School District 20 working with Colorado Springs Fire Department to improve campus airflow

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs' largest school district, School District 20, is working closely with the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) to improve campus airflow, while still abiding by fire safety standards.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage ventilation by opening windows, that's not always feasible, especially for some newer schools in the area that have windows that don't open as a security precaution.

District 20 officials tell KRDO that since not all of their schools have opening windows, they had to ensure their ventilation system could pull in more fresh, clean air to increase airflow.

By increasing ventilation through their HVAC system, the schools are able to bring in more outside air rather than recirculated air.

Kris Cooper, Deputy Fire Marshal with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, says that they've created a fire and life safety consortium of schools that meet on a regular basis to discuss fire safety, school safety and discuss best practices.

The fire marshal says that as schools look to get rid of stagnant air, the concerns from schools are how to accomplish that. The initial reaction is to prop open doors to increase ventilation, however, Cooper clarifies that doing so could increase the risk of fire, safety, and security concerns.

If a school has fire sprinklers throughout, they can prop doors open. However, if they don't have the necessary sprinklers, doors must remain shut to be in compliance with fire code.

CSFD also inspects all schools on an annual basis and meets with school principals.

School District 20 will monitor HVAC guidance from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and other applicable regulatory agencies to ensure that HVAC operations continue to align with the most current recommendations.

The CDC has some recommendations on how you can protect yourself and slow the spread by increasing airflow:

• Increase ventilation by opening windows or adjusting air conditioning
• Ensure that ventilation systems in your home operate properly
• Increase circulation of outdoor air as much as possible by opening windows and doors if possible, and using fans.
• Do not open windows and doors if doing so poses a safety or health risk for occupants, including children (e.g., a risk of falling or of breathing outdoor environmental contaminants such as carbon monoxide, molds, or pollens).