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Off-Duty Firefighter Saves 30 Diners After Noticing Carbon Monoxide Leak in North Carolina Restaurant

By | AGS, Fire & Environment Safety

On December 14th Lonnie Wimmer, one off-duty North Carolina firefighter, ensured dozens of people happy and healthy holidays when he noticed signs of a potentially deadly carbon monoxide leak while dining at a restaurant over the weekend. Lonnie was attending a birthday party at the River Ridge Taphouse in Clemmons on Saturday when he and other patrons began to experience headaches and nausea, LFD Assistant Chief Steve Williams tells PEOPLE. After immediately calling the LFD and alerting them to what he deciphered was a carbon monoxide leak multiple ambulances responded, and all restaurant patrons were evacuated, Williams said. Around 30 people showed signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, with at least 16 transported to local hospitals.

At AGS we want to provide a solution to help restaurant owners protect members of the public as well as their workers. When solid fuel is burned, products of combustion, including carbon monoxide gas, are released. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas with no taste, smell or color. Moderate exposure can lead to serious permanent ill-health effects or death. Children, pregnant women, smokers and people with heart or breathing problems are particularly at risk. The early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to common ailments such as flu or upset stomach, but can escalate very quickly. Symptoms can include: Headache; Abdominal pain; Nausea/vomiting; Chest pains; Breathlessness; Dizziness; Collapse.

1500AGSNEW

 

American Gas Safety have a number of products to protect staff from the exposure of carbon monoxide within the commercial kitchen environment, such as our Merlin 1500S (pictured above). We also supply and manufacture Carbon Monoxide alarms, exhaust fan activation, visual Carbon Dioxide traffic light indication and much more. AGS products also cover residential properties by using our Mini Merlin, a combined methane & carbon monoxide detector & boiler rooms with our GDP range. Please email or call our team at AGS for any further information info@americangassafety.com or call (727)-608-4375

Official article – https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/off-duty-firefighter-saves-30-205828822.html

 

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Adaptable by Design

By | AGS, Fire & Environment Safety, Kitchen Interlock

One of the best things about the Merlin 1000S system is it’s adaptable use. Once it is understood that it is basically a gas isolation panel with a built in pressure test facility the applications for it’s use multiply.

firepit3

The latest application we have come across is the new trend for restaurant fire pits. Using the Merlin 1000S you can give the restaurant a lockable control panel for the fire pit. Allowing only authorized staff to operate the gas supply. The panel will check that the control tap is in the closed position before allowing the gas to be supplied. The Merlin 1000S also continually tests the incoming supply pressure to make sure the flame can not be blown out be gusts of wind. The ability to knock of the gas via a EM stop button is linked in and any number of remote buttons can be added. Read More

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Communication is Key!

By | Laboratory Control

All American Gas Safety panels have built in connectivity. Let’s take a look at how this helps the mechanical engineer when specifying a classroom utility control.

The Merlin 1000SW+ which controls Gas, Water and Electricity whilst also testing the gas pressure before and during operation has built in connectivity allowing the panel to communicate with the schools BMS and has connections for the buildings existing fire alarm system. The panel can either tell the BMS that the gas is “ON” or “OFF” or with the flick of a switch on the internal control panel it can tell the BMS that the panel has gone into “Alarm” or “shutdown” mode due to low pressure, high concentrations of CO2, gas leak detected or that an EM stop has been actuated. Read More

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Are Your Loved Ones Safe?

By | Fire & Environment Safety

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. Although it is a by product of normal animal metabolism it is dangerous at high concentration levels. Carbon Monoxide is also generated by fossil fuel burning appliances like stoves, heaters and generators and its these appliances which we need to be careful of.

Even though there are rigorous code and regulations governing these appliances and their flue’s, it only takes a little human error or short sightedness or maybe a change in the weather to transform these appliances into deadly machines.

Carehome

Recently, residents at a Grand Island, NY nursing home were evacuated from parts of their building after high levels of carbon monoxide were detected in the basement. According to Buffalo News, firefighters detected dangerous carbon monoxide levels of 350 to 400 parts per million in the basement near a boiler which provides hot water and heat to the two story building.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that carbon monoxide is the leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths in the U.S every year. The gas is responsible for about 15,000 emergency room visits and 500 deaths.

The boiler at the Grand Island care facility was found to have a blocked exhaust flue. Blocked by snow. An unforeseen result of the days heavy snow fall.

Luckily, no one was injured or needed further aid at the nursing home and the high levels of carbon monoxide were confined to the basement. The snow blocking the exhaust of the poisonous gas was removed and fans were employed to help dissipate the room.

Early warning is vital when dealing with carbon monoxide and the immediate shut-off of the supply of the poisonous gas is advantageous. American Gas Safety’s GSP range of gas safety panels, when combined with the digital CO detectors will immediately sound an alarm, shut-off the incoming gas supply to appliances via a solenoid valve and even alert the buildings BMS or existing fire alarm system.

Most Carbon Monoxide poisonings happen in winter, as people are more likely to stay in confined spaces for longer periods of time and close ventilation with the intention of stopping drafts. Most states have laws and legislation to help with detection and prevention of CO poisoning but its always worth checking with your care facilities to see if their standard of detection and alarm is up to date and sufficient to protect your loved ones whilst they sleep. It only takes a question on your next visit and it could save the lives of your loved ones and others who resided at the facilities.

For more information on the life saving abilities of the Merlin GSP range of safety panels and the other products available from American Gas Safety please check out the website or give the office a call on (727) 608-4375

 

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Teacher! Leave Those Kids Alone…..

By | Fire & Environment Safety, Industry News

Remember those hot and humid days at school, where your eyelids felt heavy and you couldn’t concentrate. I used to blame it on the boring old teacher, or the fact it was such a lovely day outside. Well now we know different.  Hundreds of studies have investigated the effects of bad ventilation in classrooms and the effect on student school work performance.

sleeping kids
See link for more info. Lawrence Berkeley Lab

Most studies tend to concentrate on the CFM (cubic feet per minute) of the ventilation, or ACH (air changes per hour). But what are they changing out? What is being ventilated away from the students? Read More