Carbon Monoxide (CO): The “Invisible Killer"

Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas. Every year more than 100 people in the United States die from unintentional exposure to carbon monoxide associated with consumer products.

 

1. What is carbon monoxide (CO) and how is it produced?
   

   Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. It is produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels, including coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas. Products and equipment powered by internal combustion engines such as portable generators, cars, lawn mowers, and power washers also produce CO.

2. How many people are unintentionally poisoned by CO?
   

   On average, about 170 people in the United States die every year from CO produced by non-automotive consumer products. These products include malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters; engine-powered equipment such as portable generators; fireplaces; and charcoal that is burned in homes and other enclosed areas. In 2005 alone, CPSC staff is aware of at least 94 generator-related CO poisoning deaths. Forty-seven of these deaths were known to have occurred during power outages due to severe weather, including Hurricane Katrina. Still others die from CO produced by non-consumer products, such as cars left running in attached garages. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that several thousand people go to hospital emergency rooms every year to be treated for CO poisoning.

3. What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?
   

   Because CO is odorless, colorless, and otherwise undetectable to the human senses, people may not know that they are being exposed. The initial symptoms of low to moderate CO poisoning are similar to the flu (but without the fever). They include:
   

   • Headache
   • Fatigue
   • Shortness of breath
   • Nausea
   • Dizziness

   High level CO poisoning results in progressively more severe symptoms, including:
   
   

   • Mental confusion
   • Vomiting
   • Loss of muscular coordination
   • Loss of consciousness
   • Ultimately death

   Symptom severity is related to both the CO level and the duration of exposure. For slowly developing residential CO problems, occupants and/or physicians can mistake mild to moderate CO poisoning symptoms for the flu, which sometimes results in tragic deaths. For rapidly developing, high level CO exposures (e.g., associated with use of generators in residential spaces), victims can rapidly become mentally confused, and can lose muscle control without having first experienced milder symptoms; they will likely die if not rescued.

4. How can I prevent CO poisoning?
   
   • Make sure appliances are installed and operated according to the manufacturer's instructions and local building codes. Most appliances should be installed by qualified professionals. Have the heating system professionally inspected and serviced annually to ensure proper operation. The inspector should also check chimneys and flues for blockages, corrosion, partial and complete disconnections, and loose connections.
     
   • Never service fuel-burning appliances without proper knowledge, skill and tools. Always refer to the owners manual when performing minor adjustments or servicing fuel-burning equipment.
     
   • Never operate a portable generator or any other gasoline engine-powered tool either in or near an enclosed space such as a garage, house, or other building. Even with open doors and windows, these spaces can trap CO and allow it to quickly build to lethal levels.
     
   • Install a CO alarm that meets the requirements of the current UL 2034 safety standard. A CO alarm can provide some added protection, but it is no substitute for proper use and upkeep of appliances that can produce CO. Install a CO alarm in the hallway near every separate sleeping area of the home. Make sure the alarm cannot be covered up by furniture or draperies.
     
   • Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent unless it is specifically designed for use in an enclosed space and provides instructions for safe use in an enclosed area.
     
   • Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent.
     
   • Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
     
   • Never use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes dryers to heat your home.
     
   • Never operate unvented fuel-burning appliances in any room where people are sleeping.
     
   • Do not cover the bottom of natural gas or propane ovens with aluminum foil. Doing so blocks the combustion air flow through the appliance and can produce CO.
     
   • During home renovations, ensure that appliance vents and chimneys are not blocked by tarps or debris. Make sure appliances are in proper working order when renovations are complete.
   
   
5. What CO level is dangerous to my health?
   
   

   The health effects of CO depend on the CO concentration and length of exposure, as well as each individual's health condition. CO concentration is measured in parts per million (ppm). Most people will not experience any symptoms from prolonged exposure to CO levels of approximately 1 to 70 ppm but some heart patients might experience an increase in chest pain. As CO levels increase and remain above 70 ppm, symptoms become more noticeable and can include headache, fatigue and nausea. At sustained CO concentrations above 150 to 200 ppm, disorientation, unconsciousness, and death are possible.

