Nikki Zellner | School Carbon Monoxide Safety

@UNLincoln Was it a natural gas leak or was it carbon monoxide? Would love confirmation to know if I should add this incident to our national campus-based CO incidents tracker.

UNL Alert: The gas leak at Sewart Seed Laboratory 2101 N 38th St. is resolved. You may now resume regular activities.

@JeffreyCook @waff48 @spann @NOAA @NWSHuntsville In residential neighborhood in Madison, AL in between Eastview Drive and Old Madison Pike. Wellington Dr area.

@KnowYourCO @waff48 @spann @NOAA @NWSHuntsville Hi Nikki, Jeff here with ABC News. where exactly is this?

Storm damage: Just off Old Madison Pike, Madison, AL #wxtoday #stormdamage #tornadooutbreak @waff48 @spann @NOAA @NWSHuntsville

@FOXWeatherDesk @spann @waff48 @NWSHuntsville @NOAA Yes, you can use.

@KnowYourCO @spann @waff48 @NWSHuntsville @NOAA Hello @KnowYourCO, wow what a rough scene and hope that you're entire family is safe! Did you take this photo? Can Fox Weather, Fox News Network, LLC & Fox News Edge affiliates use on all platforms w/ credit? Do we need anyone else’s permission?

Storm damage: Madison, AL at Rainbow Mtn/Hughes Rd. #tornadoseason #alabamaweather @spann @waff48 @NWSHuntsville @NOAA

Power is out: Do not run generators in/near your home. Keep them 25 feet away from walls of your home.

Storm damage: Madison, AL at Rainbow Mtn/Hughes Rd. #tornadoseason #alabamaweather @spann @waff48 @NWSHuntsville @NOAA

Evacuate everyone first, then call 911. ☎️

@MicheleGay_ @SafeSchoolsOrg @MLDenault1228 Oh wow! I would love to learn more about becoming a Safe & Sound speaker as someone who speaks regularly on school CO safety after my children were poisoned.

Welcome to the @SafeSchoolsOrg family, @MLDenault1228! Thank you for an impactful, informative, and powerful keynote this morning. #GGSVP25

@lorialhadeff Sending all the support that this goes through. North Alabama resident (and fellow school safety advocate here!)

The word is out… Alabama is getting ready to pass #AlyssasLaw tomorrow, on #MakeOurSchoolsSafeDay! Read more here: alreporter.com/2025/02/13/ala…

@516snkrs Resources: carbonmonoxideinschools.org If it’s a confirmed CO incident, i want to add this to my database!

@516snkrs If your gym is detached from the remainder of the building, and does not share same ventilation/ductwork as the building where issue occurring, the gym is ok. However, the first priority when a CO leak is suspected is to remove ALL occupants outside into fresh air, then 911.

@maxschachter @alexsafeschools I’ve been following your efforts since the beginning and it would be an honor to include your story in honor of Alex.

@maxschachter @alexsafeschools @maxschachter - would it be possible to interview you for my upcoming book, “the watchdog way”? It’s about using our personal experiences as a starting point to create broader change for the safety and strength of our communities.

🚨 @alexsafeschools Launches School Safety Dashboards in 3 New States: Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey! 🚨 Parents have a right to know what’s happening in their child’s school. Now, in 14 states they have access to transparent school safety data at their fingertips. SchoolSafetyDashboard.org provides the critical information they need to make their school safer. Join our mission to create school safety dashboards in EVERY state.

Because CO can pass through drywall, and follow ductwork from one space to another, having working detection AND trained staff is paramount to safety.

Most US building codes are tied to fuel-fired fixed appliances needing to be present, but each state (and even municipality) differs on requirements.🧵

Propane-powered concrete saw being used in adjacent suite cited as source. Sadly, this is not the first time portable devices have caused CO injury to campus occupants. Our research indicates close to 40% of campus-based CO events are from portable or temporary devices. 🧵

The Kittery, Maine carbon monoxide incident in a daycare is the 8th campus-based CO incident in 2025, and the 16th incident in the 2024-2025 school calendar year. carbonmonoxideinschools.org/victims

When it comes to measuring CO levels in the bloodstream, that’s actually done through a Carboxyhemoglobin test, which measures in %. Nonsmokers should have a level of .5-1.5%. Levels above 2% indicate CO exposure. Higher levels indicate poisoning and further treatments needed.

Great extended coverage of the CO incident in a Maine daycare yesterday. Important: the story references “levels” in two spots. CO levels in a building are measured in PPM (parts per million). Ranges from 0 - thousands of PPM, but starts causing health effects at 10ppm.