Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day bill signed into law

The bill was created in response to the deaths of the BWC 5 in 2011.

By ClarksvilleNow.com June 17, 2015 10:22 am

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – On Wednesday, June 10, Governor Bill Haslam signed a bill designating September 18 each year as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day in the state of Tennessee.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville) and Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) in response to the tragic loss of five lives in the Bikers Who Care accident on September 18, 2011.

Skylar Hughes, a former student of Katy Over, one of the five who perished that day, was the catalyst behind the bill becoming law. Skylar initiated the Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day movement in 2012 by enlisting the City of Clarksville, Montgomery County and now the state of Tennessee to raise awareness of the devastating effects of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Skylar deserves the credit for this bill becoming law,” Rep. Pitts said. “She began the movement as a way to honor the memory of her teacher, Katy Over, who had a profound impact on her life, as most teachers do.”

Carbon monoxide poisoning causes hundreds of sickness and deaths in our state and nation each year. The push for this day of awareness will be important to educate the public on having carbon monoxide detectors installed in their homes and places of business.

Christine and Eddie Watson, the parents of Katy Watson Over, along with all the family members of the BWC 5, continue to press for federal legislation to make installation of CO detectors mandatory in new construction. It is also through their diligence that the State of Tennessee’s Office of the Fire Marshall will feature the month of September to highlight the need to prevent needless accidental illness and death.

“If only one life is saved through the BWC5 act passed in 2012, which requires everyone that rents or leases a camper must be shown that the carbon monoxide detector is in working order or they must sign a form acknowledging it is not working and the Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day passed this year, it will be worth the numerous days they took to pass,” Eddie and Chris Watson said. “We know that Katy, Jon, Jim, Tim and Allison (BWC 5) would be very pleased. Happy tears from heaven.”

Chris Watson vows to continue their fight to protect the innocent. “We would like to see carbon monoxide detectors required in every school, hotel, home and business where people gather, live or sleep,” she said. “Education and awareness is the key.”