Created on Thursday, 24 July 2008 08:42
Contact: Collette DuValle, 317-373-2391
Health Department Offering Free Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Information to RV-Owning Race Fans
The Marion County Health Department, in cooperation with the Speedway Police Department and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will be making information on carbon monoxide poisoning available to recreational vehicle owners coming to this weekend’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard NASCAR race.
The printed information is being handed out as an educational outreach effort after a recreational vehicle parked near the race track in May filled with carbon monoxide, killing one person and hospitalizing three others.
The health department researched and created the informational posters and fliers and provided the document to racetrack officials for posting in areas they operate that host recreational vehicles. The health department will make the posters and fliers available to privately operated locations around the track that also allow recreational vehicle parking.
“Carbon monoxide gas is invisible, odorless and deadly. It is produced by the partial combustion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. This includes gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood and coal,” said Dr. Virginia A. Caine, director, Marion County Health Department. “It is extremely serious when combustion by-products are not vented outside,” said Dr. Caine.
Hundreds of people die each year from carbon monoxide produced by fuel burning appliances and thousands go to emergency rooms for treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The health department is providing the educational posters and fliers at no charge.
