| Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, and that, | | | | your home, say the fire chiefs and EMTs. |
| of course, is exactly why it is so deadly. | | | | Carbon monoxide can also be a problem when certain |
| I interviewed three fire chiefs and two emergency | | | | areas of a home -- or a garage or a workshop -- are |
| medical technicians in the area where I live in | | | | especially cold and people use a fuel-burning space |
| Wisconsin for a two-part series on carbon monoxide | | | | heater (kerosene is a good example) to provide |
| poisoning that I wrote for the newspaper at which I | | | | additional heat. |
| am employed. | | | | Before using a fuel-burning space heater, get it |
| Here's what they had to say. . . | | | | checked out by a certified technician to make sure |
| Furnaces | | | | that it is functioning properly. And also be sure to |
| Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels like wood, | | | | operate it in a well-ventilated area by opening |
| natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, charcoal, oil or coal do | | | | windows and doors. |
| not have enough oxygen to burn completely. | | | | A few years ago during the winter, an elderly |
| In general, the symptoms of carbon monoxide | | | | neighborÕs furnace stopped working. She could |
| poisoning can include headache, nausea, weakness, | | | | not afford to have the furnace fixed or replaced, so |
| mental confusion and shortness of breath. Carbon | | | | she purchased a kerosene heater and was using it to |
| monoxide poisoning often is described as creating | | | | heat the downstairs area of her house. |
| flu-like symptoms. | | | | One day, the driver of a fuel-delivery truck stopped |
| According to the fire chiefs and EMTs, the number | | | | by to see if her liquid propane tank needed to be |
| one cause for carbon monoxide poisoning is a | | | | filled. The driver noticed that the tank was at the |
| malfunctioning furnace, and they all mentioned one | | | | same level it been at the last time he had stopped a |
| specific case that occurred in our area last fall. | | | | month earlier, so he went to house to make sure the |
| Members of a particular family noticed that they | | | | woman was all right. |
| were suffering from headaches and nausea. When | | | | He knocked on the front door, and as soon as the |
| they left the house during the day, the headaches | | | | woman opened the door, he said he was nearly |
| and nausea went away. When they returned at | | | | overcome by the kerosene fumes that billowed from |
| night, the headaches and nausea returned. Still, the | | | | the house. He found out that the womanÕs |
| symptoms were nothing more than an annoying | | | | furnace had stopped working and alerted the proper |
| headache and a bit of nausea so they thought | | | | authorities who were able to provide emergency |
| nothing of it. Perhaps the whole family had been | | | | shelter until a human services agency could arrange |
| exposed to a virus of some kind. | | | | for funding to replace the furnace. |
| As the weather grew colder, the family began using | | | | The elderly are more susceptible to fumes and to |
| the furnace more and more. The symptoms grew | | | | carbon monoxide poisoning, said the fire chiefs and |
| worse until one evening, a family member called 911 | | | | EMTs, and in this case, the woman was lucky to |
| because they were all so ill. | | | | have survived the experience. |
| First responders on the scene recognized the | | | | If you must operate a fuel-burning space heater, be |
| symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and called | | | | sure to open some windows. |
| the fire department. When firefighters put the carbon | | | | Carbon Monoxide Detectors |
| monoxide tester by the heat register, it went off | | | | Carbon monoxide detectors can be purchased at |
| the scale. EMTs had to wait to enter the home until | | | | most hardware stores, and prices can be anywhere |
| the the windows and doors had been opened to | | | | from $20 up to around $50. |
| clear out the carbon monoxide. | | | | Many different types of detectors are available, |
| Fortunately, all of the family members survived. | | | | ranging from a straight carbon monoxide detector, to |
| The fire chiefs and EMTs recommend having your | | | | a combination detector that will alert you to the |
| furnace checked by a certified furnace technician in | | | | presence of carbon monoxide or natural gas, to units |
| late summer or early fall so that you know your | | | | that are a combination carbon monoxide and smoke |
