GREENVILLE — Greenville Township Rescue has initiated a new program to help protect the citizen from Carbon Monoxide Gas. Greenville Township Rescue personnel have begun carrying Scott Protégé Carbon Monoxide Detectors.

Carbon Monoxide is a lethal, colorless, odorless gas when left undetected accounts for nearly 430 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. With these personal warning devices clipped to the belts of EMS duty crews, they will be able to detect anytime there is carbon monoxide present. This not only provides an early warning for the residents, it protects EMS personnel as well.

The concept is simple. Greenville Township Rescue crews visit more than 3,000 homes or businesses each year and with the these monitors on the crews belts this means more than 3,000 homes or businesses are automatically being screened for deadly carbon monoxide gas, simply by EMS crews being in that home or building. If the alarms are activated Greenville Township Rescue crews will notify the residents or the owner of the business that the gas is present, assist in evacuating the building and initiate corrective actions.

Since carbon monoxide poisoning can occur anytime the Scott Carbon Monoxide Detectors are worn by Greenville Township Rescue personnel every day of the year. It is Greenville Township Rescue’s hope that these devices never go off but if one poisoning is prevented it makes this program worthwhile.