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MP Discovers how Five Seconds can Save a Life - 14th December 2007 
Picture shows: John Stones and Frank Field A company backed by Liverpool Seed Fund has had a visit from Frank Field, MP for Birkenhead. He visited Carbon Monoxide detection specialist Detectagas at The Workshops, Marcos Street, Birkenhead on Friday December 14. The new business start-up is pioneering a technology that can test the sensors used in CO detectors that are depended on by families to warn of the presence in the home of harmful quantities of this gas. Around 50 people per year are killed by lethal concentrations of CO. Many hundreds more suffer debilitating effects, ranging from short term headaches and flu-like symptoms through to permanent brain damage. Problems arise from incomplete combustion of carbon based fuels in gas, oil, coal, coke and other appliances. Incidents are common in winter when people use appliances that may not have been properly serviced and close ventilators and fill gaps to prevent cold drafts. Inventor John Stones, managing director at Detectagas explained, “If you have a smoke alarm, and happen to burn the toast, the alarm will sound, it’s a nuisance, but at least you know the unit works. There is no similar way to verify the performance of a home CO detector, the test button checks just the circuits, not the sensor – and these are far less reliable than the ones in smoke detectors.” John’s invention uses a simple shroud, a specially formulated aerosol and transfer tube. Once the shroud is installed over the unit a five second pulse of gas is introduced by the tube from the aerosol. The CO sensors operate on cycles of 6 minutes so if no alarm is triggered, then the sensor has failed and the homeowner needs a new alarm. “The frightening issue is that sensors in CO alarm only last for up to five years, so many householders may have no remaining protection,” said John. Detectagas was established in Birkenhead with the backing of the Merseyside Special Investment Fund and Liverpool Ventures. Peter Leather a consultant with Liverpool Ventures who works closely with Detectagas said: “In three months, wide interest has been registered in the product from UK retailers and organisations. The company has also had keen interest from the USA where there are up to 80 million CO detectors in use.” Ends For further information contact Gillian Hunt at Liverpool Ventures 0151 482 5533 *Alliance Fund Managers (AFM) is regulated by the FSA in the course of investment business Back to Previous
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Liverpool Ventures
5th Floor, Cunard Building, Pier Head Liverpool L3 1DS Tel: 0151 236 0500 | 0151 236 4040 Fax: 0151 236 3060 email: info@liverpoolventures.com |
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