Carbon Monoxide Alarms Could Prevent Half of All CO Poisoning Deaths

With the arrival of the holiday season comes the arrival of colder weather, as well as an increase in the number of homes using fuel-burning appliances. These appliances include ovens, space heaters, generators, indoor grills and fireplaces, and they can cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to build up in the home.

“Families today are better at understanding the importance of having working smoke alarms in every sleeping area, but what about carbon monoxide alarms?” says Mark Miller, chief dive tech for hyperbaric medicine, St. Joseph Hospital. “Carbon monoxide is so dangerous because it is odorless and invisible, and it can kill. CO in small doses that might not noticeably affect an adult can make a child seriously ill.”

According to a 2004–2006 study, children younger than 5 years old have the highest estimated rate of CO-related visits to the emergency room each year in the United States. More than 25 kids die from CO poisoning every year.

Important safety tips to protect families from CO poisoning include:

- Prevent CO buildup in the first place – make sure heating appliances are in good working order and are used only in well-ventilated areas.

- Don’t run a car engine in the garage, even to warm it up; move the car outside first.

- Install a CO alarm outside every sleeping area, on every level of your home and at least 15 feet away from every fuel-burning appliance.

- When you check your smoke alarm batteries each month, check the batteries on your CO alarms at the same time. Replace the batteries twice a year.

- Never use a stove as a source of heat.

- Have all gas, oil or coal burning appliances inspected by a technician every year to ensure they’re working correctly and are properly ventilated.

- When a CO leak is suspected, open windows to allow fresh air into the home. If someone who has been in a poorly ventilated room with a fuel-burning appliance exhibits symptoms such as headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting or confusion, move the victim to an area with fresh air and call 911.

- If more than one person in the home suddenly feels ill for no apparent reason, or if a CO alarm goes off, get everyone outside immediately and call 911 from a prearranged meeting place.

“CO alarms are available at hardware stores for about $20,” says Carmen DeBruce, Allen County Safe Kids Coordinator. “That is a small price to pay to help detect odorless, poisonous gases in the home before it’s too late.”

For more information about CO poisoning, visit safekids.org or call the poison control hotline at (800) 222-1222.