| furnace is functioning properly when heating season | | | | detector. |
| arrives. | | | | Some detectors are battery operated, some plug |
| If your furnace has vent pipes near ground level | | | | into an outlet, and some have digital read-outs. No |
| outside your home, check the pipes when the | | | | matter what type of detector you have in your |
| temperature is below freezing to make sure they are | | | | home, if the alarm is going off, call the fire |
| not plugged by snow or ice. | | | | department, the gas company or a furnace repair |
| Garages | | | | technician to check it out. |
| Garages can also be a source of carbon monoxide. | | | | The fire chiefs and EMTs noted that putting a carbon |
| When the weather is very cold, people will start their | | | | monoxide detector near your fuel-burning furnace is a |
| car in a garage that is attached to a house to let it | | | | good idea. Carbon monoxide detectors should also be |
| warm up. | | | | installed on every level of the house, near the main |
| But even with the garage door open, carbon | | | | family area and near the bedroom areas. |
| monoxide can seep in your home, say the fire chiefs | | | | If you have a gas water heater or a gas dryer or a |
| and EMTs. If the weather is cold for a week or | | | | gas stove in the kitchen, you might want to install |
| more, the carbon monoxide can eventually build up to | | | | carbon monoxide detectors near those appliances as |
| dangerous level inside the house. And because new | | | | well. |
| houses are built to be air-tight and energy-efficient, | | | | And always be sure to buy detectors that have |
| the carbon monoxide has little opportunity to escape. | | | | been approved by a recognized testing agency and |
| In the good old days when people lived in drafty | | | | have a seal of approval. Follow the recommendations |
| houses where the curtains moved in the winter, you | | | | on the box as to how many detectors should be |
| never heard of anyone being poisoned by carbon | | | | installed and where they should be installed for that |
| monoxide, said one of the EMTs. | | | | particular detector. |
| If you want to let your car run for a while to warm | | | | Additional Tips to Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning |
| it up, back it out of the garage and shut the door, | | | | Remember that the symptoms of carbon monoxide |
| say the fire chiefs and EMTs. | | | | poisoning include sleepiness, headache, nausea, |
| Garages also can pose a problem during winter | | | | weakness, shortness of breath and mental confusion. |
| weather for people who like to work on their cars. | | | | If symptoms get better when you leave the house |
| Last year, the 22-year-old grandson of one of our | | | | but get worse when you return, you might want to |
| church members died while working on his car. The | | | | suspect that carbon monoxide poisoning is the culprit. |
| weather was especially cold outside, so he was | | | | If you think you have been exposed to carbon |
| working on his car in the garage with the door closed. | | | | monoxide, leave your house and call the fire |
| The young man would make adjustments to the | | | | department from a friend's or neighbor's house (or |
| engine, start the car to see how it was running, shut | | | | use your cell phone) and do not go back inside until |
| it off, make more adjustments, start it again. | | | | the house has been checked. |
| Eventually he was overcome by carbon monoxide. | | | | Do not open doors and windows until the fire |
| Do not start your car (or snowmobile or all-terrain | | | | department or a furnace repair technician or a utility |
| vehicle or motorcycle) in the garage with the door | | | | company employee has checked your home for |
| closed for any reason. | | | | carbon monoxide. Opening the doors and windows |
| Alternative Sources of Heat | | | | will reduce the amount of carbon monoxide, and the |
| If the electricity goes out in the winter, people are | | | | testing device will not give adequate information |
| sometimes tempted to try to keep their home warm | | | | about the carbon monoxide level in your home. |
| until the electricity comes back on by turning on a | | | | If you suspect that a friend, relative or neighbor has |
| gas oven and opening the door or by starting a gas | | | | been overcome by carbon monoxide, leave the |
| grill or charcoal grill inside the house. | | | | home immediately and call the fire department. |
| Never use a gas oven or a barbecue grill to heat | | | | |