Carbon Monoxide Health and Safety

Swansea fights the silent killer-UK

2007-03-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Swansea Council Energy Advice Centre has been inundated with interest in a new initiative to help protect residents from carbon monoxide poisoning.The Craddock Street service has added to its energy saving services to help reduce the risk of sickness and death from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by appliances or flues not properly installed or maintained.In the first week alone of the service, more than 100 people bought carbon monoxide alarms and many others were given advice at the centre.Known as the silent killer, carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless gas that can be produced along with other gases when carbon based fuels such as coal, wood or oil are burnt by inefficient or faulty appliances.You can't see it, taste it, or smell it but CO can kill without warning within just a matter or hours and even if a victim survives carbon monoxide poisoning it can result in permanent injury to the body's vital organs.The Council's Energy Advice Centre is offering people information and advice on the issue.It is also offering discount carbon monoxide detectors for £21.00, 50% of the recommended retail price.Visitors can also fill in an energy efficiency audit to see if as well as safer home they could also find ways to live more comfortably, cheaply and environmentally friendly.Anyone who fills in the audit will also receive a free energy saving light bulb to get their energy saving off to a simple start.Pam Walters, Centre manager said: "We are delighted at the response. People are clearly taking the warnings about Carbon Monoxide seriously and we are pleased we can help."Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be lethal, or at the least make you very ill. It doesn't discriminate between age sex or gender."Have your appliances checked annually and consider purchasing a Carbon Monoxide detector."

Noise and Carbon Monoxide Increase Hearing Loss

2007-03-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

Cocktail of noise and carbon monoxide increases hearing loss: study

MONTREAL - Garage mechanics, firefighters and truckers, listen up: a new study shows chronic exposure to noise plus carbon monoxide increases hearing loss.
The Université de Montréal study of 8,600 workers between 1983 and 1996 is the first to link carbon monoxide and hearing loss in humans. It is to be published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America by early next year.
Lead researcher Adriana Lacerda is to present the study on Wednesday in Vancouver at the society's annual meeting.
The results revealed that workers who were exposed to carbon monoxide and noise levels above 90 decibels - the sound of a chainsaw - had trouble hearing high frequencies (from three to six kilohertz). A larger shift was observed among workers with 25-29 years of noise exposure in the workplace.
These workers would not be able to hear birds singing or telephones ringing, study supervisor Tony Leroux told CBC News Online.
"They are not deaf but they have a larger hearing loss than we would expect if they were just exposed to noise," Leroux said.
The hearing loss took place over decades. Most workers did not show significant hearing loss until after 20 years in the work place.
The study suggested hearing loss was caused by lower levels of oxygen in the blood stream, which accelerates the deterioration of the sensory cells of the inner ear.
"The inner ear that contains the sensory cells needs a lot of oxygen to operate," Leroux said. "They are suffering from anoxia, a lack of oxygen."
Another theory is that both noise and carbon monoxide produce free radicals - atoms that attack the bonds of chemical reactions - which damage cells.
The U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health estimates that nearly one million workers are exposed to significant levels of carbon monoxide. Those at risk include welders, fork lift operators, foundry workers, industrial mechanics, diesel engine operators and miners.
Leroux said rock musicians in smoky bars would appear to be candidates for increased hearing loss, but were not studied because carbon monoxide is just one component of cigarette smoke.
Wearing earplugs is not enough to stop the damage, Leroux said. Alternative energy sources should be found for many of these workers who work with motors, he said.
And he said a growing pastime in Quebec, indoor go-cart racing, is ripe for hearing loss. Part of the solution could be powerful ventilation systems and mufflers. "But carts have to make noise to be fun," he noted

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Might Become Mandatory

2007-03-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

[Another example of pending legislation in another state! As I have said several times before in this blog, it's only a matter of time before every state requires them by law. Get one now and avoid the "cheap" detectors going up in price from almost nothing to $75 or more! You know as well as I do that the current popular companies will raise their prices if we are forced to buy. www.transducertech.com has some great information as well as a fantastic CO detector called the Pocket CO that you really should see.]

(CBS4) TALLAHASSEE The deaths of two young South Floridians are prompting legislation that would make it a requirement to have a carbon monoxide detector inside your home.State lawmakers heard tearful testimony about the importance of carbon monoxide detectors from the family members of the deceased. The families of Anthony Perez and Janelle Bertot urged lawmakers to pass proposed legislation that would require every residence in Florida to have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors by July 2009.The bill would also mandate those detectors in all new construction starting this July.The committee approved the proposal and now it heads to the full House chamber for debate.Twenty-five-year-old Anthony Perez and 19-year-old Janelle Bertot were killed by carbon monoxide inside a car in Weston a little more than two years ago.

CO leak hospitalizes six in Balto.—

2007-03-27T20:17:00.001-07:00

BALTIMORE (AP) - Officials says a water heater or a furnace may be to blame for a carbon monoxide leak that sent six residents of a Baltimore home to the hospital.
The patients were transported this morning from the 700 block of North Linwood Avenue. They include a 6-month-old baby and 9-year-old twins.
Family members woke up with headaches. The house had working smoke detectors but did not have a carbon monoxide detector.
The patients were placed in a hyperbaric chamber at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Fire officials say carbon monoxide levels in the home were at 500 parts per million, or about five times the level that usually requires an immediate evacuation. Residents of two adjacent homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Woman dies of carbon monoxide poisoning in group home

2007-03-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

HOBART, Ind. (AP) — A woman who lived in a group home for the developmentally disabled died after carbon monoxide filled the home, sickening its four other residents, police said.
Toby Sandilla, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene Saturday morning after officers arrived and found all five of the home’s occupants either asleep or unconscious due to “extremely high levels of carbon monoxide,” Hobart police said in a news release.
Two police officers who entered the home to assist were also overcome by the colorless, odorless gas and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
“It’s a terrible accident. All the people who know the (victims) are devastated,” said Kris Prohl, executive director of ArcBRIDGES of Gary, the nonprofit group that operates the home.
Prohl said the home was equipped with a carbon monoxide detector and that an investigation will determine whether it was working properly. [Probably one of the "cheap" CO detectors you can get from Home Depot or Lowes...yet another example of "spend the money and get a GOOD detector. Take a look at the Pocket CO at www.transducertech.com.]
It was unclear why carbon monoxide filled the home. Experts say carbon monoxide often comes from an improperly operating furnace, water heater or stove.
The Lake County coroner’s office has not officially ruled that Sandilla’s death was from carbon monoxide poisoning because an autopsy and toxicology tests are pending.
ArcBRIDGES operates 29 state-licensed homes in northwestern Indiana to assist people who have developmental disabilities with daily living, Prohl said.
Neighbor Jen Lederman said the home’s occupants were rarely seen and typically only came outside when they boarded a daily bus to take them to their jobs.
“They were very nice people. You never had any problems with them,” Lederman said.

Homes evacuated for high levels of carbon monoxide

2007-03-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Baltimore Fire officials evacuated residents of seven homes in East Baltimore after high levels of carbon monoxide were found there.
It happened around 5 p-m in the 2000 block of Kennedy Avenue.
Fire department spokesman Kevin Cartwright says a man came home to find his carbon monoxide detector going off and called 9-1-1.
Firefighters responded and found readings of 100 parts-per-million of carbon monoxide. Levels above 30-parts-per-million are considered unsafe.
Next door, firefighters found thick smoke and a small fire in the furnace.
Cartwright says seven houses were evacuated and ventilated until carbon monoxide readings returned to normal. The eight residents of the homes were evaluated, but no one was immediately taken to the hospital.

THE LONG HAUL

2007-03-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

Truck drivers of all kinds confront many dangers on the roads today. From bad weather to bad drivers, some days it seems like the world is conspiring against you to keep you from delivering your load on time. While road crews shutting down 2 out of 3 lanes on a 9 degree down grade, blown tires sending rubber shrapnel everywhere, and just getting plain old tired are very tangible hazards, there is another that is very easy to overlook. It is nearly impossible to detect with your five senses and potentially more dangerous than anything else out there. This threat is carbon monoxide.

The trucking industry employs over 9 million Americans and 227,000 Canadians, making it one of the top occupations in both countries. In fact, according to Statistics Canada, the occupation of truck driver is the most frequently cited among Canadian men. These almost 10 million highly skilled and constantly tested drivers work on average 60 hours a week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, to contribute to a revenue stream approaching the trillions of dollars every year. With so many drivers on the road, in garages, and at fuel stations, one would think that carbon monoxide exposure would be a top priority. In fact it is exactly the opposite. A blown tire, dead battery, or faulty air line, while all still dangerous, vastly outweigh CO exposure as a top worry among drivers. Truckinfo.net says 51% percent of truckers are worried about shredding a tire compared to less than 1% concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning. This is not because truck drivers are uneducated, rather, it is due to a lack of awareness about what carbon monoxide is, how often exposure can happen, and how dangerous it can really be. This awareness should be provided by OSHA, the EPA, and our employers and employer organizations, but sometimes unfortunately it is not.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, and highly toxic gas. Because of this, it can kill you before you are even aware it is there. Carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion. Simply put, CO can be produced by virtually any source of combustion, from vehicle engines and poorly burning or improperly vented kerosene and gas heaters or generators, to cigarettes, faulty furnaces, campfires, and charcoal grilles among hundreds of other sources. For most truck drivers, the greatest threat is from diesel exhaust, whether exposure happens inside the cab of a truck from a cracked header, or outside the vehicle by running it inside a garage.

Carbon monoxide works by combining reversibly with hemoglobin in the bloodstream, creating carboxyhemoglobin. This causes a reduction in the amount of oxygen your blood can carry to the tissues of your body. At low concentrations, an exposed person may experience flu-like symptoms like fatigue, headache, nausea, dizziness, and irritability. As exposure increases, symptoms such as impaired brain function, confusion, chest pain, and eventually unconsciousness set in. Continued exposure at very high concentrations can be fatal within minutes.

Therefore, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists), and other agencies issued Permissible Exposure Limits for carbon monoxide. These exposure limits are expressed in terms of ppm (parts per million) which basically means one part CO in one million parts air. The OSHA limit is 50 ppm as a time-weighted average, the NIOSH limit is 35 ppm as a time-weighted average with a 200 ppm ceiling value, and the ACGIH limit is 25 ppm as a time-weighted average for a normal 8-hour workday or 40-hour work week, which we all know would virtually be a vacation for most truckers. These limits were established because even at these low concentrations, people will begin to see the symptoms of CO poisoning and some people are more sensitive to exposure than others. To put this in perspective, if you were to open your window on the highway in fairly heavy, slow-moving traffic, you could easily be exposed to somewhere between 10 ppm and 45 ppm of CO. You may experience a headache (which you most likely would attribute to frustration over the traffic conditions), mild dizziness, or mild nausea. Now imagine a truck driver being exposed to those conditions 10 or more hours a day, 6 days a week. Fortunately, we do get some open road time, and if the truck is not contributing to the exposure, the clean fresh air will help clear out the carbon monoxide that is present. But, you can see how chronic CO exposure at this level can become problematic, not to mention what would happen if a crack in your exhaust header, a near worst-case scenario, caused diesel exhaust to pour into the cab of your truck. The result could be catastrophic to both the driver and the other vehicles on the road.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not in the business of trying to scare people, rather, I am in the business of educating those of you who are not aware of this potential danger. It is a real possibility, and every effort should be made to avoid excessive CO exposure. Fortunately there are readily available products out there that can alert you if you are in imminent threat of carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning. Your easiest line of defense is a CO detector that can warn you when exposure occurs so you can minimize it and avoid it.

Carbon monoxide detectors come in all shapes and sizes, all for various applications, from plug-in models for the home, to high tech, industrial grade instruments for more stringent laboratory and occupational environments. With all the choices in CO detectors out there, it is hard to tell what to look for when you are going to make that purchase. Here are the most important things to consider when buying a carbon monoxide detector:

1. Cost. I know the number one concern for a truck driver is cost, especially those of you who are owner-operators. Every dollar spent is one more dollar out of your or your company’s pocket. Now CO detectors can range in price from $20 to almost $1000 for the super advanced models, and many times, you truly do get what you pay for. A truck driver doesn’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles on a $1000 model, so take that out of the equation completely. Now on the low end you are looking at a detector with limited capabilities, sometimes not alarming until well over the recommended exposure limits, if at all, and most of those “cheap” detectors will also alarm if they come in contact with something as harmless as water vapor. Look for a detector in the $100 to $200 range. There are many out there to choose from, but in this price range you will find the best combination of affordability, accuracy, reliability, and operational features. This may sound like a lot of money for a CO detector when home versions go for $20 or $30, and we don’t want to break the bank, but ask yourself at what value do I put my health and safety?

2. Portability. As a driver, you are constantly on the move, not only in your vehicle, but outside of it as well, whether you are refueling or pushing a load onto the docks while your truck idles away in the garage. Look for a CO detector that is small enough to carry with you, on a lanyard, on your belt, or clipped to your shirt pocket. You are not going to want to carry around a CO detector the size of a Big Mac attached to your chest, let alone trying to find an out-of-the-way place to stick it inside your cab. The smaller size detector will hardly be noticeable, until of course the alarm goes off, warning you of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

3. Alarm. Speaking of the alarm, you should look for a detector with at least an 85dB alarm. Even better if the detector has multiple alarms such as a flashing LED and/or a vibrator alarm like a cell phone. If the LED and vibration don’t get your attention, the 85dB will certainly do the trick, even if you are at highway speed with the stereo blasting “Sweet Home Alabama”. These alarms should also be set to sound when your exposure exceeds the recommended OSHA, ACGIH, or NIOSH air quality standards. You can usually find that information from the individual product descriptions. Beware of detectors that do not give you that information, usually those are substandard detectors that may not sound until the level reaches close to 100 ppm, which may already be too late, depending on how long you have been exposed to that level. Ideally, your CO detector should have all the alarm settings above, and let you know.

4. Sensitivity. Find a detector that says it is a “low-level” CO detector. You want the detector to be able to read at least down to 5 ppm so you can see exactly how much CO you are being exposed to, and potentially fix any problems before they get to the “alarm” level. The digital display (yes, it must have a digital display) should also be able to read up to 400 ppm. Any higher, and it doesn’t really matter what the exact concentration is, its bad news and you need to get to fresh air fast.

5. Features. Many of the high-priced CO detectors come with a myriad of different features, most of which will never be used by the average driver. Not to worry, there are only a few must have capabilities that you need to look for in a carbon monoxide detector. Not only should it have a digital display telling you how much CO you are being exposed to as I mentioned above, it should also have dosimeter capabilities, meaning it should be able to tell you what your total “dose” of CO was over the time you were measuring. A detector should be advanced enough to tell you the time-weighted average exposure (NIOSH, ACGIH, and OSHA all set limits in these terms), the total exposure over a period of time, the maximum exposure during that time, and when that maximum concentration occurred during that time period or similar parameters. Only with these features can you get a realistic picture of how much CO you are being exposed to as well as where you were when the exposure happened so you can prevent yourself being poisoned repeatedly. The detector should also have different time modes, such as one that gives you short term readings immediately for on the spot CO checks, and another mode, 8 to 10 hours for example, so you can get a solid picture of exposure during an entire workday. And it should be simple to operate, don’t buy a detector with a 300 page manual and 16 buttons on the front; look for simplicity. There are a few detectors in this price range that feature single button operation which is very easy to use.

6. Manufacturer. Don’t get caught up in only looking at the big-box retailers when choosing a CO detector. Look around, do your research (the internet is a great place to start), and you will come out ahead of the game. Because CO detector technology is advancing so rapidly, many times the smaller companies will be able to offer a better product at a lower price. Those smaller companies tend to have a narrower product and industry focus plus low overhead, leading to the most cutting edge technology being offered in their reasonably priced detectors. After all, these small companies are trying to compete with the big boys, so they are forced to work extra hard to produce an affordable, superior product. Don’t overlook the little guy.

I realize that this is a lot of information to digest, but it is so vital to getting the most for your hard-earned money. Keep these suggestions in mind when you go shopping and you won’t be sorry.

Carbon monoxide is a problem that faces every one of the millions of truck drivers on the road all over the world. Through education, prevention, and a little good old common sense, you can steer clear of the dangers of carbon monoxide. The first step is go get a good CO detector, that way you can stay on the road, and well ahead of this “silent killer”. Drive safely, and happy trails.

Tom Stetter, Transducer Technology, Inc.

References:
Trucking Stats, Truckinfo.net, www.truckinfo.net/trucking/stats.htm
Occupational Outlook Handbook 2006-07 Ed., U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/oco/print/ocos246.htm
Environmental Protection Agency, An Introduction to IAQ, www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html
Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines for Carbon Monoxide, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/carbonmonoxide/recognition.html
Transducer Technology Incorporated, www.transducertech.com.

Spinach, Peanut Butter, Lunchbox Lead What's Next?

2007-03-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

(Media-Newswire.com) - With National Poison Prevention Week approaching next week, the Ruth A. Lawrence Poison and Drug Information Center is sharing tips that'll keep you and your family safer this year. This has been a year where it seems nothing is harmless, be it the peanut butter sandwich or the lunchbox itself, said Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D., the medical director of the center, which serves the 12-county Finger Lakes area. People are increasingly concerned about food poisoning, lead poisoning and carbon monoxide poisoning, in addition to the more common poisons that are routinely stored under kitchen sinks, medicine cabinets, or in the garage.

Family escapes danger after boy hears CO alarm

2007-03-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

ONEONTA _ Kaleb Prentice needed to get up and get something to drink late Tuesday night.
Kaleb, a second-grader at Riverside Elementary School, woke up at about 11:30 p.m. and heard the family’s carbon-monoxide detector going off.
Star photo by Julie Lewis Kaleb Prentice, 8, holds the carbon-monoxide detector Wednesday as his mother, Tera Aikens, holds Ava, 2, and Abby, 5 months, at the entrance to the basement of the family’s home on Mountainview Avenue in Oneonta.
Not knowing what it was, he woke up his mother, Tera Aikens.
A problem with a pellet stove in the basement led to a carbon-monoxide leak. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can poison people or lead to death.
"It was very high," Aikens said. "It was three times the regular limits."
Kaleb said his mother told him that the beeping sound he heard was probably just the television, but he knew it wasn’t.
"It was weird," said Kaleb, who is 8 years old. "I didn’t know what was going on."
Aikens tried changing the battery. When it kept going off, she called 911 and got the rest of the family _ Kaleb, 2-year-old Ava and 5-month-old Abby _ out of the house on Mountainview Drive and into the family van.
Aikens said she and her husband, Robert, have talked to Kaleb about the alarms, and he’s had some safety classes at school. Her husband wasn’t home Tuesday night because he is taking classes outside the area.
Oneonta Fire Capt. Jeffrey Walshe said nobody needed to be taken to the hospital. Firefighters cleaned out the pellet stove and vented the house to get the levels back to normal.
Problems with heating systems have led to more calls for possible carbon-monoxide poisoning, Walshe said.
"The (carbon-monoxide) detectors do their job," he said Wednesday.
Aikens said the carbon-monoxide detector was in the house when the family moved in. The pellet stove has been there for about two years.
"We’ve never had a problem with it," Aikens said.
Bette Aikens, Tera Aikens’ mother-in-law, said she was very proud of Kaleb _ and his mother.
"It’s great that he knew to wake her up," Bette Aikens said. "Some kids would have said, Oh well,’ and gone back to bed."
Tera Aikens took the children to her mother-in-law’s house to sleep Tuesday night.
Firefighters told her it was safe to sleep in the house after they vented it, but she didn’t want to take any risks.
"I was very proud of Tera, that she knew to call the firemen," Bette Aikens said. "They’re great. They’re very good."
Kaleb said the firefighters came with a "big truck."
"It was really cool," he said.
Everyone seems to be OK, Aikens said, and the house is fine. She said she talked to the children’s pediatrician, who told her they didn’t need to come in unless they were acting sleepy or showed other signs of carbon-monoxide poisoning.

Portable generators pose threat outside

2007-03-19T20:34:00.001-07:00

MADISON, Wis., March 15 (UPI) -- Portable gasoline generators used during power outages and after hurricanes can pose a major safety risk for even the most careful U.S. consumer.
A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine examined sources of carbon monoxide poisonings in Florida during the 2004 hurricane season.
"We found a number of people who made a point of placing their generators outside their homes were poisoned. Because of the amount of carbon monoxide these devices emit, they may pose a threat even when located outside," lead study author David Van Sickle of the University of Wisconsin in Madison said in a statement.
Portable generators should be located in a dry area as far away from the home as possible, but while generators need to be used outdoors in a well-ventilated area, there is no agreed-upon distance on how far from buildings they need to be, according to the study.
Van Sickle advises using an extra-long extension cord to keep the generator farther from the house and to always have a carbon monoxide detector in the home.

Alarms save lives

2007-03-19T20:29:00.001-07:00

Shirley Foley awoke Saturday morning around 5:30, with high-pitched alarms blaring. Something smelled like burnt plastic. She woke her neighbors in the two-family house in Charlestown.
Fire officials say it was a good thing. Underground high voltage power lines had ignited, possibly because they had become wet and had shorted, and were sending lethal amounts of carbon monoxide into the homes. Carbon monoxide monitors in Foley’s building went off.
"It was a pretty serious situation," Foley said. "Thank God we’re all OK, and thank God we had the monitors. We could have lost people."
Caroline Allen, a spokeswoman for NStar, said Saturday’s incident was rare and was probably caused by wet weather that allowed water to seep into underground cables and act as a conductor, shorting wires whose insulating layer had probably worn through. The underground fire sent carbon monoxide into nearby homes through ducts and pipes. It also caused a power outage that affected about 25 houses and took about 24 hours to fix.
"This is not something we hear about all the time," Allen said. "Because there were all these factors came into play at one time, it looks like that’s what caused the carbon monoxide to travel through the conduit. The good news in this case was that they had a carbon monoxide detector."

TWO KO'D AS MANHOLE FUMES SEEP INTO APTS.

2007-03-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

March 19, 2007 -- Deadly doses of poisonous carbon monoxide spewing from a burning Con Ed manhole nearly killed two women after it spread across a sidewalk and seeped into their Brooklyn homes yesterday.
The potentially lethal fumes sickened seven other people and forced some 300 residents into the streets for hours, fire officials said.
The two seriously injured women were found unconscious by firefighters going door to door along 55th Street in Sunset Park.
One of them was found in a brownstone basement; the other in the third-floor apartment of another building.
At least one resident insisted the fire had burned for 12 hours before Con Ed took steps to put it out, a claim the utility denied.
Con Ed spokeswoman Joy Faber could not say why so much carbon monoxide was emitted without it being detected earlier, and declined to comment on whether the thousands of manholes monitored by the utility pose an ongoing risk to New Yorkers .
Fire Battalion Chief William Tanzosh said the toxic fumes in some locations on the affected streets topped 133 times the safe level for carbon-monoxide emissions.
Among the seven people sickened were two FDNY paramedics, who rescued the two unconscious women shortly after receiving a 911 call at around noon.
"The only reason the unconscious people were found this quickly was because of [a 911 caller] who had a carbon-monoxide detector," Tanzosh said.

