INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Marion County Public Health Department has issued a notice of violation to the Decatur Township trustee after inspectors found mold inside the fire department.

I-Team 8 received an email from a concerned firefighter about the conditions inside the fire station, and so I-Team 8 started asking questions.

The health department order, issued on Wednesday, lists multiple violations at the Decatur Township Fire Department Building at 5410 S. High School Rd.

Inspectors found problems throughout the building, including in bathrooms, locker rooms, bedrooms, and utility rooms.

Among the violations and suggested corrections:

• Water-damaged, moldy ceiling and drywall.  “Tear out moldy drywall. Remove insulation that has gotten wet and may be moldy.”
• Water-damaged and/or moldy wood framing: “Replace all deteriorated wood material.”
• Bathroom ventilation is inadequate or does not vent to the exterior: “Install or repair outdoor window to be operable or provide approved mechanical ventilation to the exterior.”
• Downspouts are missing or deteriorated: Install downspouts where missing, repair or replace deteriorated downspouts.
• Deterioration of siding: Repair siding to a sound and weather-tight condition.
• Deterioration of soffits: Repair soffits to a sound and weather-tight condition
• Furnace filter dirty or missing: Replace or provide furnace filter and replace monthly during heating season.
• Registers are dirty: Clean registers to allow for proper air flow
• Windows are ill-fitting and not weather-tight.  Repair defective windows to a weather-tight condition, such as by weather-stripping or glazing.

I-Team has called and emailed the Decatur Township Fire Department and the township trustee, and is waiting to hear back.

The health department has ordered the township to address the violations by May 25 or face fines up to $2,500.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all.

“For some people, mold can cause a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing or wheezing, burning eyes, or skin rash,” according to the CDC website. “People with asthma or who are allergic to mold may have severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung disease may get infections in their lungs from mold.”

The CDC says that for people who are sensitive to mold, mold exposure can lead to symptoms such as a stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes or skin.

“Severe reactions, such as fever or shortness of breath, may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay,” the CDC says on its website.

In 2004, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people.