Middle schoolers wanted for poster contest!!

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Aug 25, 2014, 02:52 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Calling all middle schoolers! CPSC is hosting a poster contest on carbon monoxide safety.

Have you ever heard of carbon monoxide? CO is a poisonous gas. It's also called the invisible killer, because you can't see or smell it, and it takes the lives of many people each year.

You can get CO poisoning from:

A car left running in the garage
The gas furnace in your home not functioning properly
A portable generator running in an enclosed space, basement or living area
A charcoal grill used inside your home
What can you do to prevent CO poisoning?
Make sure your parents have a professional inspection of your furnace, fireplace and other fuel-burning appliances every year.
Have CO alarms in your house.
Never use generators or charcoal grills inside your home.
Draw a poster about the dangers of carbon monoxide and what you can do to prevent CO poisoning and enter it into CPSC's contest at www.cpsc.gov/COContest!!

You can WIN prize money. CPSC will award $500 to the top 10 finalists (three from each grade and one winner of the public vote) and another $1,000 will go to one lucky grand prize winner. Students in 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grades can enter.

Want to know more? Check out our contest at www.cpsc.gov/CO. Watch our video for more info too. Vote for your favorite poster. Draw a poster, save a life, win a cash prize! The contest runs through February 2015.

CPSC Consumer Information Hotline
Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions:
800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)
Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.

Media Contact
Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908 Spanish: (301) 504-7800

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SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission