Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Carbon Monoxide Is A Silent Killer

Dr. Sandra B. Nichols, Director

Arkansas Department of Health

?Though you cannot see or smell carbon monoxide, it can kill you within minutes.?

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, we retreat more and more to our homes for warmth, with fires in the fireplace, hot chocolate and something baking in the oven.

Unfortunately, the cozy safe feeling we are creating may actually hold an invisible danger to us and our families. This danger is carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. It claims over 250 lives each year, and another 10,000 suffer CO related injuries.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) calls CO the ?senseless killer,? because it has no taste, odor, or color. CPSC chairman Ann Brown says, ?The tragedy for all victims of carbon monoxide poisoning is that their deaths are entirely preventable.?

Though you cannot see or smell carbon monoxide, it can kill you within minutes. CO is produced whenever any fuel, such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal, is burned.

If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not working properly, or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can result, killing hundreds of people accidentally every year. Even more die from CO produced by idling cars. Infants, the elderly, individuals with anemia or with a history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible.

Because the symptoms of prolonged, low-level carbon monoxide poisoning mimic the symptoms of common winter ailments (headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, even seasonal depression) many cases are not detected until permanent, subtle damage to the brain, heart and other organs and tissues has occurred.

So what can you do to protect you and your family?

? Have fuel-burning appliances, furnaces, ovens, space heaters, wood stoves and water heaters checked by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season.

? Have chimneys checked and cleared of debris yearly.

? Choose appliances that vent fumes to the outside whenever possible. Make sure gas appliances are properly vented.

? Never run the engine of a car in a garage, even if the garage door is open. Keep doors to the inside of the house closed.

? Never use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.

? Never use a charcoal grill or charcoal briquettes indoors.

? Never sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.

? Never ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them.

Next, know the symptoms. Low levels of CO cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches.

At moderate levels these symptoms become severe and you may become dizzy, mentally confused or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time.

If you or someone else experience symptoms which could be caused from CO poisoning:

? Get fresh air immediately.

? Do not live in your house until there is no longer a problem.

? Go to an emergency room and tell the physician you suspect CO poisoning.

We are not just at risk in our homes. Anytime fuel-burning devices are used in unventilated areas there is danger.

Farmers and others who have winter projects need to be aware that gasoline powered tools, such as weed cutters, snow blowers, chain saws, high-pressure washers, concrete cutting saws, floor buffers, welders, pumps, compressors and generators, in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces has killed people.

Opening doors and windows or operating fans do not guarantee safety. Place gasoline powered engines out doors and away from air intakes so that engine exhaust is not drawn indoors where the work is being done. Substitute less hazardous equipment whenever possible.

Carbon monoxide detectors are widely available in stores, but they are not a replacement for proper use and maintenance of your fuel-burning appliances.

Keep in mind that the technology of CO detectors is still developing and they are not generally considered to be as reliable as smoke detectors.

Also, do some research on features, and do not select solely on the basis of cost. Look for UL certification on any detector you purchase. If you decide to buy a CO detector, don?t let this lull you into a false sense of security.

For more information on carbon monoxide poisoning, contact the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (1-800-356-4674), the natural gas supplier in your area, or Stan Evans with the Arkansas Department of Health (501-661-2986).