May 24, 2012
UPDATE 2/9/12 @ 11:15 a.m.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- It's been a little more than a week since a man died after a carbon monoxide leak at a South Charleston hotel.
The newly formed Kanawha County Carbon Monoxide Task force held a news conference Thursday morning to release the results of its preventative study.
The leaders all agree raising public awareness is the key to saving lives.
Members tell WSAZ.com several businesses, including local grocery stores are handing out fliers to educate the public about the dangers of carbon monoxide and the need for detectors.
"They went to the local stores here in town and they've said we will put one with every customer," Kanawha County Fire Coordinator C.W. Sigman said. "When they are bagging their groceries they'll get one brochure in every bag. Will everybody react to it? No. But if one out of that mean reacts it's time well spent."
The Meals on Wheels program is also joining the initiative by educating the seniors who depend on its agency.
The Kanawha County Commission and Grant Committee are also discussing using money designated each year to pass out smoke alarms, now be use for combination carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.
Since the leak, a bill has also been drafted in the state House of Delegates that would require hotels and motels to have carbon monoxide detectors.
Lawmakers have not passed the bill yet.
The group was formed after William Moran died on Tuesday and 16 others were sickened when a pipe from a pool heater leaked carbon monoxide into the Holiday Inn Express along Corridor G in Charleston.
The task force is made up of first responders, emergency personnel, health department and school officials. The group's first meeting was held Friday.
During the meeting, the group discussed what can be done to avoid another carbon dioxide tragedy, including how to educate the public and get schools, hospitals and others to participate.
The group will also study where carbon monoxide detectors need to be placed so they will be effective. Then they will submit their findings to the state legislature to see if lawmakers need to act on the issue.
Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Director Rahul Gupta says despite this week's deadly accident, they need to take their time looking into the problem.
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