Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Now that the weather is taking a turn for the worse, more people will be reaching for the thermostat or stoking up their wood burners for extra warmth. But Carmarthenshire County Council is urging people to ensure their gas and solid fuel heaters are safe and serviced. Teams from Public Protection, Property Services and Housing are all playing their part in encouraging tenants, landlords and homeowners to check that their boilers, gas and solid fuel fires are properly maintained. Failure to do so could be deadly - on average, 50 people a year across the UK are killed by carbon monoxide (CO2) poisoning due to faulty heating appliances. Carbon monoxide is known as a ‘silent killer’ as it is odourless, colourless and tasteless, making it difficult to detect. It can be given off by appliances that burn fossil fuels such as gas, coal, wood or oil if the appliances are not working properly, the flue is blocked, or the room is not properly ventilated. But simple annual maintenance and regul...

BBC News - Three treated for carbon monoxide poisoning in Llanelli Three people have been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning at a property in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. One man was found unconscious outside the flat at Station Road just after 04:00 GMT on Sunday.

More than 10 people have been saved from the deadly poisons of carbon monoxide thanks to Telecare – a system which helps vulnerable people live independently at home. Since April 2010, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Careline+ staff have dealt with 16 incidents where carbon monoxide detectors, installed as part of a Telecare package, have triggered an alarm and set an emergency response in action. Whilst five of them turned out to be false alarms, the other 11 have been actual incidents where, if it were not for the alarm being triggered, may have led to deadly consequences for the residents. Telecare manager Jeanette Munn said: “The most recent incident was only last week, where a carbon monoxide alarm was triggered and our Careline+ staff alerted the fire service. Fortunately, we were able to provide a quick response, as the chimney had become blocked and carbon monoxide gases were building up inside the property. “We are very fortunate to have a good partnership with the fire servi...