In communicating with a client at Petersburg FCI Satellite Camp this week he mentioned that the REC had been closed for black mold and he was uncertain when it would re-open but the BOP projection was 3-6 months. This revelation, while not surprising, brought back memories of my time at Alderson Federal Prison Camp when there was an outbreak of MRSA.

For those of you not familiar with either of these conditions, they are both very harmful to your health. Toxic black mold, when inhaled, can cause a number of respiratory issues and MRSA is a particularly nasty staph infection that can be challenging to treat.

I was reminded of the perils of living in a confined environment in old, damp, poorly maintained buildings where fungi abounds. Alderson FPC looks bucolic from afar, surrounded by lush greenery with its red brick chimneyed buildings, but upon closer inspection you will see the warning notices placed over the doors warning of asbestos-laden paint and ceiling tiles.

As I was beginning to notify my White Collar Advice peers of the Petersburg REC closure, in an effort to inform any prospective clients that they may want to reconsider their Camp designation, I received a Corrlinks email from one of my clients at Greenville FCI Satellite Camp who was concerned because her “bunkie” was just diagnosed with TB and what should she do to protect herself. After feverishly researching TB and discovering that it appeared she was out of harms way (for now at least) because her TB was latent (and therefore non-contagious) I realized that what I really needed to share with my co-workers was the need to inform our clients of the necessity in creating a healthy living environment wherever they are assigned.

Hence my writing this post. No matter where you are confined; California, Illinois or West Virginia, you need to be vigilant about protecting yourself from disease. While the BOP provides you with basic cleaning, courtesy of your fellow inmates, to say it provides a petri dish for disease would be an understatement. It is imperative that anyone living in a BOP facility should take extra caution in cleaning themselves and their surroundings. Try to spend as much time outside in the fresh air, sterilize your living space with bleach from the maintenance crew, don’t share utensils, food, etc. You get the point. Should you find that you are unwell, immediately address the situation to get the needed antibiotics as delaying could lead to a much more serious outcome. Be aware of and beware felon fungi.