Page 24 - Gi flipbook September 2018

FIGHTING THE

SILENT

KILLER

Stephanie Trotter OBE, President and Director denominators emerged. We started
of CO-Gas Safety, tells the story of more than running these ideas past gas experts in
two decades spent on the front line of the war order to formulate practical changes.
against carbon monoxide poisoning Within weeks, raising awareness of
the hidden dangers of CO seemed the
obvious way forward.
became involved in carbon registered charity, helped by our Less than two per cent of CO in the
monoxide (CO) and gas safety voluntary directors and trustees, air can kill in as short as one minute, yet
after my son was injured at a most of them victims of CO our human senses are powerless to
children’s activity holiday centre themselves, ever since. detect it. In 1995, prime time TV
and f
I our other teenagers warnings were a logical step, whereas
drowned at such a facility in Lyme Bay. PREVENTION IS these days the focus is more on social
I led a successful campaign to A TOP PRIORITY media (although we’d still like to do
license these centres, during which I The prevention of deaths and injuries both). Our latest contribution, One
was introduced to a mother called from unintentional carbon monoxide Survivor’s Story, cost just £400 to make
Molly Maher, who was campaigning and other gas dangers was, and still is, and can be viewed at our website.
for safer holidays. She had lost her our top priority. As a barrister, In 2000, the Health and Safety
son Gary to CO while on a family practicable legislative changes seem Commission (HSC) (now the Health
break in Tenerife in 1985, an incident an obvious step to me. and Safety Executive), recommended a
which also left her daughter Sheree Few industry members would talk levy on gas suppliers to pay for public
disabled and a wheelchair user. Molly to us in 1995, but victims and their awareness and research. In the 1990s,
helped with our licensing campaign families were keen to tell us their we suggested £1 per household, per
and subsequently CO-Gas Safety, the stories and to suggest how deaths and year. We would have preferred a levy
Carbon Monoxide & Gas Safety injuries could be prevented in future. on the whole fuel industry, but
Society, was launched in 1995. Their goodwill and usually excellent admittedly gas suppliers were easier
I have run this independently- ideas amazed us. Common to reach through Ofgem. Sadly, this

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