Carbon Monoxide (CO)
- More than 150 people die every year in America from accidental CO poisoning unrelated to fires.
- Carbon monoxide is the product of incomplete combustion. It is odorless and colorless and is highly toxic. It is known as “the silent killer” because it is undetectable by human senses and will starve oxygen from the body and become fatal.
- CO is a flammable, potentially explosive gas. The effects of carbon monoxide poisoning range from a mild headache to lethargy and confusion, nausea, unconsciousness, and death.
- Common causes of CO in a building include improper combustion or improper ventilation of natural gas and oil-fuled furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, and even automobile fumes from running in a garage or close to a building. A blockage in a chimney or flue pipe can cause CO accumulation as well. CO will also be generated by the extremely dangerous practice of using barbecues, portable stoves, or portable heaters inside an enclosed space.
- Install a CO alarm on each level of the home and near all sleeping areas. You can interconnect the CO alarms so that they all sound when one is set off.
- If you suspect CO contamination, evacuate the building and area immediately. Call 9-1-1 and report any medical symptoms and the possibility of CO contamination. The Fire Department will respond to provide medical care as needed and to test the building for contamination using air sampling meters.
