The seventh annual Gas Safety Week kicked off on Monday (18-24 September) with a social media Thunderclap that reached over 1.7 million people. Gas Safe Register says there has been a record level of support for the week, including over 7600 installers and stakeholders taking part.

The focus this year has been on ‘family matters’, and Dr Ranj Singh, presenter of children’s TV show Get Well Soon, was invited to drive the message home about carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and how people can help protect their family by knowing the signs of CO.

Dr Singh says: “You can’t see, taste or smell CO, so it’s really important that people become more aware of its poisoning symptoms. As Gas Safe Register’s research has found, many confuse CO poisoning for other illnesses such as flu, but CO poisoning can be fatal so it’s important that we raise awareness this Gas Safety Week so that families can take the right precautions and stay safe.”

Gas Safety Week is also encouraging consumers to take proactive prevention measures by getting their gas appliances checked every year by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.

Jingle winner revealed
Gas Safety Week has also seen the unveiling of the winner of a jingle contest created by Installers First and sponsored by Sentinel Performance Solutions, where Gas Safe registered engineers were asked to come up with a memorable ditty that encourages people to think about gas safety. James Elmy, a.k.a @the24hrplumber from Beckenham in Kent, submitted his jingle played on a ukulele which the judges found to sum up the message perfectly. The lyrics include a three-verse rhyme that reminds people to ‘Make sure that you check the card/ I’m sure that it’s not very hard to do’.

James says: “I am over the moon to have won and hope my jingle will help people all over the UK to remember to put gas safety first by getting a regular boiler check, and to only employ reputable tradespeople who are Gas Safe registered.”

He also wins a new Baxi EcoBlue+ Combi boiler and Sentinel gift box, plus he may have his jingle produced for use by Installers First to continue to promote the messages throughout Gas Safety Week (18-24 September 2017) and beyond.

Callum Mckinley, a heating engineer from Bathgate in Scotland, came a close second with his ‘Regard the Card’ song, followed by Hayley Smart, from St Albans who stressed the need to keep the cowboys at bay.

The top three winners can be seen by visiting YouTube:

James Elmy – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Ph75_qjnI

Callum Mckinley – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tZqQdyS0g0&feature=youtu.be

Hayley Smart – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4mP6GLC6qk

For more information about Installer’s First please visit www.installersfirst.co.uk, or on Facebook facebook.com/InstallersFirst and Twitter @InstallersFirst