During the winter months, make sure your family is safe from Carbon Monoxide (CO), a colorless and odorless gas that kills over 400 people a year. CO is produced by fuel like coal, natural gas, oil, charcoal, kerosene and propane. Equipment and appliances — like room heaters, water heaters, portable generators, lawn mowers, power washers, and cars — can produce CO. Most CO deaths unrelated to fires occur during November, December, January and February when people use furnaces and turn to gas generators for back-up power. [1][2]
The symptoms for CO exposure may feel like the flu, and include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Shortness of breath [2][3]
Symptoms of poisoning by high levels of CO may occur without experiencing the above symptoms, and include:
- Mental confusion
- Loss of muscle coordination
- Vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
- Death [3]
Here are some tips to stay safe:
- Install battery-powered or plug-in CO alarms with a battery back-up on every floor, in the hallway near bedrooms, and in each sleeping area
- Before turning on the furnace or using the chimney, have them checked by a professional to ensure they are working properly
- Make sure all appliances are installed correctly and working properly
- Do not use gas appliances like a stove, oven, or dryer to heat your house
- Do not run a generator in the house or in the garage or in a crawl space
- Keep generators outside and away from open windows or doors and don’t run them on a porch or close to the house
- Never leave a car on in the garage, even if the garage door is open
- Never burn charcoal inside a tent, house, or car [1],[2]
Sources:
[1] “Protect Your Family from Deadly Carbon Monoxide This Winter,” CPSC Blogger, October 30, 2014 (viewed 11/10/14)
[2] “Carbon Monoxide Questions and Answers,” U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (viewed 11/10/14)
[3] “The ‘Invisible’ Killer,” U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (viewed 11/10/14)
–Janell Mayo Duncan
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