The Trillium Lakelands District School Board says its water testing of Haliburton schools has found an eight per cent failure rate for lead over the past three years.

District manager of corporate communications, Catherine Shedden, was responding to a Highlander request for comment following a Toronto Star investigation that found an average failure rate of 16 per cent at six Haliburton schools and the adult education building in Haliburton.

According to The Star investigation, Haliburton Highlands Secondary School had a failure rate of 41 per cent. That meant nine out of 22 water tests revealed lead that exceeded the current federal guidelines of five parts per billion (cut from 10 ppb this past March).

Ontario has kept its benchmark at 10 ppb while it reviews Ottawa’s new guidelines.

Cardiff Elementary School had a 38 per cent failure rate according to The Star, or three of eight test results having higher than recommended lead levels.

The adult education building had a 25 per cent failure rate, with one of four tests revealing higher than recommended lead levels.

J. Douglas Hodgson Elementary School was rated at an eight per cent failure rate by the national newspaper’s investigators, with one of 12 test failures.

Archie Stouffer, Stuart Baker and Wilberforce elementary schools had zero per cent failure rates.

According to The Star’s numbers, that’s an average failure rate of 16 per cent. The Star reported last week that more than 2,400 Ontario schools and daycares exceeded the current federal guidelines in the past two years. They said it was a 275 per cent jump from two years ago, due to more frequent testing and the tougher federal lead limits. They blamed lead fixtures, including taps and water fountains, which were used in school plumbing and remain in place today.

The probe went on to say, “children, especially younger children, are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of lead because their bodies absorb the toxin more than adults. They said lead can impact a child’s cognitive development, IQ levels and overall health. They added that according to the World Health Organization there is no safe level of lead.

TLDSB: 6 of 74 samples fail lead test

Shedden said a total of 74 samples have been obtained over the past three years in six Haliburton schools. She said six of the 74 samples have failed a standing or flushing sample, or about eight per cent. Her figures did not include the Alternative Education building in Haliburton.

She stressed that under the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standard, Objectives and Guidelines, the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) for lead in a water supply is 10 micrograms per litre [the same as 10 parts per billion]. She said designated fixtures included fountains, hydration stations and sinks where children could obtain a drink and supplies that are used for cooking or food/drink preparation.

She said two samples are taken from each location with the first sample prior to building flushing, called a ‘standing’ sample, and the second after the building flushing. She said the provincial recommendation when there is an exceedance of lead in a ‘standing’ sample is to flush the school plumbing daily.

“Whenever results from water tests exceed the threshold for safe drinking water at a school, the TLDSB facilities services department work with the local health unit to determine the best corrective action,” Shedden said. “This could include, but is not limited to, taking the drinking water fixture out of service (which happens as soon as there is an exceedance), increase flushing, further resampling, replacement of a fixture,” Shedden said.

The health unit’s manager of environmental health, Bernie Mayer, said “Ensuring that water is safe to drink for everyone is of paramount importance to the health unit. In general, regular flushing of water from the pipes at schools – be it on a daily or weekly basis – is sufficient for getting lead levels below the Ontario benchmark of 10 ppb. The results of water samples taken after flushing are the ones that really matter.

“If there are issues with lead levels in the water at local schools, the health unit will work closely with school officials and the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to ensure the problem is fixed. Any source of unsafe drinking water (be it a fountain or fixture) will be shut down or removed from service until the situation is resolved.”

Dave Crete had just finished splitting wood, and Leann cleaning one of the cottages at The Pines on Boshkung Cottage Resort, when they headed across the yard for home last Thursday afternoon.

Leann said Dave was ahead of her and realized the smoke alarms were going off. She said the woodstove had been going so Dave ran to the back door, only to find their ceiling on fire.

“I heard him screaming,” Leann recalled during an interview Nov. 11. “I called 911.”

Their two children, Zayden, 16, and Violet, 12, were at school but the family dog, Lexie, was in the house.

“We tried to run up to see if we could get our dog but it was like a wall of smoke,” Leann says with emotion choking her voice. The pet was upstairs, where the flames didn’t reach, but the beloved family pet quietly slipped away from smoke inhalation.

From there, Leann said it “was a pretty horrible time” and it seemed “like a lifetime” for emergency responders to arrive, but she knows they were quick. She said the Algonquin Highlands fire department, with assistance from Minden, had the fire out in about 40 minutes from the time she dialed 911.

“Amazing. Luckily the fire didn’t roll over to the second floor,” Leann said.