The Long Haul

2007-03-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

[This one was written completely by yours truly. It's a compilation of thoughts that I have come across over the time I have been studying CO and CO exposure. Enjoy!]

Truck drivers of all kinds confront many dangers on the roads today. From bad weather to bad drivers, some days it seems like the world is conspiring against you to keep you from delivering your load on time. While road crews shutting down 2 out of 3 lanes on a 9 degree down grade, blown tires sending rubber shrapnel everywhere, and just getting plain old tired are very tangible hazards, there is another that is very easy to overlook. It is nearly impossible to detect with your five senses and potentially more dangerous than anything else out there. This threat is carbon monoxide.

The trucking industry employs over 9 million Americans and 227,000 Canadians, making it one of the top occupations in both countries. In fact, according to Statistics Canada, the occupation of truck driver is the most frequently cited among Canadian men. These almost 10 million highly skilled and constantly tested drivers work on average 60 hours a week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, to contribute to a revenue stream approaching the trillions of dollars every year. With so many drivers on the road, in garages, and at fuel stations, one would think that carbon monoxide exposure would be a top priority. In fact it is exactly the opposite. A blown tire, dead battery, or faulty air line, while all still dangerous, vastly outweigh CO exposure as a top worry among drivers. Truckinfo.net says 51% percent of truckers are worried about shredding a tire compared to less than 1% concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning. This is not because truck drivers are uneducated, rather, it is due to a lack of awareness about what carbon monoxide is, how often exposure can happen, and how dangerous it can really be. This awareness should be provided by OSHA, the EPA, and our employers and employer organizations, but sometimes unfortunately it is not.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, and highly toxic gas. Because of this, it can kill you before you are even aware it is there. Carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion. Simply put, CO can be produced by virtually any source of combustion, from vehicle engines and poorly burning or improperly vented kerosene and gas heaters or generators, to cigarettes, faulty furnaces, campfires, and charcoal grilles among hundreds of other sources. For most truck drivers, the greatest threat is from diesel exhaust, whether exposure happens inside the cab of a truck from a cracked header, or outside the vehicle by running it inside a garage.

Carbon monoxide works by combining reversibly with hemoglobin in the bloodstream, creating carboxyhemoglobin. This causes a reduction in the amount of oxygen your blood can carry to the tissues of your body. At low concentrations, an exposed person may experience flu-like symptoms like fatigue, headache, nausea, dizziness, and irritability. As exposure increases, symptoms such as impaired brain function, confusion, chest pain, and eventually unconsciousness set in. Continued exposure at very high concentrations can be fatal within minutes.

Therefore, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists), and other agencies issued Permissible Exposure Limits for carbon monoxide. These exposure limits are expressed in terms of ppm (parts per million) which basically means one part CO in one million parts air. The OSHA limit is 50 ppm as a time-weighted average, the NIOSH limit is 35 ppm as a time-weighted average with a 200 ppm ceiling value, and the ACGIH limit is 25 ppm as a time-weighted average for a normal 8-hour workday or 40-hour work week, which we all know would virtually be a vacation for most truckers. These limits were established because even at these low concentrations, people will begin to see the symptoms of CO poisoning and some people are more sensitive to exposure than others. To put this in perspective, if you were to open your window on the highway in fairly heavy, slow-moving traffic, you could easily be exposed to somewhere between 10 ppm and 45 ppm of CO. You may experience a headache (which you most likely would attribute to frustration over the traffic conditions), mild dizziness, or mild nausea. Now imagine a truck driver being exposed to those conditions 10 or more hours a day, 6 days a week. Fortunately, we do get some open road time, and if the truck is not contributing to the exposure, the clean fresh air will help clear out the carbon monoxide that is present. But, you can see how chronic CO exposure at this level can become problematic, not to mention what would happen if a crack in your exhaust header, a near worst-case scenario, caused diesel exhaust to pour into the cab of your truck. The result could be catastrophic to both the driver and the other vehicles on the road.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not in the business of trying to scare people, rather, I am in the business of educating those of you who are not aware of this potential danger. It is a real possibility, and every effort should be made to avoid excessive CO exposure. Fortunately there are readily available products out there that can alert you if you are in imminent threat of carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning. Your easiest line of defense is a CO detector that can warn you when exposure occurs so you can minimize it and avoid it.

Carbon monoxide detectors come in all shapes and sizes, all for various applications, from plug-in models for the home, to high tech, industrial grade instruments for more stringent laboratory and occupational environments. With all the choices in CO detectors out there, it is hard to tell what to look for when you are going to make that purchase. Here are the most important things to consider when buying a carbon monoxide detector:

1. Cost. I know the number one concern for a truck driver is cost, especially those of you who are owner-operators. Every dollar spent is one more dollar out of your or your company’s pocket. Now CO detectors can range in price from $20 to almost $1000 for the super advanced models, and many times, you truly do get what you pay for. A truck driver doesn’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles on a $1000 model, so take that out of the equation completely. Now on the low end you are looking at a detector with limited capabilities, sometimes not alarming until well over the recommended exposure limits, if at all, and most of those “cheap” detectors will also alarm if they come in contact with something as harmless as water vapor. Look for a detector in the $100 to $200 range. There are many out there to choose from, but in this price range you will find the best combination of affordability, accuracy, reliability, and operational features. This may sound like a lot of money for a CO detector when home versions go for $20 or $30, and we don’t want to break the bank, but ask yourself at what value do I put my health and safety?

2. Portability. As a driver, you are constantly on the move, not only in your vehicle, but outside of it as well, whether you are refueling or pushing a load onto the docks while your truck idles away in the garage. Look for a CO detector that is small enough to carry with you, on a lanyard, on your belt, or clipped to your shirt pocket. You are not going to want to carry around a CO detector the size of a Big Mac attached to your chest, let alone trying to find an out-of-the-way place to stick it inside your cab. The smaller size detector will hardly be noticeable, until of course the alarm goes off, warning you of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

3. Alarm. Speaking of the alarm, you should look for a detector with at least an 85dB alarm. Even better if the detector has multiple alarms such as a flashing LED and/or a vibrator alarm like a cell phone. If the LED and vibration don’t get your attention, the 85dB will certainly do the trick, even if you are at highway speed with the stereo blasting “Sweet Home Alabama”. These alarms should also be set to sound when your exposure exceeds the recommended OSHA, ACGIH, or NIOSH air quality standards. You can usually find that information from the individual product descriptions. Beware of detectors that do not give you that information, usually those are substandard detectors that may not sound until the level reaches close to 100 ppm, which may already be too late, depending on how long you have been exposed to that level. Ideally, your CO detector should have all the alarm settings above, and let you know.

4. Sensitivity. Find a detector that says it is a “low-level” CO detector. You want the detector
to be able to read at least down to 5 ppm so you can see exactly how much CO you are being exposed to, and potentially fix any problems before they get to the “alarm” level. The digital display (yes, it must have a digital display) should also be able to read up to 400 ppm. Any higher, and it doesn’t really matter what the exact concentration is, its bad news and you need to get to fresh air fast.

5. Features. Many of the high-priced CO detectors come with a myriad of different features, most of which will never be used by the average driver. Not to worry, there are only a few must have capabilities that you need to look for in a carbon monoxide detector. Not only should it have a digital display telling you how much CO you are being exposed to as I mentioned above, it should also have dosimeter capabilities, meaning it should be able to tell you what your total “dose” of CO was over the time you were measuring. A detector should be advanced enough to tell you the time-weighted average exposure (NIOSH, ACGIH, and OSHA all set limits in these terms), the total exposure over a period of time, the maximum exposure during that time, and when that maximum concentration occurred during that time period or similar parameters. Only with these features can you get a realistic picture of how much CO you are being exposed to as well as where you were when the exposure happened so you can prevent yourself being poisoned repeatedly. The detector should also have different time modes, such as one that gives you short term readings immediately for on the spot CO checks, and another mode, 8 to 10 hours for example, so you can get a solid picture of exposure during an entire workday. And it should be simple to operate, don’t buy a detector with a 300 page manual and 16 buttons on the front; look for simplicity. There are a few detectors in this price range that feature single button operation which is very easy to use.

6. Manufacturer. Don’t get caught up in only looking at the big-box retailers when choosing a CO detector. Look around, do your research (the internet is a great place to start), and you will come out ahead of the game. Because CO detector technology is advancing so rapidly, many times the smaller companies will be able to offer a better product at a lower price. Those smaller companies tend to have a narrower product and industry focus plus low overhead, leading to the most cutting edge technology being offered in their reasonably priced detectors. After all, these small companies are trying to compete with the big boys, so they are forced to work extra hard to produce an affordable, superior product. Don’t overlook the little guy.

I realize that this is a lot of information to digest, but it is so vital to getting the most for your hard-earned money. Keep these suggestions in mind when you go shopping and you won’t be sorry.

Carbon monoxide is a problem that faces every one of the millions of truck drivers on the road all over the world. Through education, prevention, and a little good old common sense, you can steer clear of the dangers of carbon monoxide. The first step is go get a good CO detector, that way you can stay on the road, and well ahead of this “silent killer”. Drive safely, and happy trails.

Tom Stetter, Transducer Technology, Inc.

References:
Trucking Stats, Truckinfo.net, www.truckinfo.net/trucking/stats.htm

Occupational Outlook Handbook 2006-07 Ed., U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/oco/print/ocos246.htm

Environmental Protection Agency, An Introduction to IAQ, www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html

Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines for Carbon Monoxide, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/carbonmonoxide/recognition.html

Transducer Technology Incorporated, www.transducertech.com.

Trucker Deaths from CO Poisoning??

2007-03-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

6. Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN) - October 26, 2006 Ind. driver, 45, found dead at Olive Branch truck stop A 45-year-old Indiana truck driver was found dead in the cab of his truck at the Flying J Travel Plaza in Olive Branch Wednesday morning.Police identified him Wednesday afternoon as Kevin Cox, 45, of Rochester, Ind."There was no sign of foul play or injury, but an autopsy has been ordered," said Maj. Don Gammage, chief of detectives for the Olive Branch Police Department.He said the truck, owned by Denton LLC of Rochester, Ind., pulled onto the Flying J...

11. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - May 28, 2006 Missing truck found in Georgia; driver dead A North Carolina truck driver missing nearly a week since he set out with an 18-wheeler full of frozen groceries was found dead Saturday near Eatonton, just 25 miles short of his destination, after his truck veered off the road into thick woods."We're not sure what happened, but we think he may have fallen asleep at the wheel, or had a heart attack," said Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.The truck, marked with the red Ingles Markets logo, was...Purchase Complete Article, of 283 words

12. Valley Times-News, The (Lanett, AL) - August 15, 2001 Truck driver found dead at welcome center LANETT -- A truck driver was found dead Tuesday afternoon at the Alabama Welcome Center on I-85.Fifty-seven-year-old Larry E Lemmon of Ringgold, Ga. reportedly stopped at the center late Monday night. Last seen by his wife earlier that same day, he was transporting goods to the Wal-Mart distribution center outside of Opelika.Lemmon was scheduled to be at the distribution center at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. When he failed to show, the trucking company he worked for became...

