BALTIMORE — Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) announces the launch of the “Who is Captain Mercaptan?” BGE Natural Gas Safety Hero Challenge to help create awareness of natural gas safety. Beginning on Monday, February 17, 2014, public and private elementary schools across BGE’s service area have been invited to submit drawings, created by their students in kindergarten through fifth grade, of their depictions of BGE’s new natural gas safety hero, Captain Mercaptan, for the chance to win up to $10,000 to fund a school enrichment program. The downloadable entry kit is available online now at BGEGasHero.com. The new hero derives his name from mercaptan, the odorant added by utilities to normally odorless natural gas to make it safer and detectable by scent.
“BGE has a long-standing commitment to ensuring public safety and supporting educational initiatives in our communities,” said Calvin G. Butler Jr., senior vice president of regulatory and external affairs, BGE. “BGE’s commitment to maintaining a safe and reliable natural gas system begins with educating our customers and their families about living with and near this important energy source. Just like BGE’s Wires Down Video Challenge, which aims to educate children about the importance of electric safety, the ‘Who is Captain Mercaptan?’ BGE Natural Gas Safety Hero Challenge encourages children to use their creativity, while learning about the importance of gas safety. We are excited to see the depictions and identities created for Captain Mercaptan.”
Eligible schools will have an opportunity to win the following awards:
·BGE Captain’s Award – $10,000
·BGE Hero Award – $5,000 for winners in grades K-5
·BGE Spotlight Award (for the drawing with the most online votes) – BGE backpacks full of school supplies and safety gear
Submissions will be accepted from February 17 through April 14, 2014. On April 21, entries will compete against each other during a two-week online public voting period. The winning schools will be announced in early June 2014. For more information, including official rules, downloadable entry kit and helpful tips, visit BGEGasHero.com.
In addition to the Captain Mercaptan Challenge, BGE provides schools and students with energy safety and other educational materials on safety, including classroom lessons, teacher guides, experiments and games— all of which are available on our e-Smart Kids website.
For more information on natural gas safety or the Captain Mercaptan BGE Natural Gas Safety Hero Challenge, visit bge.com.