep in and skip class, just this once. Little did we know that that one less hour of exposure to toxic fumes made all the difference. Among those students most affected by the carbon monoxide were those who were in Isabella's music class. While they're fine now, I was thankful that amidst all the transition she's been through (not to mention the tropical diseases she's faced), our big girl didn't have to be hospitalized and be put in a hyperbaric chamber, like some of her classmates.
6. Once it became clear that the crisis had passed, it was kind of fun to be on the radio, TV, and digital/print news. Having a reporter come to our home and film was exciting for the girls. And even if their testimonies didn't make the cut for the evening news, the article highlighting their account of what took place was at the top for local news, with their pictures featured prominently. They'll have a story to tell their own kids someday!
(Update: After I posted this, I was interviewed on television three more times. The first was briefly in French in front of the school (I appear 3:20-3:34). The second was more involved, as CityNews heard me on the CBC, and contacted me for an interview. So, I once again had a news crew come to my home to give our account of the events. Finally, two weeks after the carbon monoxide poisoning, I gave another interview in our home.)
In the aftermath of the event, I see much to thank God for:
1. No one was seriously injured. Considering that the levels of carbon monoxide were 5x higher than the level that would've triggered an evacuation, this is truly a blessing. For those who live in warmer parts of the world, here's some facts I learned through this experience: Many buildings in cold climates are heated with oil, and carbon monoxide is a byproduct of this process. It's an odorless and colourless gas - which is precisely why it's so scary and dangerous. Tales abound in Quebec and elsewhere of partial or entire families dying in their sleep or in their cars due to exposure to this lethal gas. It could've been much, much worse.
2. The school acted quickly and calmly. Children displaying more serious symptoms associated with carbon monoxide poisoning were taken by ambulance to three different area hospitals - but none went alone. Knowing that each child was accompanied by a staff member or parent demonstrates the tenderness with which our children are cared for at École des Découvreurs.
3. As for the those displaying few or no symptoms, they were evacuated without creating a panic. Relocated to the gym of a nearby school, the kids enjoyed a movie projected onto a big screen and indulged in some Domino's Pizza. Themselves unaware of the seriousness of the matter, students remained calm and orderly.
4. On a regional level, this served as a wake-up call to school boards to ensure that they have CO detectors installed and checked regularly. Residential buildings may also review their safety protocol as well. Perhaps many lives will be saved by the precautionary measures that will result from this event. I, for one, will make sure our home is equipped with a functional CO detector, that is for certain.
5. On a personal level, I see the Lord's hand watching over Isabella. That day, she was scheduled to attend an early morning music class, along with the students who are part of the before-school (and often after-school) daycare program offered for working parents. She was having a hard time getting out of bed after a busy weekend, so we decided to let her sleep in and skip class, just this once. Little did we know that that one less hour of exposure to toxic fumes made all the difference. Among those students most affected by the carbon monoxide were those who were in Isabella's music class. While they're fine now, I was thankful that amidst all the transition she's been through (not to mention the tropical diseases she's faced), our big girl didn't have to be hospitalized and be put in a hyperbaric chamber, like some of her classmates.
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| Photo courtesy of Kate McKenna/CBC Montreal |
6. Once it became clear that the crisis had passed, it was kind of fun to be on the radio, TV, and digital/print news. Having a reporter come to our home and film was exciting for the girls. And even if their testimonies didn't make the cut for the evening news, the article highlighting their account of what took place was at the top for local news, with their pictures featured prominently. They'll have a story to tell their own kids someday!
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