16. Jefferson City News-Tribune (MO) - May 8, 2006 Truck driver found dead MATTHEWS, Mo. (AP) - A truck driver found dead inside the cab of his tractor-trailer at a truck stop in southeast Missouri apparently died of natural causes, authorities said. Another truck driver passing through the Matthews, Mo., area made the discovery at the Flying J truck stop off of Interstate 55 over the weekend.Foul play was not suspected. Coroner Jimmy McSpadden said an autopsy was planned.McSpadden said no one had spoken with the man since April 27, but it wasn't...Purchase Complete Article, of 89 words

28. York News-Times (NE) - January 28, 2005 Truck driver found dead, Officials continue to investigate case YORK -- The York County Attorney/Coroner's Office and the York County Sheriff's Department continue to investigate the death of a truck driver, who was found at the Henderson interchange early Thursday morning.According to the sheriff's department, Bobby West, 64, of Sebree, Ken., was found dead in his semi truck, which was parked at the truckstop at the I-80 interchange there. Initial observations, they said, indicated that he likely died of natural...

33. Bladen Journal (Elizabethtown, NC) - December 6, 2002 Monroe man dies on N.C. 41 A truck driver was found dead of a heart attack in his turkey truck Wednesday around 5 a.m. The truck was found in a ditch at the White Lake Baptist Church on N.C. 41. Bladen County Coroner Hubert Kinlaw said the driver, Richard Grenburiz of Wingate, suffered a heart attack while returning to Monroe.Grenburiz drove for Circle S Ranch, a poultry contractor that regularly transports birds through White Lake to a processor in Duplin County.Kinlaw said Grenburiz had told a co-worker he...

Missing tractor, trailer, contractor found
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Feb. 26, 2007) — A Warren Transport missing tractor and trailer, driven by an independent contractor and the subject of an intense search between Connecticut and Eaton, Ohio, were found over the weekend at a New York rest stop.
Warren officials reported that the driver was found dead inside the cab. The officials said the driver died of natural causes.
"Our thanks to everyone who helped us get this alert out," Bryan Molinaro-Blonigan of Warren Transport said in an e-mail. "We did receive calls from a number of people with possible leads. Unfortunately the driver had passed away of apparent natural causes and was found at a rest area in New York in his truck. Again our heartfelt thanks."
— The Trucker News Service

7. Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News - January 31, 2007 Woman missing from Yuma found dead in Iowa Jan. 31 An Oklahoma truck driver who had been reported missing at 9:30 p.m. Saturday was found dead Tuesday morning in a semi trailer at a warehouse in Chariton, Iowa. Sheila Kay Ross, 47, of McLoud, Okla., was discovered around 6 a.m. by a dock worker unloading Dole lettuce from a semi trailer at the Hy-Vee grocery store distribution center. Ross was last seen Saturday by her husband exiting their semi truck at the Dole plant, 3725 S. Avenue 3E, to go to an office for paperwork, according to a...

25. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (TX) - November 25, 2006 Third body found at Texas truck stop SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Police were investigating the death of a truck driver at the same truck stop where two people were found dead earlier this month. A friend found the body of Byron Gonzales inside his big rig Thursday morning, the Bexar County medical examiner's office said. An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.Gonzales, 42, was from California.On Nov. 1, fellow truckers found the bodies of Michelle McLean and Harry Edward Ackroyd inside the cab of an 18-wheeler parked at...

Truck driver found dead in his vehicle.
From: Post-Bulletin (Rochester, MN) Date: July 29, 2006
Jul. 29--OWATONNA -- Police on Friday discovered the body of a truck driver in his vehicle after the trucking company reported the man missing.
Owatonna police received a 911 call shortly before 1 p.m. from McCarley Moving & Storage of Columbus, Ga., asking for help locating one of the company's drivers, according to a release from the police department. The driver failed to show up at that morning in north Minneapolis as scheduled. The driver's last known location was in Owatonna.

Transducer Technology Inc. and KWJ Engineering Inc. Announce New Pocket Series of Toxic Gas Detection Dosimeter Instruments for Carbon Monoxide (CO)

2007-03-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

A joint venture produces further miniaturization of toxic gas detection instruments requiring ultra low power, yet capable of an 85 decibel audible alarm, flashing visual LED alarm and vibration alarm. The nanoelectronic toxic gas instrument detects low levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and is used to protect human health compliant with OSHA and ACGIH requirements.

NEWARK, CA (PRWEB) March 12, 2007 -- Transducer Technology Inc. and KWJ Engineering Inc., both Silicon Valley companies specializing in industrial and personal safety devices, create a joint venture to deliver 1-600 PPM level nanoelectronic toxic gas detection instruments in car door opener size water and dust resistant cases. The nanoelectronic carbon monoxide detecting instrument, called Pocket CO has an 85 decibel alarm at 2 feet, a vibrating alarm, and LED warning of toxic gas. With a weight of less than 2 ounces it is the smallest known loud alarm detector/dosimeter presently available. The applications range from industrial occupational safety, first responders, vehicle operators, fire safety, inspectors, aviation, confined spaces and personal safety.

Carbon monoxide, a toxic gas both odorless and colorless, is produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels. Carbon monoxide can also be produced by the incomplete combustion of natural and synthetic products including cigarettes. Carbon monoxide can prevent the blood from bringing oxygen to the cells in humans causing serious health effects and sometimes death. Low level carbon monoxide exposure can cause chronic health conditions.

About Transducer Technology:
Transducer Technology, Inc. was founded in 1999 to provide novel and uniquely engineered ultra low power and low cost chemical sensor products using cutting-edge nano- and micro-scale materials and MEMS processing. TTI seeks to protect human health and ensure environmental safety as well as improve processing with high performance solution-driven sensor products. For more information, please visit http://www.transducertech.com/ or web search "Pocket CO."

About KWJ Engineering:
KWJ Engineering Inc. is a California corporation dedicated to specialized gas detection applications in the safety field. The Company was started in 1993 by Kenneth W. Johnson, together with his son Larry W. Johnson, to continue work in specialized types of gas detection instrumentation, after the sale of his previous company, GasTech, to Thermo Electron in 1992. Staffed by personnel experienced in the manufacture and supply of electrically operated gas detection instruments, the Company can bring together the elements needed to solve any detection problem. For more information please visit: http://www.kwjengineering.com/.

Mayor Bloomberg Discusses Fire Safety in Weekly Radio Address

2007-03-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

The following is the text of Mayor Bloomberg's weekly radio address as prepared for delivery on 1010 WINS News Radio for Sunday, March 11, 2007

"Good Morning. This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

"Today is the beginning of Daylight Saving Time - and I hope you all remembered to move your clocks one hour forward. The day is also a good reminder to change the batteries in our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors - perhaps the best defense we have against a fatal accident in the home.

"Last week, we were reminded of just how important smoke detectors are, when a fire ripped through a home in the Highbridge section of the Bronx, claiming the lives of nine New Yorkers, including eight young children. Several more family members were very badly injured in this terrible tragedy, one of the most deadly fires in recent memory. I know our prayers are with their families, who must be experiencing unimaginable pain and grief.

"Since the first hours after the fire, our Administration has been on the ground, offering whatever possible support we can. Key City agencies have been working with the Red Cross to provide food, clothing, housing, transportation, and medical services to all the victims - and we will continue to do that for as long as it's needed.

"We are also working hard to do everything we can to prevent more tragedies like this from happening. The most heartbreaking part of this story is that the blaze - like so many other fires in our city - could have been prevented. So to try to make something positive come out of this awful loss, we want to urge all New Yorkers to take some simple steps that dramatically reduce the risk of fire.

"First, when the weather is as cold as it has been lately, it's important to be careful about how we keep our homes warm. If you use a space heater, make sure it is UL-approved and operating away from your furniture, bedding, curtains, or other flammable materials. And never, ever use an oven or other kitchen appliance to heat your home.

"Candles are also particularly dangerous. If you use them, make sure they are placed in secure holders and on level, stable surfaces - and never on floors where they can easily be knocked over. Keep them away from flammable materials, and don't leave them unattended.

"The most important safety tips are those we stress every day of the year - no matter what the weather: The number one cause of fatal fires is careless smoking. So always extinguish cigarettes and cigars completely, and never smoke in bed. And again, make sure you have a working smoke detector on every level of your home - and a working carbon monoxide detector near all sleeping areas.

"Finally, if a fire does occur, get out of the house as quickly as possible - and you can help contain it and possibly save lives by closing the doors behind you. Then, use the nearest phone to call 911. Every family should develop and discuss a fire escape plan - and practice it. That's especially important if you have children. It only takes a few minutes, but it could save lives.

"Additional safety tips are available on the Fire Department's Web site, or at any one of our firehouses throughout the five boroughs. If things do go wrong, you can count on New York's Bravest, the greatest firefighters in the world, but remember: fire prevention begins with all of us in the home.

"This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Thanks for listening, and please stay safe."

Requiring Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Public Buildings

2007-03-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

The Oklahoma State Senate unanimously passes a measure designed to fight a silent killer. The bill requires carbon monoxide detectors in most public buildings like hotels, movie theaters, college dorms and more. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports supporters hope it saves lives.

Pam Manos of McAlester says there isn't a day that goes by she doesn't think of her daughter.

"Faulty heater. Went to sleep and she never woke up," said Manos.

Three years ago last January, Amanda died from carbon monoxide poisoning, she was only 20.

"It's just a huge hole in your heart. That is going to be there forever,” said Manos. “She was our only child. She was the light of our life. She and I were best friends and she had the whole world ahead of her."

Manos is part of a group lobbying lawmakers to support carbon monoxide legislation. Senate Bill 133 passed unanimously in the State Senate. It requires homes built after November 1, 2008, to install carbon monoxide alarms. Also under the measure, places like nursing homes, apartments, churches and hotels would also have to install carbon monoxide detectors.

"If nothing else, people know to have a fire detector, smoke detector and why not have this too?" Manos said.

Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas and is the leading cause of accidental poisonings in the United States. Each year it kills more than 2,000 people nationwide. The only way to detect it is with a carbon monoxide alarm.

Transducer Technology Inc. and KWJ Engineering Inc. Announce New Pocket Series of Toxic Gas Detection Dosimeter Instruments for Carbon Monoxide (CO)

2007-03-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

Gas leak sickens area man

2007-03-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

Carbon monoxide and natural gas fill apartment

22-year-old Port Huron man was taken to Port Huron Hospital on Thursday morning for suspected carbon-monoxide poisoning after firefighters found high levels of the deadly gas and extremely high levels of natural gas in his Water Street apartment.

Port Huron Fire Lt. Mark Kern said the man had been released from the hospital Thursday afternoon after being tested to determine if carbon monoxide caused him to become ill.

The owner of Sunshine Pet Grooming, 1445 Water St., a business adjoining the man's apartment, reported smelling natural gas about 8 a.m.

"(The apartment resident) was conscious, but he was feeling tired and ill, which are some low-level, carbon-monoxide poisoning symptoms," Kern said Thursday morning.

Kern said an investigation found natural gas flowing freely from an uncapped gas line in the apartment. The gas line was supposed to be connected to the man's dryer. Firefighters are trying to determine how the gas line got disconnected.

Carbon-monoxide readings reached about 70 parts per million inside the building, Kern said, which is enough to cause illness. Officials are trying to determine how carbon monoxide built up inside the apartment.

CO detectors now mandatory

2007-03-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

Bethlehem law covers buildings where fossil fuels, wood burned

All buildings in Bethlehem with fossil fuel- and wood-burning systems will be required to have carbon monoxide detectors installed thanks to a new law City Council adopted Tuesday night.

With adoption, Bethlehem became the first city in the Lehigh Valley and perhaps among the first municipalities in the state to require carbon monoxide detectors.