6. What should I do if I am experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning and do not have a CO alarm, or my CO alarm is not going off?
   
   

   If you think you are experiencing any of the symptoms of CO poisoning, get outside to fresh air immediately. Leave the home and call your fire department to report your symptoms from a neighbor’s home. You could lose consciousness and die if you stay in the home. It is also important to contact a doctor immediately for a proper diagnosis. Tell your doctor that you suspect CO poisoning is causing your problems. Prompt medical attention is important if you are experiencing any symptoms of CO poisoning. If the doctor confirms CO poisoning, make sure a qualified service person checks the appliances for proper operation before reusing them.

7. Are CO alarms reliable?
   
   

   CO alarms always have been and still are designed to alarm before potentially life-threatening levels of CO are reached. The safety standards for CO alarms have been continually improved and currently marketed CO alarms are not as susceptible to nuisance alarms as earlier models.

8. How should a consumer test a CO alarm to make sure it is working?
   

   Consumers should follow the manufacturer's instructions. Using a test button tests whether the circuitry is operating correctly, not the accuracy of the sensor. Alarms have a recommended replacement age, which can be obtained from the product literature or from the manufacturer.

9. How should I install a CO Alarm?
   

   CO alarms should be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. CPSC recommends that one CO alarm be installed in the hallway outside the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area of the home. CO alarms may be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall. Hard wired or plug-in CO alarms should have battery backup. Avoid locations that are near heating vents or that can be covered by furniture or draperies. CPSC does not recommend installing CO alarms in kitchens or above fuel-burning appliances.

10. What should you do when the CO alarm sounds?

    Never ignore an alarming CO alarm! It is warning you of a potentially deadly hazard. If the alarm signal sounds do not try to find the source of the CO:
    
    

    1. Immediately move outside to fresh air.
    2. Call your emergency services, fire department, or 911.
    3. After calling 911, do a head count to check that all persons are accounted for. DO NOT reenter the premises until the emergency services responders have given you permission. You could lose consciousness and die if you go in the home.
    4. If the source of the CO is determined to be a malfunctioning appliance, DO NOT operate that appliance until it has been properly serviced by trained personnel.

    If authorities allow you to return to your home, and your alarm reactivates within a 24 hour period, repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 and call a qualified appliance technician to investigate for sources of CO from all fuel burning equipment and appliances, and inspect for proper operation of this equipment. If problems are identified during this inspection, have the equipment serviced immediately. Note any combustion equipment not inspected by the technician and consult the manufacturers’ instructions, or contact the manufacturers directly, for more information about CO safety and this equipment. Make sure that motor vehicles are not, and have not been, operating in an attached garage or adjacent to the residence.

11. What is the role of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in preventing CO poisoning?
    
    

    CPSC staff worked closely with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to help develop the safety standard (UL 2034) for CO alarms. CPSC helps promote carbon monoxide safety by raising awareness of CO hazards and the need for correct use and regular maintenance of fuel-burning appliances. CPSC staff also works with stakeholders to develop voluntary and mandatory standards for fuel-burning appliances and conducts independent research into CO alarm performance under likely home-use conditions.

12. Do some cities require that CO alarms be installed?

    Many states and local jurisdictions now require CO alarms be installed in residences. Check with your local building code official to find out about the requirements in your location.

13. Should CO alarms be used in motor homes and other recreational vehicles?
    
    

    CO alarms are available for boats and recreational vehicles and should be used. The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association requires CO alarms in motor homes and in towable recreational vehicles that have a generator or are prepped for a generator.

    Content from:
    
    
    U.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionWashington, DC

Fire - Did you know ????????

According to FEMA, more than 4,000 Americans die and more than 20,000 are injured as a result of fires – many of which could be prevented. Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.6 billion a year.
When there is a fire, do not waste time gathering valuables or making a phone call. Fires can spread quickly, becoming life threatening in two minutes and engulfing a residence in as little as five minutes. While flames are dangerous, heat and smoke can be more dangerous and can sear your lungs. As the fire burns, poisonous gases are emitted that can cause you to become disoriented or drowsy, which could put you into a heavy sleep. The leading cause of fire-related deaths is asphyxiation, outnumbering burns by a three-to-one ratio. It is important to learn about fires in order to protect yourself.

