NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office marks the state’s first recognized Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day (September 18, 2015) by reminding Tennesseans to protect themselves and their families from what is often called the “silent killer.”
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless gas created when fuels (such as kerosene, gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. Carbon monoxide can result from camping equipment, such as barbecue grills, portable generators or other fuel-powered devices.
CO poisoning can have tragic consequences. On Sept. 18, 2011, five friends — Jon and Kathryn Watson Over, Jim Wall, Tim Stone and Allison Bagwell-Wyatt— lost their lives in Clarksville, Tenn. when carbon monoxide fumes from a generator seeped into their rented RV. The RV’s carbon monoxide detector, which could have prevented the deaths, was later discovered to have no batteries.
“As we commemorate the first Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day, the State Fire Marshal’s Office urges Tennesseans to learn the signs and symptoms of CO poisoning and how tragedy can be prevented,” said Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance and State Marshal Julie Mix McPeak. “We offer our condolences to the families of CO poisoning victims everywhere.”
Since the 2011 tragedy, progress has been made to protect consumers and raise awareness of CO poisoning. Tennessee law now requires that rented RVs must have functioning carbon monoxide detectors before being leased for use. The law also holds RV rental companies responsible if they fail to document and test the CO detectors in their leased vehicles.
(This law only applies to RV rentals.) It is still imperative that RV owners stay diligent in testing and changing the batteries of carbon monoxide detectors in their own campers.
Earlier this year, legislation was signed by Governor Bill Haslam declaring Sept. 18 as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day in Tennessee. The legislation was sponsored in the House by Tennessee State Representative Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville) and in the Senate by Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville).
This week, Skylar Hughes, 18, presented Austin Peay State University President Alisa White with a $25,000 check for the creation of the Kathryn Watson Over Endowment at APSU. The new scholarship, which was awarded at a ceremony at Kenwood High School in Clarksville, will be awarded each year to a Kenwood High School graduate who plans to major in education at APSU.
“The creation of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day was the brainchild of Skylar Hughes, a former student of Kathryn Over, who was one of the five people who tragically lost their lives on September 18,” said Representative Pitts. “Great thanks to the Department of Commerce and Insurance for their help in promoting Carbon Monoxide poisoning detection and saving lives in our state.”
To help families become aware of CO poisoning, the SFMO offers these SAFETY TIPS.