Most municipalities in Pennsylvania rely on the state's building code to guide building inspections. But while New Jersey, New York and Illinois building codes require carbon monoxide detectors, Pennsylvania's building code does not.

Council adopted the law, which was sponsored by members Joseph F. Leeson Jr. and Magdalena Szabo, by a 6-0 vote with no discussion. Council President J. Michael Schweder was not in attendance.

Among the items that produce carbon monoxide in homes are wood pellet and gas stoves, fireplaces, kerosene heaters and oil- and gas-fired furnaces. Buildings with these or similar items, plus any homes with attached garages, must have a detector installed under the new law. Cars also produce carbon monoxide.

Enforcement of the new law will come gradually. Inspectors plan to focus first on new buildings and home inspections of sold properties.

The penalty for not obeying the new law can be fines of up to $1,000 or 90 days in jail. [Yikes! I'd rather spend $100 or $200 on a good CO detector. It would be a bargain compared to $1000 and jail time! Check out www.transducertech.com and look at the Pocket CO. Not only will it detect carbon monoxide, but it will also keep you out of the "big house"!]

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

2007-03-07T18:31:00.000-08:00

[Utah now jumping on the bandwagon! It won't be long now until every state requires CO detectors in every residence and office building. Get yours now, www.transducertech.com, click products, then Pocket CO.]

The Ogden City Council has taken the unprecedented step in Utah of requiring every residence in the city to have a carbon monoxide detector. It is now the law punishable by a fine.

It is an intriguing, potentially life-saving approach to dealing with what has been described as a "silent killer." An incident in Ogden last year helped push Ogden City leaders to adopt the ordinance. Carbon monoxide was blamed for a man's death and the poisoning of three Ogden police officers who became ill while investigating what happened. Across the nation, hundreds die each year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.

There'll be those who will vociferously argue such an ordinance is an unnecessary intrusion of government - that the use of CO detectors should be voluntary. But sometimes the force of law is needed to awaken people to the benefits of certain life-protecting devices.

It will be worth watching what happens in Ogden as the new ordinance is implemented - to see how the community responds and what impact it has.

Meantime, Ogden's decision offers a timely reminder for all citizens regardless of where they live to take steps to protect themselves from needless harm. Installing a carbon monoxide detector in one's residence makes sense, whether required by city ordinance or not.

Conroe man found dead after house fire

2007-03-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

In Conroe a man in his late 60s or early 70s was found dead inside his home after a fire.

Investigators say the flames somehow started on the couch but didn’t spread.

Officials say the man, who was found on the kitchen floor, died of smoke inhalation.

The smoke detector that was closet to the fire was reportedly not working.

Two years ago, the victim’s wife died after a carbon monoxide leak inside that same home.

Family home contaminated with CO

2007-03-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

Can't go back until home passes inspection

CREVE COEUR -- A Creve Coeur family can not return to its home after a carbon monoxide leak contaminated the house.

The family woke up Wednesday morning to toxic levels of the gas from a furnace which had been leaking for some time.

Two adults and a 5-year-old boy became sick.

The Creve Coeur police chief says the furnace has been a problem in the past.

Chief Mike Button says the family will be issued a citation because the home did not have a carbon monoxide detector.

"The law is there for a reason we're going to enforce it fortunately nobody was seriously injured in this incident but it could serve as a lesson to a lot of people in the community that it could happen to anybody whether it's a new house or an old house," said Button.

The family can return to the home after its passed an inspection by the fire department. [So not only do they get sick, but they also get virtually kicked out of their home until it passes an inspection! I think it would have been wiser and more cost effective to have bought a CO detector like the Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com and saved themselves a heap of trouble.]

A state law requires every home to have a carbon monoxide detector.

Family Saved by Carbon Monoxide Detector

2007-03-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

It was about 4:00 a.m. when Sharron Peltier heard the carbon monoxide alarm going off. Along with her husband Paul, Sharron checked the detector they just bought two months ago and found it had a reading of about 70 ppm.

The Peltiers woke up their children and started opening windows. At that time, Paul remembered unusually high snow drifts he saw outside the day before. He says a drift piled about five feet high had covered the utility meters outside the house, as well as the furnace vents. Carbon monoxide was pouring into the house.

The Peltiers got the biggest surprise when they plugged in a detector in the basement. The reading there was up to 500 ppm. 400 ppm is life-threatening after four hours of exposure. [Actually, 400ppm is life threatening almost immediately. If you walked into a room with 400ppm of CO in it, you'd get sick within minutes. See more info about CO in this blog, or go to www.transducertech.com and look for the Pocket CO.] Had anyone been sleeping in the basement, they likely would not have made it through the night.

Carbon monoxide kills two

2007-03-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Bodies of grandmother, toddler found day after power turned off

Mary Ella Smith, 61, and Katlyn A. Smith, 15-months, were found dead inside their mobile home Tuesday night.

Richland County Coroner Gary Watts estimates they died sometime Tuesday afternoon. Watts said a gas-powered generator inside the home is the suspected source of the carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is the by-product of the incomplete combustion of fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood used in boilers, engines, oil burners, gas fires, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and open fires. It is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur when an appliance is incorrectly installed or malfunctioning or the gas is unable to escape a room.

Depending on the level of exposure, symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include nausea, shortness of breath, lightheadedness and headaches, said Assistant Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins.

“Any kind of gasoline-powered equipment, you shouldn’t run in your house because it does give off carbon monoxide,” he said.

SCE&G spokesman Eric Boomhower said the utility left a message Sunday at a phone number Smith provided. Electricity to the home was turned off Monday.

Boomhower said SCE&G cannot divulge details of the account, including how much was owed.

The woman’s daughter Ella Smith told police she, her daughter and mother had slept at the house the night before and had been running the generator in a bedroom to provide electricity.

The generator was running low on fuel. Ella Smith said she left the two at about 8 a.m. to go to work. She forced the back door open with a screwdriver after finding the doors locked about 9 p.m., according to a Columbia police report.

She discovered her mother sitting in a recliner and her daughter lying on a couch, the report said.

The home did not have a carbon monoxide detector, Jenkins said.

“This is obviously an extremely unfortunate situation, and our sympathies go out to the family of the victims,” Boomhower said.

[This is a very sad event obviously. Should they have had a carbon monoxide detector, they could have been able to get out of the house and get some fresh air. However prevention is the best measure in this case...never, ever, run a generator, use a barbecue grill, or cause any type of combustion in an enclosed space.]

County officials urge CO safety

2007-03-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

Harford County Division of Emergency Operations urges residents to take precautions to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

A carbon monoxide detector with a low-level indicator monitors CO levels in a home. [www.transducertech.com] Appliances that burn fossil fuels pose a risk of CO release.

At low levels of exposure, victims might experience mild nausea and headache. Moderate levels will aggravate symptoms, and victims might feel light-headed and have other flu-like symptoms. High levels of exposure can cause neurological damage and death.

Residents should have chimneys cleaned and heating appliances checked.

Emergency planners also encourage residents to be prepared for emergencies by having sufficient supplies on hand, and a plan in case members are separated.

CO-detector sales up after incident

2007-02-28T18:45:00.000-08:00

PITTSFIELD — As two Pittsfield residents remain in intensive care for carbon monoxide poisoning, their plight is raising awareness about how dangerous the gas can be — and how important it is to take precautions.

The public is apparently taking the cautionary tale to heart: Local hardware stores yesterday reported "significant" increases in the sale of carbon monoxide detectors.

"This is happening for all the wrong reasons," said Bart Raser, co-owner of Carr Hardware in Pittsfield, who estimated the store sold more than 100 carbon monoxide detectors yesterday — well above the daily average of one or two. "In fact, we had to pull inventory from some of our other stores to keep up with the demand."

The units have been required by law for some time, but homeowners across the state have been slow in installing them.

Fire officials estimated that only about 20 percent of local homeowners in Pittsfield have installed the devices.

Couple overcome by carbon monoxide

2007-02-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

A Portage couple was hospitalized over the weekend after lethal levels of carbon monoxide filled their home.

"They are very lucky to be alive," Portage Fire Chief Bill Lundy.

The unidentified couple was found unconscious in their home on Diane Street on Sunday morning by a neighbor, who called the Fire Department.When firefighters arrived, the carbon monoxide level at the front door was 344 parts per million. The average level in homes ranges from less than one ppm to 30 ppm, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The carbon monoxide level, which escalated to 450 ppm in the home's basement, could have been lethal, said Lundy, adding that after the couple was transported to the hospital, firefighters ventilated the home until the reading was 0 ppm.

The culprit in this case was a gasoline-powered generator the couple was operating in the basement after power went out in their home due to Saturday's storm. The couple took precautions, said Lundy, by opening a door in the basement and leaving the window in the storm door open for ventilation.

Lundy said they can only theorize that the wind might have been blowing the odorless, colorless and tasteless gas back into the home instead of ventilating it outside.

Protect yourself against a killer

2007-02-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

Remodeling their home almost killed Flor Galindo and her family. Debris and dust from their work plugged the filters on their furnace, allowing a buildup of carbon monoxide. They had a carbon monoxide detector but had unplugged it because it was in the way of their work. [But if they had a battery operated portable CO detector, it wuld have been with them all the time and they could have been alerted much sooner than after they began to see ill effects on their health. Try www.transducertech.com Pocket CO]

Generators are the usual suspect when people talk about the danger of carbon monoxide, but remodeling, a ventless fireplace, an old stove or warming up a car also can increase carbon monoxide to dangerous levels.

Galindo, a 33-year-old from Ulysses, says she and her husband, Pedro, woke up with headaches one morning in October 2005. They didn't think much of it as Pedro left for work.

"All of a sudden, my youngest, my 4-year-old, just started screaming," Galindo says. She ran into Aaron's room, saw his eyes rolling back and rushed him to the hospital, where doctors said he had carbon monoxide poisoning. She rushed back home to get her daughter, Andrea, and called her husband. "We all had carbon monoxide poisoning," she says.

By chance, their oldest son, Carlos, had spent the night with his grandparents. His bedroom is in the basement, "so he would have gotten it worse," because he was closer to the furnace. "We're very blessed that he wasn't there," Galindo says.

Firefighters who checked the house found the furnace filters completely plugged and estimated that the carbon monoxide had been building up since 2 or 3 a.m. "If it had happened earlier, we probably wouldn't be here," Galindo says.

Galindo, her husband and the two youngest children were flown to Wichita to be treated in a hyperbaric chamber at Wesley Medical Center. The treatment speeds the removal of carbon monoxide from the blood.

The family seems fine, and the children have shown no lasting effects. The Galindos are taking no chances: The carbon monoxide detector was plugged in immediately, and they added additional ones near sleeping areas. They also test them regularly.

"We were blessed in that it wasn't anything bigger," Galindo says.

Two hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning

2007-02-26T18:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a neighbor, a Pittsfield resident and his sister are alive. He found the elderly brother and sister unconscious in their house on Dalton Avenue. Both were taken to Berkshire Medical Center, but the woman was airlifted to a Connecticut hospital for hyperbaric treatment.

"We ventilated the structure, tried to find a reason for the high levels of carbon monoxide. The Pittsfield police assisted the fire department with that investigation and during the course of the investigation they found what appeared to be a plugged up chimney," said Pittsfield Deputy Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski.

The residents did not have a carbon monoxide detector in the home -- a violation of Massachusetts state law. We talked to the neighbor who found the residents, and he said he attempted to call his neighbors several times and decided to enter when they didn't respond. He said he was shocked to find them in such a severe state.

The deputy fire chief said he doesn't see cases like this one very often.

