(SHAWNEE, KAN.) – Congressman Dennis Moore (Third District-KS) will announce the introduction of a bill to protect children from accidents involving gasoline containers at a news conference at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 5th, 2005, at the City of Shawnee Fire Department. The bipartisan Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act would require that all portable gasoline containers be made with child resistant closures.

“Gasoline can be one of the most dangerous substances found around the home,” Moore said. “Enacting this simple, non-partisan, common-sense measure would protect our children from tragic but avoidable accidents involving gasoline containers stored in our garages, basements and back porches.”

A study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found, over a ten-year period, 33 confirmed cases of injuries from a child interacting with a gas can. Nineteen of those cases resulted in the death of a child. The CPSC estimates that more than 1,200 kids were sent to emergency rooms with these types of injuries in one year alone. The CPSC further estimates there are more than 80 million gas cans in households across the nation.

Moore will be joined at the news conference by Shawnee Fire Chief Jeff Hudson and Diane Breneman, a Kansas City attorney who works with victims involving gasoline container accidents. Tracey Molthan and her four-year-old son, Spencer, who received third degree burns over 75% of his body after opening and spilling the contents of a gas can, will attend to show support for those whose lives have been devastated by the lack of child resistant closures on gas cans.

WHAT: News conference to announce the introduction of legislation to protect children from accidents involving gasoline containers.

WHERE: City of Shawnee Fire Department, 6501 Quivira Road in Shawnee

WHEN: 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 5th, 2005

WHO:
Congressman Dennis Moore
Shawnee Fire Chief Jeff Hudson
Diane Breneman, Partner - Shaffer, Lombardo, Shurin, counsel for burned children
Tracey Molthan and her four-year-old son, Spencer, who received third degree burns over 75% of his body from an accident involving a gas can.