- Team to spread the message about carbon monoxide safety
- Mascots Alec the metallic main and Polly the plastic pipe raise awareness
National Grid Hinckley staff will be joining the carnival this weekend to spread the message about carbon monoxide safety.
With the help of mascots ‘Alec’ the metallic main and ‘Polly’ the polyethylene (plastic) pipe and their trusty National Grid van, the seven-strong team will be advising fun-seekers at Sunday’s (30 August) Hinckley Carnival how to keep safe this winter.
They will be handing out information, advice and goodies on how to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained gas appliances can leak deadly carbon monoxide gas.
Known as the ‘silent killer’, some 40 people a year die of carbon monoxide poison poisoning and it can cause serious long term health problems. However, National Grid has three simple life-saving tips to keep people safe:
- Ensure gas appliances are installed, maintained and fixed by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Get your gas appliances checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer
- As a backup, buy and install an audible carbon monoxide detector. They can be bought for as little as £15 and could save your life
Leanne Thomasson, of National Grid’s Data Assurance team, is organising the National Grid team. She said: “As we head into autumn we tend to start using central heating again and our gas appliances more.
“But people may be unaware of problems with appliances that haven’t been used for a while until they hit the ‘on’ button so we’ll be giving advice on how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and the danger signs and symptoms to look out for.
“National Grid in Hinckley runs the National Gas Emergency Service. We take 1.5 million gas emergency calls a year, including calls about carbon monoxide. If you think you have a carbon monoxide leak in your home or business call 0800 111 999 immediately.”
Notes to editors - archive
National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world and was named Responsible Business of the Year 2014 by Business in the Community. This accolade acknowledges all of our efforts in getting involve with the things that really matter to us and to society. We own and manage the grids that connect people to the energy they need, from whatever the source. In Britain and the north-eastern states of the US we run systems that deliver gas and electricity to millions of people, businesses and communities.
In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country. In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.
National Grid in the UK:
- We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain
- We own and operate the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
- Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 10.9 million homes and businesses
- We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering
- National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).
- Our portfolio of other businesses is mainly concerned with infrastructure provision and related services where we can exploit our core skills and assets to create value. These businesses operate in areas such as Metering, Grain LNG Import, Interconnectors and Property. National Grid Carbon Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid. It undertakes Carbon Capture Storage related activities on behalf of National Grid.
Find out more about the energy challenge and how National Grid is helping find solutions to some of the challenges we face at www.nationalgridconnecting.com
National Grid undertakes no obligation to update any of the information contained in this release, which speaks only as at the date of this release, unless required by law or regulation.