"On occasion we might have somewhat of an elevated reading, we may shut down the heating device and tell them to contact their service provider. Very rarely do we get one to this extreme where these people were very critical shape when they left the home," said Czerwinski.

Just a few weeks ago four Albany residents were taken to the hospital after a carbon monoxide leak in their home on Elk Street. And in December a Troy couple died from a carbon monoxide in their home. Deputy Chief Czerwinski said having a detector in your home is crucial.

"They do a great deal of good. Like a smoke detector they're there to save your life," he said.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, so a detector is often the only thing that can detect a leak. And if that alarm goes off, fire officials want you to give them a call immediately.

Carbon monoxide alarm saves lives

2007-02-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

A carbon monoxide detector saved the lives of several residents in a Rolling Meadows apartment building Thursday morning, fire officials said.

A gas leak set off the detector at 1:30 a.m. at 4700 Arbor Drive. Rolling Meadows firefighters arrived to find elevated levels of carbon monoxide on the first floor and high levels of the gas in the basement.

Firefighters evacuated all 30 units in the building with the help of the police department and building management. The gas leak turned out to be the result of a malfunctioning heating system in the basement.

The building was aired out with high powered fans, and the heating was shut off for the night.

There were no reported illnesses. Building management made arrangements for residents to spend the night at a local hotel.

“Carbon monoxide detectors save lives,” Rolling Meadows Fire Battalion Chief Steve Klein said.

“If the detector had not been there to go off, there would have been many people sick or worse.”

Ovens Can Be A Source Of CO Poisoning

2007-02-21T18:19:00.000-08:00

(WCCO) When we hear of cases of carbon monoxide poisoning most of the time the cause is traced to a faulty furnace or water heater. But one Minnesota couple contacted us because their story wasn't so typical. As they learned any fuel burning appliance can produce that invisible poison.

Sick For 9½ Months

It's another round of medical tests for Larry Wagner. He's happy to finally be finding answers to the unknown. An MRI scan of his heart is another in a year-long battle with health problems for him and his wife Judy.

"We both started waking up with headaches," said Judy.

The happily-married, retired couple from Byron, Minn. had been the picture of health."We were the Nordic Track people. We were out walking, we were cross-country skiing," she said.

But soon after moving into their dream home in 2005 the nightmare began."We'd be misplacing things, losing things. You know we couldn't find things," said Larry. "On two different occasions I drove to my daughter's house in Rochester and I got lost, I couldn't find my way."

The Wagners had several carbon monoxide alarms that never sounded. [It's better to get a good industrial-grade detector first, rather than several cheap ones that don't work. Think about how much more it cost them in doctor visits, blood tests, MRI's, etc. when you can get a detector currently in use by fire departments, pilots, and commercial truck drivers for $129! www.transducertech.com] They had professionals check the furnace, the gas fireplace, even the stove for gas leaks.

"We had all these symptoms, and so many things wrong, and we were not finding a cause," said Judy.

Then one morning Judy woke up and walked downstairs."It was just a split second and just everything blew in my head," she recalled. "And I remember my thought was: this is my life."

She managed to get outside and the fresh air made her feel well enough to call the local fire department.

"Immediately he said we had a major problem with carbon monoxide. And then they started searching for it," Judy said.

The Problem

After nine-and-a-half months of suffering, their search ended where they least expected.

"The guy with the fire department said well let's look at the oven. So when he turned it on and put the monitor to the oven, it shot up and was registering 400 parts per million and was still rising. And he says that would have been lethal right there and he turned it off," recalled Larry.

Four-hundred parts per million is a lot of carbon monoxide. In fact, 400 parts per million is life threatening after just three hours of exposure. Studies show you can be exposed to harmful levels of carbon monoxide from simply turning on your gas oven.

"You know, all this time, nine-and-a-half months, and we're so sick ... Doctors are all trying to be so helpful and we're having all of these tests. And not once did we ever connect it to the evenings that I was baking," said Judy.

A study by the Minnesota Department of Commerce found most gas ovens release CO when they are first turned on. (This study was designed to look into houses that were retrofitted for sound proofing near the airport. Often when you tighten a house you can cause indoor air quality problems.)

Of the 3,000 gas ovens tested, 74 percent had a CO level greater than 150 parts per million after two minutes. 25 percent had a level greater than 150 parts per million after five minutes of operating. And CO levels stayed that high while 13 percent of the ovens were on.

Todd Clarey sells safety equipment and trains fire departments on how to use it. "When you're not getting a good clean crisp burn on a fuel it gives off this compound called carbon monoxide," he said.

He showed WCCO-TV a small monitor that detects levels of CO."This is one like an EMS officer or a first responder could wear right into your home."

Clarey said all homeowners should have their gas ovens checked when they're installed or serviced."They have equipment that can test to see if there's a problem with the CO or flue which is used to getting rid of the exhaust gas and they should be testing for that," Clarey said.

Unlike other gas burning appliances in your home there is no state or national building code that requires ovens to be directly vented to the outside. So any home that is sealed up tight and doesn't have proper air flow can have problems.

Tips When You Cook With Your Gas Oven

Anytime you turn on your gas oven you should also turn on the fan above it. If your fan does not vent to the outside experts suggest you turn on a bathroom fan, anything to circulate the bad air out.

Wagner's Wait For Test Results

Judy and Larry splurged on the same type of detector used by the fire department [You can get one too at www.transducertech.com] and they've replaced their old oven.

"With this experience, no, we couldn't go back to gas. No we have a new electric oven," said Judy.

But they're worried about the long-term health effects from their chronic exposure to CO. They're seeing Dr. Tim Henry at the Minneapolis Heart Institute. He says doctors are aware of the neurological damages CO causes, but carbon monoxide really cuts off oxygen to the entire body.

"If you aren't getting enough to your brain, you're also not getting enough to your heart," said Henry.

Like identifying the invisible gas that made them sick, the Wagner's know finding answers is the first step."We're very thankful that we're alive," said Judy.

Doctors say Judy's heart looks fine. Larry has some areas of concern. We'll continue to follow their progress.

No warning of deadly carbon monoxide gas

2007-02-20T19:55:00.000-08:00

Cornwall — The elderly couple found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning Wednesday had no detector for the odorless gas that killed them.

If they had, they'd likely have survived, police and fire officials said yesterday.
The son of Joseph Lauctes, 86, and his wife, Eleanor, 74, found them dead on Wednesday afternoon. They hadn't called in more than a day so he stopped by to check on them.

They'd gone to bed and died in their sleep as the deadly gas filled their little white house on a Cornwall cul-de-sac at 12 Perry Road. Police who investigated the scene said a collapsed exhaust pipe in a wall-mounted gas heater was to blame.

By the time the Laucteses were found, carbon monoxide had filled the house to "very high levels, many times what would be considered lethal," said Cornwall fire Chief Pat Hines. But it's likely the Laucteses never knew.

"Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer," Hines said. "It's odorless, colorless, tasteless. The only way to know it's there is to have a carbon monoxide detector."

Detectors have been mandatory in any home built or sold in New York state since 2003. Older homes are not required to have one. But it's a good idea, Hines said. The detectors are readily available at department and hardware stores.

"We recommend a carbon monoxide detector in every house," he said.

On average, 500 people a year die from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It happens most often in the winter months, when people close windows and turn up heaters. It can also occur if portable generators, grills, camping heaters or kitchen stoves are used for heat.

If caught early enough, carbon monoxide poisoning can be treated. Symptoms include headaches, fatigue, nausea and flu-like symptoms.

But the key to catching it, experts say, is a simple, battery-powered detector. [www.transducertech.com]

Outages lead to carbon monoxide poisonings, fires

2007-02-20T19:48:00.000-08:00

Three people who used a charcoal grill indoors to keep warm were hospitalized with severe carbon monoxide poisoning last night as the county continued to recover from the Valentine's Day ice storm.

The carbon monoxide poisonings occurred at 309 Center St. in the Allen Apartments complex. Firefighters were called to the address at 7:37 p.m., said Lt. John Bowes, a city Fire Department spokesman.

Once inside, they found three victims with carbon monoxide levels of 160 parts per million, Lt. Bowes said. Anything above 35 parts per million is considered lethal. [And that is when most alarms FIRST sound...at the lethal range. Wouldn't it make sense to have an alarm go off at a lower level so you can get fresh air BEFORE it hits lethal range? Try the Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com.]

The victims had been using the grill all day, Lt. Bowes said. The most seriously injured victim was a 37-year-old female who was barely conscious. The other two - a 22-year-old male and a 48-year-old male - showed signs of poisoning.

The trio was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Firefighters offered to transport other Allen Apartment tenants to the emergency shelter, but no one wanted to go, Lt. Bowes said.

He reminded the public not to use anything to heat their homes that wasn't designed for heating, and generators should be kept away from the home so exhaust doesn't seep in. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless.

Cold leaves area firefighters battling fire, ice

2007-02-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

When an arctic blast bombarded Fond du Lac earlier this month, area firefighters responded to several blazes that were indirectly caused by individuals trying to cope with the bitter cold.

Weather plays a big part in winter fires, said Capt. Nick Sphatt of the Fond du Lac Fire Department.

Fireplaces, wood burners and other heating devices used to warm up spaces have been known to start fires.

Other problems occur when furnaces are running overtime, causing possible carbon monoxide buildup in homes, Schmitz said.“Every home should have a CO (carbon monoxide) detector,” he said.

Officials will know in coming weeks if carbon monoxide contributed to the deaths of two sisters, ages 10 and 11, who died in a rural mobile home fire in Shawano County, according to Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers.

Carbon Monoxide, Crafty Killer, Spreads Quickly

2007-02-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

SEATTLE -- Local doctors are calling it the worst epidemic of carbon monoxide poisoning in the history of the United States.

As many as 1,000 Western Washington residents became ill during this winter's wind, rain and snow storms, and more than half a dozen died, including an entire family in Burien.

All fell victim to a crafty killer.

Just a week before last Christmas, neighbors and friends of a Burien family were shocked to learn that everyone in the house had collapsed overnight.

Four were found dead. One died a few weeks later. All succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning following a terrific windstorm that knocked out power to more than one million people in the Pacific Northwest.

The culprit? A gas-powered electric generator running non-stop in the family garage.

"You know, I can't believe people die," said a family friend.

Tammie and Wayne Fagerlund can believe it. His doctors say Wayne Fagerlund was within minutes of dying in the same December storm.

Concerned about damage to his wholesale nursery near Yelm, Fagerlund had decided to ride out the windstorm in a trailer.

Then, the power went out.

Faced with a dark, cold night, Fagerlund fired up his gasoline generator.

What he didn't realize is that he placed it in a deadly spot.

"During the night (a) little trap door opened up, so fumes went up in there. The bed is … directly above where I had the generator," he said.

As the generator droned on, he began to develop a headache.

"I didn't put the two things together," he said. "I think I was getting a little rummy from the carbon monoxide, too, but it didn't click that this could be carbon monoxide poisoning."

He was found by his worried wife the next morning. She was horrified by what she saw.

"He was (lying) on the bed, just totally prone with his arms straight, his legs straight, his head up, his mouth open, his eyes open and was totally unconscious," she said. "It was like, 'Oh, my gosh. He's dead!'"

Tammie called for help.

"The first thing the medics said was, 'Turn off the generator, open the windows and get out of here.' You know, they took one look at him and said, 'carbon monoxide,'" Tammie Fagerlund said.

He was flown to the hyperbaric chamber at Seattle's Virginia Mason hospital.

He underwent immediate treatment to replace the carbon monoxide in his bloodstream with highly-pressurized oxygen.

The chamber saved Wayne Fagerlund's life, and the lives of 70 other patients brought here during that storm, suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.