Step 1: Get a Kit

Get an Emergency Supply Kit which includes items like non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries. You may want to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car. This kit should include:

• Copies of prescription medications and medical supplies;
• Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows;
• Bottled water, a battery-operated radio and extra batteries, a first aid kit, a flashlight;
• Copies of important documents: driver’s license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc.

Step 2: Make a Plan

Planning Your Escape

• Make a Family Emergency Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
• Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood.
• It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
• You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one.
• Be sure to consider the specific needs of your family members
• Notify caregivers and babysitters about your plan.
• Make plans for your pets
• Take a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class from your local Citizen Corps chapter. Keep your training current.
• Plan your escape
• Review escape routes with your family. Practice escaping from each room.
  • Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut. Make sure security gratings on windows have a fire safety opening feature so they can be easily opened from the inside.
  • Consider escape ladders if your residence has more than one level, and ensure that burglar bars and other antitheft mechanisms that block outside window entry are easily opened from the inside.
  • Emergency escape masks/smoke hoods have the potential to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries by protecting users from smoke inhalation and many other toxic gases, provided they are used properly and perform effectively.
  • Teach family members to stay low to the floor (where the air is safer in a fire) when escaping from a fire.
  • Clean out storage areas. Do not let trash, such as old newspapers and magazines, accumulate.

Step 3: Be Informed

Prepare Your Home

Install Smoke Alarms

• According to FEMA, properly working smoke alarms decrease your chances of dying in a fire by 50 percent.
• Place smoke alarms on every level of your residence. Place them outside bedrooms on the ceiling or high on the wall (4 to 12 inches from ceiling), at the top of open stairways or at the bottom of enclosed stairs and near (but not in) the kitchen.
• Test and clean smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries at least once a year – a good way to remember to do this is to replace the batteries during National Preparedness Month which occurs every September. Or, as you set your clock back for daylights saving time, remember to check and replace your smoke detector batteries.
• Replace smoke alarms once every 10 years
• Find out how to keep food safe during and after and emergency at www.FoodSaftey.gov.
• More information on smoke alarm safety and an interactive quiz at USFA.DHS.gov

Listen to Local Officials

Learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by your state and local government. In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by local emergency management officials.

For further information on how to plan and prepare for fires as well as what to do during and after a fire, visit: Federal Emergency Management Agency, NOAA Watch or American Red Cross. You may also find helpful information on the U.S. Fire Administration Web site.

Content from Ready.gov

Community Emergency Response Team Training

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

CERT members also volunteer to help in the community. So far this year CERT volunteers have assisted at the Backwoods Boot Camp Adventure Race and several of the WVU Football games.

This is the last basic CERT training for 2011. Don't miss this chance to help yourself, your family and your community. You chances of survival and of making a timely recovery are increased when you are prepared to deal with the situation.

CERT training will be October 22nd and 29th at the Monongalia County Health Department. For more information or to register online go to: http://www.mchdcert.weebly.com/

October 4-10 is Fire Prevention Week

Burns Safety: The Reality

We all want to keep our children safe and secure and help them live to their full potential. Knowing how to prevent leading causes of child injury, like burns, is a step toward this goal.
Every day, 435 children ages 0 to 19 are treated in emergency rooms for burn-related injuries and two children die as a result of being burned.
Younger children are more likely to sustain injuries from scald burns that are caused by hot liquids or steam, while older children are more likely to sustain injuries from flame burns that are caused by direct contact with fire.
Thankfully, there are ways you can help protect the children you love from burns.

Prevention Tips

To prevent burns from fires:

• Be alarmed. Install and maintain smoke alarms in your home—on every floor and near all rooms family members sleep in. Test your smoke alarms once a month to make sure they are working properly.
• Have an escape plan. Create and practice a family fire escape plan, and involve kids in the planning. Make sure everyone knows at least two ways out of every room and identify a central meeting place outside.
• Cook with care. Use safe cooking practices, such as never leaving food unattended on the stove. Also, supervise young children whenever they’re near cooking surfaces.

