FLOODING PROBLEMS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? >> THE MAJORITY OF OUR SCHOOLS WILL PUT IT IN OCCUPIED MODE AND RUN ALL WEEKEND SO WE DON’T GET INTO THESE FREEZING CONDITIONS. TIM: THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS EXECUTIVE FACILITY DO DIRECTOR AND HIS TEAM WILL BE WATCHING CLOSE TO 100 BUILDINGS ALL WEEKEND LONG. NOW THEY HAVE A TOOL TO HELP THEM OUT. IN RECENT YEARS THE DISTRICT STARTED USING A NEW WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF CURRENT BUILDING CONDITIONS. >> THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE HERE IS A DASHBOARD THAT WE USE FOR OUR HVAC SYSTEMS AND THE MAJORITY OF OUR SCHOOLS. IT SHOWS US ALL THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THE TEMPERATURES IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, SO WE CAN REMOTELY SEE THIS AND HAVE MONITORS WATCHING THE SCREENS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SYSTEMS DEPENDING ON THE CONTROLS IN THE SYSTEMS. TIM: THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DISCOVERED THE PIPE PROBLEMS THAT DOUGLAS DURING WINTER BREAK WITH THE HELP OF THESE MONITORS. CUSTODIANS ALSO NOTICED THE FLOODING. THE DISTRICT IS TRYING TO AVOID A SIMILAR INCIDENT. JASON: THIS -- >> THIS BREAKS THE SCHOOL DOWN IN ITSELF AND SHOWS YOU THAT THESE ARE AIR HANDLING UNITS AND IT SHOWS YOU THE TEMPERATURE FLOWS TO BREAK IT DOWN. THE PUMPS, THE BOILERS, THE CHILLERS. IT HAS ALL THE HVAC COMPONENTS. TIM: AS WORK CONTINUES AT DOUGLAS, STUDENTS ARE ANXIOUS TO RETURN TO THE BUILDING. >> I THINK 11 AND 12 GRADERS WERE READY FOR MONDAY. WE JUST HAVE TO DELAY IT OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, BUT WE BELIEVE EVERYTHING IS FINE. TIM: THIS LATEST ROUND OF SETBACKS WAS CAUSED BY A DELAY IN AN AIR QUALITY REPORT. FOR THE BUILDING MONITORS, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO INSTAL
Baltimore school officials monitoring building conditions amid frigid weather
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Updated: 5:49 PM EST Feb 3, 2023
Baltimore City Public Schools recently started using technology to monitor building conditions amid severe weather.The last cold snap caused pipes to burst at Frederick Douglass High School during winter break, which led to a massive amount of flooding throughout the entire building. The school had to close to students and staff for almost a month due to severe water damage.Ninth- and 10th-grade students have since returned to campus, and upperclassmen could be allowed to return next week.But the focus this weekend is clearly on making sure pipes don't freeze again amid the freezing weather."It's going to be a real cold weekend again, and then it's going to go warm again," said Bill Levy, executive facilities director for Baltimore City Public Schools.Levy told 11 News the district can remotely monitor temperatures at its schools while they keep a close watch on the weekend weather."(The technology) shows ... what the temperature is, the flows, to really break it down -- their pumps, their boilers, its chillers. It has all the HVAC components in it, and we can monitor it," Levy said. "When we know this is happening in the majority of our schools, we'll put it in an 'occupied' mode, so we run it all weekend, so we don't get into these freezing-type conditions."Along with the technology, the building engineers and custodians will be on hand, especially this weekend.As work continues at Douglass, students said they are anxious to return to the building."I think the 11th- and 12th-graders have been giving Principal (Craig) Rivers a hard time, saying, 'Hey, when are we coming back?' So, they were ready for Monday. We have to delay it out in a complete abundance of caution. We believe everything is fine," said John Davis, the district's chief of schools.Exclusive video below: Flood damage from frozen pipes burst over winter break (Jan. 19, 2023) Video below: Virtual learning extended after flooding at Douglass HS (Jan. 6, 2023)
BALTIMORE — Baltimore City Public Schools recently started using technology to monitor building conditions amid severe weather.
The last cold snap caused pipes to burst at Frederick Douglass High School during winter break, which led to a massive amount of flooding throughout the entire building. The school had to close to students and staff for almost a month due to severe water damage.
Ninth- and 10th-grade students have since returned to campus, and upperclassmen could be allowed to return next week.
But the focus this weekend is clearly on making sure pipes don't freeze again amid the freezing weather.
"It's going to be a real cold weekend again, and then it's going to go warm again," said Bill Levy, executive facilities director for Baltimore City Public Schools.
Levy told 11 News the district can remotely monitor temperatures at its schools while they keep a close watch on the weekend weather.
"(The technology) shows ... what the temperature is, the flows, to really break it down -- their pumps, their boilers, its chillers. It has all the HVAC components in it, and we can monitor it," Levy said. "When we know this is happening in the majority of our schools, we'll put it in an 'occupied' mode, so we run it all weekend, so we don't get into these freezing-type conditions."
Along with the technology, the building engineers and custodians will be on hand, especially this weekend.
As work continues at Douglass, students said they are anxious to return to the building.
"I think the 11th- and 12th-graders have been giving Principal (Craig) Rivers a hard time, saying, 'Hey, when are we coming back?' So, they were ready for Monday. We have to delay it out in a complete abundance of caution. We believe everything is fine," said John Davis, the district's chief of schools.
Exclusive video below: Flood damage from frozen pipes burst over winter break (Jan. 19, 2023)
Video below: Virtual learning extended after flooding at Douglass HS (Jan. 6, 2023)