We asked the Shoreline Fire Department to demonstrate how quickly carbon monoxide can weaken, then kill.

The department started a single generator in its large and airy training center.
Firefighters use sophisticated breathing gear and carry a sensitive carbon monoxide detector any time they suspect danger.

In our test, that danger began within minutes.

Right now, it's reading 46 parts per million and climbing and our alarm goes off at 37. [37? That's way to high to just then sound the alarm...as you can see when you continue reading from there it can hit the hundreds very quickly. A good, low-level CO detector is needed here. Wonder if they know about the Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com. It's small enough for them to clip onto their belt, pocket, or lapel so carrying it is a non-issue. There really is no excuse for not having one.]
Within just 20 minutes the detector passed the century mark, making this firefighter glad this was only a test.

"Right now, it's at a real lethal range, right now," said a firefighter.

Lethal, because as Wayne Fagerlund learned, carbon monoxide is odorless and invisible. In short, it's an extremely crafty killer.

"People aren't aware of it because they can't smell it, they can't see it, and at some point they start to lose their judgment and it can kill them," said Shoreline Fire Marshal Mark Bunje.

It's a lesson Fagerlund wants everyone to learn.

"Don't think you're safe," he said.

You can become safer by following a few simple precautions:

If you must use a generator, place it outside, well away from any enclosed living spaces.

Never burn charcoal or propane inside your home or garage.

And install carbon monoxide detectors on every floor. As we've seen, it's easy to get sick or even
die from carbon monoxide, but it's a deadly danger that can be prevented.

Detecting carbon monoxide

2007-02-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

[Here is one (of many) personal experience with carbon monoxide and CO detectors. Great real-life story with thankfully a happy ending!]

This is an excerpt from a personal e-mail I sent to friends and family with regard to a personal experience. I am sharing it in the hopes that it can and will potentially save lives.

I went home for lunch one day. As I approached the back door, I could hear a high-pitched sqealing noise. Thinking it was our smoke detector, I walked through the house with my hands over my ears. Main level and basement detectors checked out fine.

As I climbed the staircase to our second floor, the noise was deafening. It was our carbon monoxide detector. We've had it for eight to 10 years. We had plugged it in and never really given it a second thought. Thinking it was a problem with dust, I unplugged it, blew into it, hit the reset and plugged it back in. Voila - no more noise.

I called the Cambridge Fire Department to be on the safe side and they explained to me that I had done the right thing (vacuuming the unit is preferred). If it started to beep again, I was to call back immediately. I went back downstairs to the kitchen and made lunch. About 10 minutes later, I could hear audible beeps coming at regular intervals.

I called the fire department and explained my situation. At this point, it was advised that I leave the house immediately and close all doors behind me. They would send a crew as soon as possible. They also advised I take any pets with me. I briefly thought about my son's lizard, but felt the -18 C would have been a far worse fate. The dogs, oblivious to my concern, thought they were going for a midday walk. They were disappointed to only stand and wait in the driveway.

Not five minutes later, the fire deparment arrived (thankfully without lights and sirens). As one of the firefighters walked up the driveway, he gave the furnace vent a knock and some ice fell out. The furnace vent had been replaced three years ago, along with a new boiler. They proceeded into the house to take readings.

Sure enough, the numbers indicated carbon monixide was present. Not seriously high numbers, but a safety concern nonetheless. Had they continued to rise undetected throughout the night, we may not have woken up in the morning.

The house was aired out and the levels monitored. It was felt that the ice build-up on the vent was enough to cause the carbon monoxide to not vent properly. For once, having a century home was a blessing - the drafty basement had allowed for some ventilation in the basement.

One needs to remember that this gas is odourless. Symptoms include headaches and nausea, and are often passed off as a bug. If you're asleep, you can't recognize the symptoms.

A huge thank you to Cambridge Fire Department - saving lives on a daily basis through action and education.

Sandi Nicholls Hill
Cambridge

Family taken to hospital after discovering dangerous fumes in home

2007-02-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

HAVERHILL - Two adults and four children were taken to the hospital yesterday afternoon after a faulty heating unit at 104 Portland St. emitted enough carbon monoxide to cause a CO detector to sound.

Deputy fire Chief Brian Moriarty said a 911 call was placed at 2:06 p.m. by residents from the apartment reporting that a carbon monoxide alarm had sounded. He said firefighters from the 16th Avenue fire station were dispatched, along with an ambulance.

Moriarty said he also went to the apartment and when he arrived the adults and children were "awake and alert."

"They were transported to Merrimack Valley Hospital for evaluation," he said. He would not provide the names of the affected adults or children, saying they are protected by privacy laws.
Police were not called to the scene, so they did not have the victims' identifications.

Firefighters who responded brought meters that test the level of the colorless, odorless and poisonous gas in parts per million. Acting fire Chief Rick Borden said the meters indicated a "significant" level of carbon monoxide.

Moriarty said the gas company was contacted and that workers arrived at the house and shut down the heating system in order to service it. He said he was not sure if it was a gas or oil heating system. [Doesn't matter...either one can emit CO if malfunctioning.]

The other apartments in the building were determined to be safe.

Madla's widow pushes fire detector bill in Austin

2007-02-15T19:37:00.000-08:00

[Joining the ranks of Illinois, Minnesota, and Alaska, Texas is now the lastest addition to the number of states proposing a mandatory carbon monoxide detector law. As I said in previous posts...it's only a matter of time before the whole country has them. It would be best to get a good one now before prices skyrocket! Try the Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com.]

Many in San Antonio were shocked after learning that state Sen. Frank Madla, his granddaughter and mother-in-law were killed in a fire last year.

From those deaths, some hope lives will be saved through a new law proposed Wednesday in Austin.

It was Thanksgiving night when it happened. Sparked by candles left burning, fire tore through

Helen Madla's home, taking the lives of her husband, mother and granddaughter. Helen barely survived herself.

Today, she was joined by state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, as she proposed a law that will require all homes built or sold after Jan. 1, 2008 to have a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm.

Classes resume in Jenkins after leak

2007-02-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

[I think the words "tragedy averted" just does not sum it up properly, but this could have been MUCH worse than it was! Read below...]

Jenkins Hall classes will resume Wednesday after Friday's carbon monoxide leak.

All classes in Jenkins Hall will meet at regular times and rooms Wednesday, Rosalyn A. Templeton, executive dean of the College of Education and Human Services, said.

Classes in Jenkins Hall have been displaced to other buildings since last Friday's carbon monoxide leak in the boiler room.

"The boiler has been repaired and a new boiler is to arrive in the next six days," Templeton, said. Mark Cutlip, Physical Plant director, said it is safe for students and faculty to return to Jenkins Hall.

"The carbon monoxide levels were low in the boiler room and were not even detected by the carbon monoxide detectors," Cutlip said.

The carbon monoxide levels in last Friday's leak were only detected by an air quality test. [THIS is why getting a good, low-level CO detector is so vitally important. They more than likely had one of those $20 or $40 ones you can find in virtually every hardware and grocery store. Check out www.transducertech.com for a good, accurate, low-level CO detector. Think about it this way...spend the money to get a high quality detector now, or be faced with problems like these over and over again, costing much more in the long run.]

Jenkins Hall does not have carbon monoxide detectors on its main floors.

The only detector is located in the boiler room, which would be the first place carbon monoxide would need to be detected, Cutlip said.

"That monoxide detector is monitored 24 hours," he said. "It can check the levels before monoxide goes up to the main floors."

Carbon monoxide detectors are installed in the newer buildings around campus because of safety and fire codes.

Hard freeze coming

2007-02-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

[More surprising than the fact that the Florida Panhandle is getting freezing cold weather is that this article actually has to remind people to NOT use charcoal grills INDOORS!! And yes, obviously, if you've been visiting this blog for a while you know my stand on getting a carbon monoxide detector. But for those of you who are new, let me sum it up for you...GET ONE! It just may save your life and/or the lives of people you care about. Click the top link to the left for Tranducer Technology, Inc. They make a really good one!]

Officials with Santa Rosa County Emergency Management are urging residents to prepare for a hard freeze which is likely to occur Thursday night and Friday morning in the Florida Panhandle. Cold weather safety actions:

-- Stay indoors and use safe heating sources.
-- Keep space heaters and candles away from all flammable materials, such as curtains and furniture, and install smoke detectors.
-- Do not use charcoal or other fuel-burning devices, such as grills that produce carbon monoxide, indoors. Install a carbon monoxide detector.
-- Say dry and in wind protected areas when outdoors.
-- Wear multiple layers of loose-fitting clothes.
-- Drink plenty of liquids and eat high-calorie foods.

More help needed on poison gas safety

2007-02-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

GAS suppliers and mortgage and insurance companies are being urged to fund a nationwide campaign about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

And people caught breaking the law doing dodgy work on gas appliances which lead to serious injury or death must face harsher punishments.

The plea came at the launch of a major campaign in Kirklees warning of the dangers and how to avoid them.

The campaign - three years after the death from carbon monoxide poisoning of 10-year-old Fartown boy Dominic Rodgers - will see his photograph on buses across West Yorkshire.

Carbon monoxide detector saved family's life

2007-02-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

February 8, 2007 - It was as close a call as you can get, and live to tell the tale. Back from the hospital Wednesday afternoon, the Wilsons, an Ohio family of five, faced the reality of having been poisoned by a lethal dose of carbon monoxide from a broken furnace.

A check of the family's old carbon monoxide detector mistakenly showed it was working, but still Alyson Wilson knew something wasn't right.

The family's new carbon monoxide detector started going off right away. The fire department showed up and told the family to get out.

For now, the Wilsons are relying on a kerosene heater until a new furnace can be installed. The carbon monoxide detector that saved them now has to be replaced because it became so saturated with the high carbon monoxide levels in their home. [and that's because they had one of those $40 or $50 CO detectors...if you buy a better carbon monoxide detector in the beginning, you don't have those saturation problems, saving you from having to replace the whole detector over and over again. Check out the Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com, no saturation problems, and they even have a 2 year warranty on the whole instrument.]

Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

2007-02-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

Every year thousands of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning. It is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas called "The Silent Killer." It is the number one source of accidental poisoning deaths. Symptoms of poisoning include headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue.

More than 80 percent of homes contain an item that poses a carbon monoxide threat. Your furnace, kerosene space heater, wood stove, fireplace and water heater may all produce deadly levels of carbon monoxide. Therefore, it is vital that you have a professional perform maintenance annually. Signs that your furnace may not be functioning safely include an orange flame or blocked ventilation.

In addition to having a professional check each of these, you should be sure an emergency cut-off switch and carbon monoxide detector are present on each level of your home, especially near your bedrooms.

Divine Truth, a Journeyman Certified HVAC Technician from Atlantic Heating & Cooling, prefers carbon monoxide detectors with a digital display. The digital display allows you to identify increases in carbon monoxide levels early. Thus, you're able to remedy the problem before levels become poisonous. [Pocket CO has digital display, and a range of 0-600ppm]

If you carbon monoxide alarm sounds or you have develop symptoms of poisoning, call 911 immediately and seek fresh air outside of your home. Once emergency officials arrive, they will identify the source of the carbon monoxide and ensure that your home is safe before you go back inside.

Poorly parrot helped save family’s lives

2007-02-12T19:02:00.000-08:00

A FIFE FAMILY told yesterday of how their pet parrot saved their lives as their home filled with deadly carbon monoxide fumes.

Already groggy from the gas, it was only when they noticed 10-year-old cockatoo Georgie had been sick that they realised something was seriously wrong.

The family of three from Dalgety Bay, who have asked not to be named, called the emergency services and collapsed just as the ambulance arrived.

