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Sheriff's Office Suffers Mold Damage

Flooding, and the resulting hazardous mold growth, is a serious problem in many parts of the country. The Madison County Sheriff's Office in Arkansas had an unfortunate experience last spring when rain apparently leaked into the walls of the Sheriff's department, causing at least three different types of mold to grow. The mold wasn't discovered until September, which meant everyone working in the office was breathing contaminated air for months. The entire department had to move to a much smaller trailer to continue working while experts pulled out the wall paneling, performed mold remediation efforts, and repainted each wall in the building with mold resistant paint.

Mold Illness

As a result of breathing the contaminated mold spores, many employees got sick and ended up in the hospital suffering because of severe coughs, including the Captain. One of the types of mold growths found was determined to be very hazardous. The employees of the Sheriff's office continue to work in a cramped trailer, as their office is not yet safe. It is anticipated that they will be able to move back in March 2009, nearly a year after the spring rains.

Mold Testing

Airborne testing is being completed inside and outside the building to make sure the air quality is sufficient. All of the mold appears to have been fully removed, and, due to the source of the mold being flooding, the remediation and clean up efforts were paid for by FEMA. This is an example of how mold exposure is not only highly hazardous to one's health, but can go undetected for extended periods of time.