The death of the custodian of Kettering Fairmont 2019 is also linked to Legionella

07/03/2020 Business, Health


As Fairmont High School grapples with recent positive tests for Legionella bacteria in its water, the school confirmed Thursday that a former Fairmont custodian died 14 months ago, also with links to Legionella.

Keith “Casey” Chaffin died in May 2019. Kettering City Schools spokeswoman Kari Basson confirmed that Chaffin worked as a custodian at Fairmont until weeks before his death.

FIRST STORY: Fairmont HS disinfecting water; positive test for Legionella

He also confirmed that one of four positive tests for Legionella bacteria this summer came from the custodian’s office bathroom sink, just west of the cafeteria. A current custodian has tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease in the past two weeks. That person’s condition has not been made public.

Basson said Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County notified the school district last year that Chaffin’s death was related to Legionnaires’ disease. But she said the water sources at the high school were not analyzed in 2019 as they have been for the past two weeks,

“You’re going to have to talk to public health,” said Basson. “They didn’t test it like we are doing this year. They followed their protocol. We did what we were told to do, but that did not include testing the water sources as we did this time. “

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Officials from the Dayton and Montgomery Department of Public Health could not be reached Thursday night.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia that often requires antibiotics and hospital care. The CDC says that most cases can be treated successfully and that healthy people generally get better. But about 10 percent die from complications.

A CDC document from May 7 says that closing schools and other large coronavirus-related facilities could increase the risks of Legionella bacteria if the water in the pipes becomes stagnant or is not discharged any longer than normal.