To prevent burns from scalding water:

• Check water heater temperature. Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Infants who aren’t walking yet can’t get out of water that may be too hot, and maintaining a constant thermostat setting can help control the water temperature throughout your home—preventing it from getting too high.

A Time to Act

An online video available through CDC-TV, "A Time to Act", chronicles the experience of a family that escaped during a home fire after being alerted by recently installed smoke alarms. The video also reviews the main risk factors for home fires and steps viewers can take to reduce the risk of fire-related injury and death. These steps include installing and regularly testing smoke alarms and practicing a fire escape plan at least twice a year.

CDC Resources

• CDC Fire Deaths and Injuries Fact Sheet

 

External Resources

• FireSafety.gov: Information Resources for Eliminating Residential Fire Deaths

Content from CDC

How to Communicate Before, During & After a Major Disaster

Ask anyone who has lived through a significant disaster what that experience was like and – without a doubt – one of the things some people are likely to recall is how difficult it was to communicate from their mobile phones with friends, family and emergency services like 911 in the immediate aftermath.

Many of us were reminded of this last month, when both a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and Hurricane Irene struck parts of the East Coast. People immediately reached for their phones to call loved ones or 911. Unfortunately, in some cases, loss of power made communication difficult.

The FCC and FEMA are doing everything we can to empower the public to be prepared for all emergencies (you can visit www.Ready.gov or www.Listo.gov to learn more). But one of the lessons learned from that August earthquake was that we can do more to educate the public about the most effective ways to communicate before, during and after a disaster.

Today, we are pleased to release a set of new, easy-to-follow tips to help all Americans prepare their homes and mobile phones for a disaster. These tips are practical things everyone can do to better preserve the ability to communicate effectively during – and immediately after – a disaster.

While we don’t have control over when or where the next disaster will strike, we do have control over what we do to prepare. Check out these tips and please, take one more step and share it with your networks. Use Twitter, Facebook, email or a good old-fashioned phone call to help us spread the word – and help more Americans get ready before the next disaster strikes.

And remember, if you have a question about your particular mobile phone device, contact your wireless provider or equipment manufacturer.

Before a Disaster: How to Prepare Your Home and Mobile Device

1. Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers in your cell phone and in or near your home phone.
2. Keep charged batteries and car-phone chargers available for back-up power for your cell phone.
3. If you have a traditional landline (non-broadband or VOIP) phone, keep at least one non-cordless phone in your home because if it will work even if you lose power.
4. Prepare a family contact sheet. This should include at least one out-of-town contact that may be better able to reach family members in an emergency.
5. Program “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) contacts into your cell phone so emergency personnel can contact those people for you if you are unable to use your phone. Let your ICE contacts know that they are programmed into your phone and inform them of any medical issues or other special needs you may have.
6. If you are evacuated and have call-forwarding on your home phone, forward your home phone number to your cell phone number.
7. If you do not have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster.
8. Have a battery-powered radio or television available (with spare batteries).
9. Subscribe to text alert services from local or state governments to receive alerts in the event of a disaster. Parents should sign up for their school district emergency alert system.

During and After a Disaster: How to Reach Friends, Loved Ones & Emergency Services

1. If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1. Remember that you cannot currently text 9-1-1. If you are not experiencing an emergency, do not call 9-1-1. If your area offers 3-1-1 service or another information system, call that number for non-emergencies.
2. For non-emergency communications, use text messaging, e-mail, or social media instead of making voice calls on your cell phone to avoid tying up voice networks. Data-based services like texts and emails are less likely to experience network congestion. You can also use social media to post your status to let family and friends know you are okay. In addition to Facebook and Twitter, you can use resources such as the American Red Cross’s Safe and Well program (www.redcross.org/safeandwell).
3. Keep all phone calls brief. If you need to use a phone, try to convey only vital information to emergency personnel and/or family.
4. If you are unsuccessful in completing a call using your cell phone, wait ten seconds before redialing to help reduce network congestion.
5. Conserve your cell phone battery by reducing the brightness of your screen, placing your phone in airplane mode, and closing apps you are not using that draw power, unless you need to use the phone.
6. If you lose power, you can charge your cell phone in your car. Just be sure your car is in a well-ventilated place (remove it from the garage) and do not go to your car until any danger has passed. You can also listen to your car radio for important news alerts.
7. Tune into broadcast television and radio for important news alerts. If applicable, be sure that you know how to activate the closed captioning or video description on your television.
8. If you do not have a hands-free device in your car, stop driving or pull over to the side of the road before making a call. Do not text on a cell phone, talk, or “tweet” without a hands free device while driving.
9. Immediately following a disaster, resist using your mobile device to watch streaming videos, download music or videos, or play video games, all of which can add to network congestion. Limiting use of these services can help potentially life-saving emergency calls get through to 9-1-1.

