Doing the right thing the wrong way for the worst of reasons.

Many here on Patch know me for my photography of local events and theater performances- a labor of love of the art form, and the ability to give folks a bit of recognition for some of the local work they do.  Virtually all of my photography is on a volunteer basis, with the occasional paying gig helping to offset the cost of the equipment.

However, most don't know that before I became unable to work due to my health, I was a sought-after commodity in terms of engineering.  I've consulted to Harvard University's Office of Information Technology, Digital Equipment Corp, Fidelity Investments to name a few.  In a nutshell, I was one of those nerdy teens in the 80's, building their own computers.  I've worked at every level of systems design and implementation from soldering chips on boards to engineering data feeds.  In short, I'm good at being a nerd.  I just became too ill to be able to work for anyone.  The thing is, being a tinkerer and engineer is something that is in the blood, in my opinion, at least it has always been in mine.

Just over a year ago, the prices on key components for making a device I have dreamed of making for thirty years began to fall.  What was previously cost prohibitive has now become realistic.  For thirty years, I have dealt with the consequences of a gas explosion in my home.  I was fifteen.  On the morning of September 11, 1982 everything I knew ended-  I lost both of my parents and everything I owned that morning, and gained nightmares that haunt me to this day.

I am now developing a safety valve system which is designed to prevent these tragedies, which still occur on a terrifyingly frequent basis.  For me, this isn't about making money- this is about making a difference.  This is about giving some meaning to the deaths of my parents on that morning three decades ago.

At the moment, I am in the process of building the second generation of the prototype at bench scale- a prototype which functions as designed.  The design, to me, is common sense- monitor conditions inside of the home and the pressure of the incoming gas, looking for unsafe conditions- and if those conditions are found, simply shut off the gas at the meter, averting disaster.

As I work on this, two things are necessary.  One is of course funding, but I've begun a crowdsourcing campaign via Indiegogo.com and am optimistic about more donations being made.  Even without donations, this is a "mission" for me, I will end up finding the money somehow.  What is far more important is engaging the public and getting the ear of industry and safety professionals alike.  My goal is to make this safety valve a standard in residential gas and LP installations.  To make that dream a reality is going to require the cooperation of professionals from manufacturers, to firefighter associations, and the gas industry itself.  Media attention, being able to tell this story- is key.

Start asking why this isn't already in your home, protecting everything you love and hold dear.  I've lived the consequences of those rare but catastrophic tragedies, and now I'm hoping I can prevent others from knowing what it is.  That to me is so much larger than money.  It's about making some meaning from a horrific tragedy that nobody should have to experience.  It's about making those tragedies a thing of the past.

Marlborough Patch Editor Sam Bonacci interviewed me about the project several weeks ago and did a tremendous writeup, http://marlborough.patch.com/articles/inventor-creates-safety-device-in-....  I'll be blogging about my progress on the project here and also on the Indiegogo site during the fundraising campaign, and the best support you can give is to share this story and my project with people you know.  Since Sam's tremendous article, the internal programming has been updated and the entire project has been hardwired.  Slow but steady progress is the name of the game.

I'm not sure if the addage about making lemonade from life's lemons applies.

I do know this is the best possible way I can honor the memories of my parents.. making a difference for others.  

Indiegogo project link: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-bishop-valve-intelligent-residential-gas-safety-valve

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