- Students have a chance to win a year's rent through the National Grid's Student Union on Facebook.
- The National Grid Student Union on Facebook will host the first ever live Magic Show on 28 October at 7pm.
Leading professional illusionist, 25 year old Damien O'Brien, has teamed up with gas and electricity company National Grid to help teach students the tricks to living safely, ensuring students are aware of gas safety and the risks of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning as they move into their new homes at the beginning of a new university year.
Damien, an up and coming illusionist who recently featured on Penn and Teller Fool Us, knows all too well about the dangers of CO poisoning, having seen one of his close friends almost succumb to it.
The survival tricks come on the back of research revealing students' priorities in choosing their new homes. The study by National Grid found that over a fifth (21%) cited "good access to the pub and nightlife" and over a third (36%) having "a good bedroom" as key reasons for choosing a property.
Perhaps equally unsurprisingly, only 7% rated having a smoke detector as one of their three most important considerations, just 5% looked for a safe, regularly serviced boiler and fewer than 2% said a CO alarm was of prime importance.
54% of students currently in rented accommodation say their boiler does not have the gas safety certificate their landlord should by law provide. A worrying fact when unserviced boilers, significantly increases the danger of CO poisoning and three quarters of students do not have an audible CO alarm.
Almost half (46%) don't recognize light headedness, headaches, nausea, dizziness and shortage of breath as symptoms of CO poisoning, while over 70% don't know the indicators of a potentially faulty gas appliance: a weak yellowy/orange flame, black marks around the appliance and a pilot light that blows out easily.
Add the fact that 88% don't know who to call if they suspect a gas or CO leak, then the potential dangers are obvious. If you smell gas, call the free national gas emergency service on 0800 111 999.
To launch the campaign, Damien spent a day at a student house to produce a series of videos featuring magic tricks and tips on how to survive university life and make sure students know that when it comes to gas safety there are no illusions.
Follow "National Grid Student Union" on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Grid-Student-Union/171066440020 and over the coming weeks, the page will feature a series of videos starring Damien in a real student house, with magical results. Damien said: "Going back to the student house for a day was a genuinely disgusting experience. I wanted to see if I could make the mess disappear or at least give the illusion it was clean.
Students can also win prizes! Damien said: "Students who watch the videos on National Grid Student Union on Facebook can enter via the video player and I will make the rent disappear for a year for one lucky winner. This winner will also take part in the first ever live magic show on Facebook. This will be streamed live onto the National Grid Student Union Facebook page on 28th October at 7pm.
Simple safety tips for students can be found at www.nationalgrid.com/studentsafety, which will also broadcast on student radio and university websites up and down the country.
John Pettigrew, National Grid's chief operating officer for, Gas Distribution, added: "Through this campaign we are hoping to reach thousands of students at the start of the new term. "The information we are providing could save lives as research shows that 54% of students don't have a gas safety certificate for their boiler and 88% don't know who to call if they had a gas leak. We hope as many students as possible will visit the National Grid Student Union on Facebook to get life-saving advice, as well as some tricks from illusionist Damien O'Brien.
Further information about Magician and Illusionist Damien O'Brien can be found athttp://www.damienobrien.com/
Advice for students
What to do if you smell gas
Five simple tips if they smell gas:
- DO NOT smoke or light matches
- DO NOT turn electrical switches on or off
- DO open doors and windows
- DO turn off the meter at the control valve (UNLESS the smell of gas and the meter are in the cellar, as often this will need a light to be turned on)
- DO call the free 24 hour National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999* whether the smell is inside or outside the property.
*Calls are recorded and may be monitored.
Carbon monoxide can be produced if:
- appliances are poorly installed
- appliances are not working properly
- appliances are not checked or maintained regularly
- there is not enough ventilation in a room
- a chimney or flue gets blocked
- appliances are installed or maintained by unqualified people
What are the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?
- The early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include tiredness, drowsiness, headaches, and chest and stomach pains.
- Carbon monoxide can kill within a matter of hours and people are most vulnerable to poisoning when they are asleep.
- There are some outward indications of the presence of carbon monoxide - a fire or appliance may have yellow or orange flames, the pilot light may blow out frequently and there may be soot and stains around the appliance.
- Gas appliances should be checked on an annual basis by a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Students should ask their landlord for an annual gas safety certificate to prove the appliances have been checked and are in good working order.
Research - key findings
The research for National Gridwas carried out online by Opinion Matters between 26/08/2011 and 02/09/2011amongst a panel resulting in 1008 Current UK University Students living in rented accommodation.All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998).
- Student safety campaign 2011/12 key findings(Excel)
National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the centre of the energy system and we 'join everything up'.
- N ational Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the centre of the energy system and we 'join everything up'.
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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 operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
- Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 11 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).
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.