Contributed commentary from Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts:

It is truly hard to fathom that 15 years have passed since a horrible tragedy in our own city brought a call to change in Tennessee, and the nation.

As your Clarksville mayor, I ask you to prayerfully remember – on the anniversary date of Friday, Sept. 18 – the tragic carbon monoxide poisoning that claimed five precious lives. On Sept. 18, 2011, at Clarksville Speedway, these five people were attending the annual Leslie W. Watson Memorial Toy Run led by the wonderful community-minded organization Bikers Who Care (BWC).

Toxic fumes from a generator leaked into their rented RV for the event. The CO detector in that RV had no batteries, it was later discovered. The five individuals were overcome by CO poisoning, and sadly, their lives were lost. We forever cherish and honor the memories of Jon and Kathryn Over, Jim Wall, Tim Stone, and Allison Bagwell-Wyatt.

Today, particularly in Clarksville and throughout the state of Tennessee, millions of people join us in preserving their memory.

Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day in Tennessee was first designated by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2015 as a time for lovingly recalling these five individuals – the “BWC5” – and to foster a greater understanding of the dangers of this odorless, colorless gas produced from natural fuels burning incompletely.

During that tragic time, I was representing Clarksville’s 67th District of the Tennessee House of Representatives. There was a feeling at the time, and rightly so, that something had to be done.

Christine Watson and her late husband, Eddie Watson, parents of Kathryn Over, were the catalysts for the law change and designation of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day in the state. Christine continues on the quest to educate people about the dangers of CO.

Seeing the growing commitment, I personally felt driven to take action for our grieving community, both to honor the memory of the BWC5, and do everything possible to avoid seeing the tragedy ever repeated.

Along with establishing Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day, or BWC5 Day, in the state, Tennessee legislators passed one important companion law making a working CO detector a requirement in a rented RV. Failure to comply now brings with it a civil penalty.

Helping to raise awareness each year since 2015 are the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office. These departments are routinely sharing CO safety messages to help save lives and reduce risks of CO poisoning.

Part of that message is the realization that, in the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel, such as barbecue grills, fireplaces, and fuel-powered heaters, are potential CO sources. Camper and RV owners will frequently use generators when spending time outdoors, and they are used when storms damage or destroy electrical or other power systems in the home.

Please remember that CO is a threat, no matter how much of it someone is exposed to. Always use caution with potential CO sources, and never use a gas generator inside your home, garage, carport, basement, crawlspace, or outside near a window, door or vent.

Furthermore, it is dangerous to use a gas or kerosene heater inside a home or other building. Never use a gas range or gas oven to heat your home. Do not use a gas or charcoal grill indoors, and do not burn charcoal in your fireplace.

You should never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open.

And don’t use fuel-powered equipment in a garage or enclosed area.

Please have fuel-burning heating equipment and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before the arrival of cold weather. When using a fireplace, make sure the flue is open for adequate ventilation.

Properly-working CO detectors are important in protecting against poisoning, by providing an early warning. These detectors are widely available at home and hardware stores, and as consumers, you are asked to follow instructions for proper placement, installation, and use of them.

As we remember the BWC5 again this week, in the 15th year since this terrible event of national significance, we can honor these beloved individuals, partly by ensuring a future that’s safe from the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Your safety, every day, is our greatest concern in the City of Clarksville.

Mayor Joe Pitts