Carbon Monoxide Safety: Tips From The Canton Fire Department

CANTON, MA — Carbon monoxide poison kills hundreds nationwide every winter. Every year, at least 43o people die and about 50,000 people are sent to the emergency room from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As temperatures get colder and more and more people need to rely on gas and oil for heat, the Canton Fire Department wants people to be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Known also as the “invisible killer,” carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, tasteless and poisonous gas produced whenever any fuel is burned, such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal. Other sources of CO include furnaces and water heaters, chimneys, wood stoves, grills, camping stoves, gas ovens and gas snow removal or yard equipment machines.

"If your CO detectors go off, do not stay inside the house," Fire Chief Charles Doody said. "Leave the house immediately and call 911 from outside or from a neighbor's house. Opening windows and doors can be helpful, but in the event of a leak the best thing to do is go outside to the fresh air."

The Canton Fire Department recommends people follow these safety tips:

• Before the heating season, have a qualified service technician inspect your appliances.
• Check vent pipes, flues and chimneys for leaks or blockages.
• Always make sure furnace and dryer exhaust vents are clear of snow.
• Use care when shoveling out cars, and be sure the tail pipe and undercarriage are free of snow before turning on the engine.
• Don’t leave a vehicle running inside a garage, even if the door is open. Fumes will quickly build up inside a home if the two spaces are connected.
• Never use a charcoal grill or gasoline-powered engines (generators, chain saws, blowers, weed trimmers, mowers, or snow blowers) indoors or near doors or windows.
• Place grills and generators outside, facing away from doors, windows and vents.
• Do not use a gas oven to heat your home.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home within 10 feet of bedrooms. Do not place a CO alarm in a garage or near the stove or fireplace. Always install an alarm according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
• Locate CO alarms near bedrooms so family members will wake up if the alarm goes off at night. Alarms should be kept away from open windows or doors, excessively hot, cold or damp areas and “dead-air spaces,” such as corners of rooms and peaks of ceilings.
• To ensure that carbon monoxide alarms are functioning properly, they should be replaced every five to seven years according to directions. After a prolonged power outage, back-up batteries should be checked.

Exposure to carbon monoxide can produce flu-like symptoms including headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, fainting, unconsciousness. In serious cases, carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly. If you suspect you have be exposed to CO, get out of the house and call the fire department from a cell phone or a neighbor’s house. If you experience any symptoms associated with CO poisoning, seek medical attention immediately.

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