Check www.Ready.gov regularly to find other helpful tips for preparing for disasters and other emergencies.

Content by: Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and
Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission

Most Americans unprepared for disaster, survey finds

A new survey finds that most Americans are unprepared for major disasters and that they maintain a false sense of security with regard to what will happen if a major disaster or a terrorist attack took place; contrary to reality, almost one-third of respondents believed that during a major disaster, calling 911 would bring help within an hour, while 30 percent said they believed help would come within several hours.

A new survey finds that most Americans are unprepared and maintain a false sense of security during a major disaster or terrorist attack.

The poll, conducted by the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, indicated that more than half of the families surveyed had no emergency plan in place for a major hurricane or earthquake. Even those with plans in place were lacking essential items like a flashlight, two days of food and water, key phone numbers, and extra batteries.

In addition, contrary to reality, almost one-third of respondents believed that in a major disaster calling 911 would bring help within an hour, while 30 percent said they believed help would come within several hours. 19 percent believed that it could take more than a day.

In actuality, major disasters quickly overwhelm emergency responders and residents are often left to fend for themselves for several days before help can arrive.

Dr. Irwin Redlener, the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, said the survey revealed that people’s faith in emergency response is unrealistic.

Following the 9/11 attacks and more recently the massive earthquake and tsunami that decimated Japan in March, phones did not work and first responders were immediately overwhelmed.

Redlener was careful to note that even in minor disasters, like the blizzard that shut down New York City last December, dramatically hampered police and paramedic response times. In the event that Hurricane Irene had hit New York with devastating force, “EMS and every other emergency service would have been totally overwhelmed. You wouldn’t have been able to make a phone call,” he said.

Still, “many, many people believe that within an hour or two, you will have someone knocking on your door,” Redlener said. “There has been a strange delusion that, even after all we have been through, the rescue response will occur rather rapidly.”

In the event of a disaster, emergency responders encourage individuals to have enough supplies to take care of themselves for several days including medicine for those with chronic illnesses. In addition, families should have a designated family meeting spot in the event that they are separated and communication is lost.

“Preparing can actually make a difference,” Redlener said.

Content by:

Tip of the week: Text, Don’t Call!!

September is National Preparedness Month!

Tip of the week: Text, Don’t Call!!

I M OK.

R U OK?
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, networks can become jammed with people trying to call their loved ones to find out if they are okay. For instance, during last month’s East Coast earthquake, concerned friends and relatives called to check on their families, causing the phone systems to shut down. Unable to get through, text messaging proved to be a quick and reliable means of communication. People were able to communicate with their loved ones in an instance.
Remember, if your need is not emergent, text first, don’t call! This will leave lines open for emergency responders to communicate with each other, as well as those who are in critical condition and need help.

Sending short text messages is a quick and effective way to establish contact with family members and friends without tying up vital airwaves.

Tell the important people in your life that texting is your preferred method of communication in the event of a disaster. Make sure everyone in your family, particularly parents and grandparents, knows how to text. Then, conduct a quick emergency texting drill by simply texting “R U OK?” and waiting for others to respond “I M OK.”

Remember, September is National Preparedness Month – the perfect time to Get Ready. Visit http://www.ready.wv.gov/ for additional information and stay tuned for more weekly tips from the WV National Preparedness Committee.

Thank You,

WV NPM Committee