On October 4, 2007, an instructor at the ThinkLink preschool noticed that a manometer for a blood pressure cuff had been broken during class. The class was immediately evacuated, and the local fire department notified. The fire department removed the bulk elemental mercury using plastic syringes and opened the windows of the structure to allow ventilation.
Reportedly, the school manager contacted a local cleanup company to finish the mercury clean-up. At completion the clean-up company recommended that the manager contact the State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The manager contacted DEQ on October 9, 2007 and DEQ personnel suggested that the manager contact the Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS).
The DEQ deployed a clean-up contractor to assist in the clean-up and requested EPA technical assistance to conduct air monitoring and sampling.
