Hello supporters! 

Big updates for you this week:

1. Our daycare re-opened on Monday, December 24 with newly installed single-station CO detectors and having passed all inspections by Health, Fire and Gas Departments. But it's a good thing we had them because...

THE DETECTORS ALERTED TO ANOTHER LEAK TODAY and they closed our school again.

THIS IS WHY I AM ADVOCATING. We would have sent our kids to school (again) into poisonous conditions with no way of knowing.

2. We have a meeting date on the books to speak with Virginia Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler in mid-March to talk about the possibility of legislative efforts around this.

2. We've  spoken with Jeff Brown, Director of State Building Codes, in the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development – here is Virginia's Code as it stands today:

“Prior to July 2015, there were no requirements for CO alarms in Group E or I occupancies, so any facility constructed before then would not have had to install an alarm, even if they had a fuel-fired appliance in the building.

After July 2015, any NEW facility would have to install them if they have a fuel-fired appliance, but any existing facilities would not have to do anything, regardless of whether or not they have a fuel-fired appliance.

Just to clarify, the reason the requirement is tied to having a fuel-fired appliance is that if there are no fuel-fired appliances (or attached garages) in the building, there will be no gas in the building and therefore no source for carbon monoxide.”

3. We're about to get news coverage – so keep an eye out! 

It is my hope that everyone will take the following steps, regardless of where you are in the world:

1. Sign + share this petition. For every share, we're seeing about 3-5 new signatures.

2. Find out if your daycare, school, workplace or home have a fuel-fired appliance on site (in our case it was a heating system).

3. If they do, ask what kind of carbon monoxide detection is in place, how often it is inspected/tested, the level of training received to look for symptoms of CO poisoning, and evacuation plans.

4. If there aren't any of these things in place – SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – even if it's just with single-station CO detectors.

5. Share your stories of what you find out – and share this petition again to save others who may not know there's a real issue going on in our communities.

We're up to 920 signatures. 

While this petition targets action on the state level (as that is what will take the longest to create change in) – please know we are working behind the scenes to get our local government, groups (as well as governing bodies of private institutions) involved as well. 

Thank you all for taking a stand with me for all of our loved ones out there. It's a long battle – and I'm here for it.

With you,

Nikki