Wakefield’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is marking National Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness Week by giving away up to 2,000 free alarms to its customers from now until February next year.

The life-saving giveaway has been launched to help protect people from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, which kills around 60 people and hospitalises 4,000 every year in the UK.

Recent research conducted by NGN revealed that that only 37 per cent of people in the NGN regions have a working CO alarm in their property, and only 24 per cent regularly test it. Nineteen per cent said they would do nothing if they heard their CO alarm beeping, while nine per cent admit they’ve never had their boiler serviced.

Speaking about the research, Eileen Brown, Director of Customer Experience at Northern Gas Networks, said: “It’s worrying to see how many people still don’t have a CO alarm.

placeholder image — The life-saving giveaway has been launched to help protect people from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, which kills around 60 people and hospitalises 4,000 every year in the UK.

"Carbon monoxide poisoning cases rise in the winter when we’re using our cookers, fires, boilers and wood burners more, which is why we’re urging people to get in the know about CO and claim a free alarm through our week-long giveaway.

“Similar to a smoke alarm, CO alarms are activated when CO is detected in the air and will beep and flash to alert you of the danger. They’re small and easy to install, and you should have at least one on each floor. If you have a gas fire, log burner or open fire, it’s a good idea to have one in the room it’s in too.”

NGN wants to educate the region about CO by encouraging people to take two short online surveys to test their knowledge and rewarding those that take part with a free CO alarm.

To take part, visit www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/cohero.

The giveaway will begin on November 18 and end at midnight on February 28 2025 (or before, if the 2,000 alarms are claimed before that date).

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colourless and odourless gas that is produced when carbon fuels are burnt. It can leak from incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained gas appliances, as well as flues, chimneys and blocked vents. You can’t see or smell it, so you can’t detect it if it begins to build up in your home, and if you breathe it in, it can make you seriously ill.

The signs of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse or loss of consciousness.

If you think you may have carbon monoxide poisoning, immediately turn off the appliance you think may be causing it, open windows and doors, leave the building and seek urgent medical advice. You must also call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 and an engineer will come straight out to investigate and make the situation safe.

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