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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: January 8, 2009
Georgia Tech parent, Scott Taylor of Taylor & Taylor Associates, recently directed a $27,000 Fireman's Fund Heritage grant to the Atlanta Fire Department with the majority of the funds allocated to purchasing carbon monoxide/smoke detectors for on- and off-campus Tech student housing. A silent killer, carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless and tasteless - making it undetectable without a monitoring device. Through a joint effort with the Atlanta Fire Department and Pi Kappa Phi at Georgia Tech, approximately 850 carbon monoxide detectors will be distributed and installed for free to Tech students.
This is the fourth Fireman's Fund Heritage grant allocation for Scott Taylor. In the past, the grants were used to provide training and essential firefighting equipment to disadvantaged neighborhoods in the New York metro area. However, this gift is very personal. In the last year, a close relative of the Taylor family lost their life to carbon monoxide poisoning. "Carbon monoxide poisoning is very real, and yet, one of the last things you think of as a potential killer. As a parent, you work your entire life to protect your children from harm's way. You just don't think this can happen to you, but it can and it is devastating," says Scott Taylor.
In an August 2008 report from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide ranks as a leading cause of unintentional poisoning incidents and deaths in the United States. Based on a five-year study from 1999-2004, exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide led to approximately 450 deaths and 15,200 emergency room visits annually. The report also identifies that most carbon monoxide-related incidents occurred in winter. In Georgia, effective January 1, 2009, at least one carbon monoxide detector will be required in all new one- and two-family homes and townhomes. Noting that most students live in older homes not covered by the new law, Taylor states, "We are excited about this effort, because the detectors will most likely be placed in older homes rented by students. Once the detectors are in place, they will benefit students for many years to come."
Parents and students interested in learning more about this program including how to obtain a free carbon monoxide detector, please contact Ross Taylor at rtaylor@gatech.edu. If you are interested in learning more about the Fireman's Fund Heritage grant, click here.