Algonquin Highlands fire chief Mike Cavanagh said on Nov. 12 that the cause was accidental and due to improper disposal of ash. He put the structural damage at $180,000. He said they were called at 12.55 p.m. Nov. 7, responding with 18 firefighters and eight fire trucks from Algonquin Highlands and Minden Hills. The house is unlivable as many of the joists were burnt and because of the extensive smoke damage.

The Crete’s were able to go inside and retrieve some items, such as business papers, wedding rings and other jewellery, and the resort computer. The family has owned The Pines since May 2015. Leann said they were finally getting it “to a good spot, then this happens, but we just keep telling ourselves we’ll be stronger for it.” We’re trying to look at the positive things. The children were at school and not hurt. We weren’t inside. We still have each other. People have been so incredibly generous. We can’t thank them enough.”

Rhubarb and Boshkung Brewing Co. owner Terri Mathews-Carl started a GoFundMe campaign. Mathews-Carl said her family used to own The Pines. It had raised more than $5,000 of its $10,000 goal as of press time Wednesday.

“Thank goodness we have insurance,” Leann added, noting Glenn Hall of Floyd Hall Insurance arrived within about 15-20 minutes of being called. The family wanted to thank Hall, Mathews-Carl, the EMS personnel, including firefighters, paramedics, OPP, the fire marshal, complete strangers that stopped, family, friends and neighbours and the principal of J. Douglas Hodgson Elementary School, Andrea Borysiuk, who drove the kids home.

Leann said they are staying in a fully-furnished cottage for now. They have been given clothing and food. They don’t know exactly what they will need going forward. However, she said if people don’t want to use the GoFundMe, the family can always use grocery vouchers or gift cards, but mostly prayers, love and positive thoughts are needed.

Through it all, they are continuing to operate their business, since cottages are booked. “We don’t want to disappoint our guests that were booked or lose our clientele,” Leann said.

While most of their immediate physical needs are being taken care of, the family is coming to terms with their emotions. The Crete’s added they were able to recover “their beloved” Lexie and give her a proper burial on the property with all of her favourite toys.

“All four of us will be okay. We’re strong. It’s going to be a tough year, and there are going to be a lot of tears, but we are counting our blessings and we’re going to come out stronger at the end,” Leann said.

Cavanagh said ashes should always be placed in a metal bucket or can and removed from the building as soon as removed from the stove. He said ashes should be placed well away from any building or structure until they can be disposed of properly as they will hold heat and coals for many days. He also advised people to ensure that homes and cottages have working, up-to-date smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on all floors, and outside of all sleeping areas.

Go to gofundme. com/f/crete-family-home-fire.

Mabel Brannigan sits at her dining room table in Minden, hunched over a writing project she has embarked upon. It will honour local veterans during the 75^th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 2020.

The 96-year-old war veteran, for whom the Minden Legion is named, is a little over half way through the stories she is penning about Haliburton County veterans. She hopes to be done by the end of the year.

She is calling it the ‘Left to Tell’ series since there aren’t many of her vintage remaining.

“I have to do this to pay tribute to these boys, and a few girls, from Haliburton County,” she tells The Highlander – which will be publishing her series in the lead-up to Remembrance Day 2020.

“I am in my 96^th year,” she continues, “and I remember most of the boys. All or nearly all have died.” She emphasized it’s important to her to write about these “courageous” people. “They gave their today for your tomorrow.” She said we all owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.

She said writing the articles also saddens her since all of them are gone. In a 2016 video, as part of The Highlanders’ Veterans of Haliburton County series, Brannigan said, “They’re all gone. I’ve got no friends here of my age.”

The writer hands over a sheet of paper, in black ink, the lines running slightly up and to the right but exceedingly legible for a woman on the cusp of 97 years.

“No matter what their motivation, the men and women in our armed forces were willing to put their own lives at risk for an ideal,” the paper reads. “They believed in the value of what they were doing. They faced incredible hardships, witnessed events that no one should have to witness and pushed themselves to the limit of their endurance.”

2020 also marks the 75^th anniversary of D-Day, when thousands of allied troops mobilized on the beaches of France. Canada’s part was mainly on Juno Beach, suffering heavy casualties.

“But they knew it must succeed,” said Brannigan. “If it didn’t, what would?”

She noted how Canadians today are welcome with open arms in Normandy and in countries such as The Netherlands where Canadians played a vital role in freeing them from Nazi occupation.

“Many from Haliburton served and died in Italy, too,” Brannigan noted.

“We honour the courage and sacrifice for those who secured freedom for all of us. Lest us forget.”

While she doesn’t want to talk about her own service, insisting on paying tribute to those she is writing about, Brannigan went to Yorkton, Saskatchewan as a teenager and was then stationed in Ottawa.