Concerned parents fundraise to get air filters in DCPS in hopes of preventing COVID spread

WASHINGTON (7News) — It's week one of in-person learning for most DCPS students, including Peter Krupa's son.

"He loves it, he's really having a great time, he's really happy to get back," Krupa said.

ALSO READ: 90,000 students start in-person learning as DC Public Schools begins the 2021-2022 year

While students try to get back into the swing of things, some DCPS parents say some schools don't have everything they need to address concerns over COVID-19, including an adequate supply of PPE and HEPA filters.

"The teachers are saying they're missing some basic PPE stuff, or they don't have enough of it," Krupa said.

ALSO READ: 8 DC councilmembers ask Bowser to remove COVID testing option for school employees

HEPA filters are used to remove dust, bacteria, and other airborne particles from the air.

The Department of General Services, which oversees buildings recently admitted to 7News that temporary spot coolers and or window units were installed, as a "contingency plan for some schools with air conditioning component issues."

"The problem that I'm finding people raise over and over is that the classrooms have HEPA filters, but the spaces that aren't technically classrooms don't, so like it's the counselor's office...the ESL spaces, the speech therapist spaces," Krupa said.

ALSO READ: DC public, charter school students will be randomly tested for COVID-19, mayor says

To fill the gap, parents are now pooling their dollars to buy the supplies that have been requested.

"We made and distributed 24 so far," he said. Krupa has already raised more than $4,000, through an online campaign.

He'll use that money to create these makeshift alternatives for the HEPA filters. They're called Corsi-Rosenthal Cubes. They cost about $100 to make and they'll include furnace filters around a box fan.

ALSO READ: PA system, broken windows at two DC public schools won't be ready for start of school

"When you turn the window fan on, it sucks the air through the filters," Krupa said. "I'd like to not have to do this, so if DCPS could get educators what they say they need, so I don't have to go to Lowe's...that would be fantastic."

The demand has been so high that Krupa is also looking for volunteers to distribute the makeshift air filters.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the air filters and for more information, click here.

Keith A. Anderson, Director of the Department of General Services released the following statement:

“For more than a year, the D.C. Department of General Services (DGS) has, and continues to be, committed to ensuring the safety of students, teachers and staff regarding air filtration, ventilation, and comfort in preparation for the fall back-to-school in-person season, said DGS Director Keith A. Anderson. “DGS worked with industry experts, including the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and is following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other industry professionals, that supported and identified best practices. The aforementioned assisted with developing a multitiered HVAC plan to sustain quality air filtration at D.C. Public School facilities. The District’s plan, implemented in December 2020, was recently recognized as the 2021 Project of the Year by the Construction Management Association of America – National Capital Chapter (CMAA-NCC). DGS supports and relies on the science and work of industry experts that created the District’s plan and cannot comment or support any other devices brought in from outside of District government.”