By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Students were evacuated from Swanton High School midday Wednesday, May 6, after a chemical odor was reported coming from a drain in the chemistry lab.
According to a statement issued by Swanton Fire and Rescue Division Chief Cuyler Kepling, staff were cleaning scientific instruments shortly after noon when one of them noticed the “acidic” smell and immediately reported it. School officials immediately evacuated students to the Fisher Athletic Facility.
In addition to the Swanton response, the Fulton County Emergency Management Agency, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and Toledo Fire and Rescue Department Special Operations Bureau were notified, with the Toledo agency sending a hazmat team to investigate.
The team located no hazardous conditions either in the school or upon inspection of the equipment being cleaned. All responders cleared the scene roughly two hours after the initial call.
Superintendent Chris Lake said plumbers were brought in that evening in order to confirm all the drains were clear. He said they “may have found a blockage which needs to be addressed and might have contributed to the issue.”
Lake said they should know more on Thursday. He also commended the job done by emergency responders.
“This was an excellent test of our emergency plan,” Lake said. “The response of our village and county agencies was excellent and we appreciate all of their assistance with this incident.”
During the incident, the Swanton department was also assisted by Fulton County 911, Lucas County RCOG, the Swanton Police Department, the Delta Community Fire Department, the Metamora-Amboy Fire Department, and the village’s Public Service Department and Water Resource Recovery Facility.
In addition to the evacuation and emergency response, the school district canceled all on-campus events scheduled that day as a precaution after being briefed on investigators’ findings.
Kepling praised the school district for its response to the incident, celebrating its “high level of preparedness and professionalism … particularly in their execution of evacuation procedures, communication with parents and guardians, and reunification planning.” He had harsh words, however, for those taking to social media to discuss the event.
According to Kepling, several inaccurate statements were posted online while the incident was still unfolding, including reports of missing students and significant structural damage.
He said a scheduled drill occurring at the same time at another Fulton County school “likely contributed to the confusion.”
“It does not appear that the misinformation was shared with malicious intent, but rather as a result of incomplete or misunderstanding information.
“This situation highlights the importance of verifying facts before sharing information during emergency situations, as misinformation can lead to unnecessary concern and panic within the community,” Kepling wrote.
