Fire service vehicles re-wrapped to raise awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning

Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service (DFRS) and Cadent are delighted to unveil the renewed design and wrap of two community support vehicles to raise awareness of the deadly dangers associated with carbon monoxide (CO).

The freshly wrapped vans, which are used by Community Safety Officers based at Nottingham Road and Chesterfield, feature a bold orange design with Cadent messaging on one side to highlight the dangers of carbon monoxide, and on the other, the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning that people should look out for.

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas that can have a serious impact on health if undetected. Symptoms can mimic many common illnesses and include headaches, nausea, breathlessness, dizziness and loss of consciousness, and it often also affects pets.

Known as the silent killer, the best way to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning is to keep fuel-burning appliances well maintained, and to ensure annual services are completed by a registered professional.

DFRS Prevention Group Manager, David Diggins, said: “To help raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide we have once again joined with our partners from Cadent to wrap some of our community safety vehicles with awareness messages.

“These vehicles are out and about in our most vulnerable communities making them the ideal platform to share such an important safety message.

“We hope people around Derbyshire see the vans and take a moment to think about their gas appliances as well as those belonging to family and friends, particularly if they are older or more vulnerable.

“I would encourage everyone to get a CO alarm installed if they haven’t already and to use our online DIY Home Fire Safety Check so measures can be put in place to prevent instances of carbon monoxide poisoning from occurring.”

The wrapped vans are the latest project in DFRS’ long standing partnership with Cadent to promote carbon monoxide safety messages, provide carbon monoxide detectors to Derbyshire’s most vulnerable residents and support people to sign up to the priority services register.

Suzanne Callington, Customer Safeguarding Specialist, at Cadent said: “I’m really happy to be continuing to evolve our partnership with Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service and it’s exciting to know the vehicles will be seen by many as they drive around the roads of Derbyshire within the communities we both serve.

“The graphics on the vehicles are bright and bold and are a great way to share messaging on carbon monoxide safety, over and above what is already covered as part of the home fire safety visits.”

CO alarms should be installed in each room where there is a fuel-burning  appliance to give an early warning of any potential problems. In addition to a CO alarm, there are a few signs that people can look out for to indicate their gas appliance isn’t working correctly:

• Yellow or orange rather than blue flames (except fuel effect fires or flueless appliances which display this colour flame)
• Soot or yellow/brown staining around, or on appliances
• Pilot lights that frequently blow out
• Increased condensation inside windows

For more information about gas safety and Carbon Monoxide poisoning, visit www.cadentgas.com/CO.

For general fire safety advice or to carry out a DIY Home Fire Safety Check, visit www.derbys-fire.gov.uk.