Another few minutes and they would almost certainly all have been dead.

They had such a close brush with death they have urged everyone to make sure their home is fitted with a carbon monoxide detector.

The drama began on Saturday morning when the family woke up feeling unwell. Not realising there was anything seriously wrong they went back to bed to try to sleep it off.

The husband told The Courier, “I woke up with a really bad headache and so did my wife and daughter. We went back to bed for a couple of hours.”

Later that morning he got up and as he pottered about in the kitchen his wife stayed in bed. She noticed the parrot, who has a perch in their bedroom, had been sick.

“I thought he might have choked on a pecan nut, so I made sure he’d brought everything up,” she said. The next minute she began to shake.

When her husband came back in to the bedroom he began to realise something was seriously wrong.

He shouted to their daughter, who was in her bedroom. “She never appeared,” he said. “She just told me, ‘I can’t move.’

“I looked at the parrot and he had his beak open, as if he was gasping for air and he’s never ill.

“That’s when I thought, ‘I’m ill, my wife’s ill and my daughter’s ill: it must be gas.’

“By this time I had a really bad headache and my chest was sore, so I grabbed the phone and called the ambulance. I thought I was having a heart attack.”

He was told to put his wife, who had passed out by that time, into the recovery position.

“It was difficult to think straight, but I managed to open the bedroom window and went to open the back door,” he said.

“By this time my head’s like it’s coming off and the pain in my chest was really bad. It was like walking on cotton wool...I couldn’t feel my feet on the floor.”

The ambulance arrived and, just as he let one of the paramedics in, he collapsed in a heap in the hall.

Their daughter, who is a nurse, was on the point of collapse and was trying to crawl out of her room. She had realised something was seriously wrong and sent a text message to her sister asking for help.

Her sister thought it was a joke at first, but jumped in her car and drove to the family home from Edinburgh. When she arrived she saw the ambulance and fire engines outside her parents’ house and immediately feared the worst.

Her parents and sister were carried out of the house and put in the ambulance.

The level of carbon monoxide in the house was so bad that within minutes of the emergency services arriving and going into the house the crew had begun to complain of feeling dizzy as well.

The family were rushed to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline where they were detained overnight for observation.

They were given oxygen, and samples were taken at regular intervals to check on the level of carbon monoxide in their blood.

Eventually they were allowed home and re-united with Georgie. All three are convinced they owe their lives to the cockatoo.

“If it hadn’t been for him sitting there with his beak open we’d all be dead,” the man said. “It’s amazing, we all owe our lives to a bird.”

They are still trying to get to the bottom of what happened. Their heating engineer has been round to check their boiler and can’t find anything wrong with it.

The device is only 10 years old and gets serviced each year.

One theory is that Saturday morning’s unusually high winds may have caused the fumes to blow back into the house.

The one thing they do know is they’ll be getting a carbon monoxide detector fitted as soon as possible, and have urged others to do likewise. [Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com or www.quantumfields.com]

“I didn’t even know such things existed,” the woman said. “If I’d known, I would have had one installed.

“I think everybody should have one of these things.

“Carbon monoxide is odourless and tasteless and your life could be over before you know about it. If we’d been asleep we would have been dead.”

Her husband added, “You hear about things like this, but you never think it will happen to you, but we found out the hard way it can.”

Carbon monoxide detector once again proves to be life-saver

2007-02-12T18:59:00.001-08:00

''This family is very, very lucky,'' said Elyria Fire Department Capt. Joe Pronesti, and he couldn't be more correct.

He was speaking earlier this week about the Wilsons on Southwood Drive, a family of five who came out OK after being treated for accidental carbon monoxide exposure.

Their good fortune should be a safety reminder for the rest of us about the need to have working carbon monoxide detectors in our homes, as well as smoke detectors.The Wilsons had a carbon monoxide detector, and its alarm prompted them to call the fire department, which was exactly the right thing to do.

Each year, accidental carbon monoxide poisoning kills about 500 Americans and sickens several thousand more, according to state safety officials.Pronesti said a furnace vent pipe in the Wilson home froze, preventing the deadly gas from escaping to the outdoors. Instead, the carbon monoxide began to accumulate inside their house.

Carbon monoxide, called the ''silent killer,'' is colorless, odorless and without taste. When people breathe it, the carbon monoxide latches itself tightly to the key spots in red blood cells where oxygen normally is supposed to ride on its life-sustaining journey to vital organs.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning mimic the flu, so it can go unsuspected. The Wilsons told firefighters that they had been feeling sick for about a week.As carbon monoxide begins to build up in the bloodstream, people experience symptoms that can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, weakness, chest pains and confusion, eventually leading to loss of consciousness, coma and death, safety officials note. Lethargic victims, don't realize they're in danger and just doze off, never to awaken.

Carbon monoxide is a product of combustion and is found in the fumes given off by cars, trucks, small gasoline engines (like those that run mowers and portable generators), stoves, lanterns, gas ranges, burning charcoal, fireplaces and wood stoves, safety officials warn.

Frigid winter days ahead mean families need to follow winter safety precautions that include proper use of carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors.

Carbon monoxide detector once again proves to be life-saver

2007-02-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

Carbon monoxide likely killed girls in Shawano fire

2007-02-12T18:56:00.000-08:00

Two sisters killed in a fire at their rural mobile home on Monday night likely died of carbon monoxide poisoning, Shawano County Coroner Mike Jesse said today.

A blood sample he took from one victim showed a 65 percent carbon monoxide level. That means they might have died in their sleep from inhaling lethal fumes. Further details are expected this afternoon when autopsies on the girls are finished, Jesse said.

Services are Friday for Maria Garcia-Case, 11, and Jacqueline Garcia-Case, 10. They died in the fire at their home at N3118 Spruce Road in the town of Belle Plaine, about seven miles southwest of Shawano.The girls were home alone when the blaze was reported at 11:40 p.m.

Their mother, Cheryl Case, 33, who had been at work, and her boyfriend, Christopher Ruehle, 27, were heading home when the fire was reported. They arrived shortly after firefighters. Case told investigators she called the girls about 9:30 p.m. Monday and they were getting ready for bed.

Investigators said a wood-burning stove in the basement was the only heating system in the home and may be linked to the fire, but the investigation isn’t done, Steve Conradt, chief deputy of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.

Conradt said today Case told investigators the home had a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide detector that were working when checked two months ago.The girls apparently had been sleeping upstairs when the fire erupted.

Their bodies were found in the basement, the upstairs floor having collapsed into the basement.

2 Die From Possible Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

2007-02-12T18:55:00.000-08:00

PHILADELPHIA -- Two 65-year-old women were found dead Thursday in a Roxborough home, and police believe they were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.

The husband of one of the women found them at about 9:15 a.m. in the house on the 200 block of Rock Street, police said.

One woman was in the living room, the other was in a bedroom.
Police found nothing suspicious at the scene and said neither woman showed signs of trauma.

The Fire Department said firefighters determined fumes were involved but had not yet established if they were carbon monoxide.

State lays down law on carbon monoxide alarms

2007-02-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

[Yet another state makes CO detectors mandatory! At this rate all 50 states will have a law like this on the books by the end of 2008.]

You can't see it. You can't smell it. But potentially fatal carbon monoxide may be seeping out of the appliances that keep many Juneau residents warm.

Since Jan. 1, 2005, state law has required carbon monoxide alarms in houses and apartments with carbon-based fuel appliances, such as furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves and water heaters.

This year, the law will be fine-tuned and is being written into state safety codes.

The codes will be clearer than the current law and will detail what kind of homes are required to have the detectors, according to Mahlon Greene, a spokesman for the Alaska Division of Fire Prevention.

"Before, state statute said you had to have them in all required structures," Greene said. "It was kind of vague. This breaks it down, explaining what every little part of it means."

Details in the proposed codes include the following: At least one carbon monoxide detector will be installed on each floor of houses with a "combustion appliance" or an attached garage. If a
floor level contains a bedroom, at least one detector must be immediately outside the bedroom.

The alarms, which cost about $70 locally, should be installed next to rooms containing boilers, water heaters, furnaces and other carbon-based heating appliances, or inside a house near the garage door.

Exceptions are made for houses with electrical appliances and apartment complexes with carbon heating equipment located in a room separate from the building.

A set of proposed codes are being analyzed by the Department of Law and will be sent to a legislative committee for approval, Greene said. The final approval comes from the lieutenant governor.

The 2005 law was driven by the death of a family of five in Anchorage, Greene said.

"They had a fairly new home, but the entire family died of carbon monoxide poisoning," he said.

Juneau has not had deaths linked to carbon monoxide recently, Fire Marshal Rich Etheridge said. He and some volunteers have gone door-to-door in past months to educate people about alarms, especially fire alarms.

"For the most part, people are becoming more compliant," Etheridge said.

The need for compliance is vital due to the difficulty of detecting carbon monoxide. The gas can build up quietly before causing flu-like symptoms and death.

"It's colorless and odorless, so you don't know you have it without a detection device," Etheridge said. "If you wait for symptoms, it may be too late."

Family member has nose for heroics

2007-02-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

Leadville

They sure don't make carbon monoxide detectors like they used to.

Take the one owned by Debbie Bailey and Jay Roberts. It still works flawlessly despite being 11 years old. Today's detectors have a life span of only five years or so. But this one, well, it most definitely saved the couple's lives a few weeks back, awakening them at 2 a.m. as their home filled with the lethal gas.

Roberts jumped out of bed, called the fire department and opened the door of the 19th-century brick home. And the carbon monoxide detector raced down the hall, dashed outside, ran in circles in the snow and would not come back in.

With today's models, of course, all you get is a loud siren.

The couple's carbon monoxide detector on that frigid early morning of Jan. 19 was Bebe, their brown-and-white, floppy eared Springer spaniel.

"She started making whining noises and pacing back and forth in our bedroom from my side over to Jay's side, over and over," Bailey said. "She never behaves like that. I woke up. And I had a terrific headache."

The couple, accompanied each step of the way by Bebe the wonder dog, gave a visitor a tour of their beautiful home last week, a three-story house built in 1890. It is nestled among shops and businesses along Colorado 24 - the main street through this village that rests in the mountains at a lung-whacking 10,200 feet.

Nice kitchen. Quaint bathrooms. Majestic living room that looks out over the historic town. Cozy bedroom.

"And up there," said Bailey as she opened a door that led to a set of narrow stairs, "is our casket-viewing room."

Perhaps we should have mentioned that Bailey is the Lake County coroner. And the couple's home in this old mining town is part of the Bailey Funeral Home.

They almost became customers.

In the tiny cave-like basement of the home sits a boiler system that heats the house. A natural-gas fire beneath a tank of water sends hot, moist air upward through ducts into each room. The colorless and odorless fumes from the burning gas are vented into a chimney to the outside.

The brick-and-mortar chimney was built with the home in 1890. Unlike today's chimneys, it was not lined with metal. Over the decades the porous chimney decayed from the inside and crumbled to dust, slowly sealing off the escape route for the killing fumes.

New detectors not plugged in

At about 6 a.m. on Jan. 18, the electronic carbon monoxide detector in the home sounded. It was several years old. Roberts thought it had malfunctioned. His wife bought two new detectors that day.

The next night they settled in to sleep.

The two new carbon monoxide detectors, unopened, sat on a desk downstairs.

"We didn't think to plug them in," Bailey said.

After midnight Bebe's pacing grew more intense. Her whining grew louder. Bailey and Roberts awoke with headaches. They took Tylenol. Roberts let Bebe outside. She did not want to come back in.

"I'm telling her, 'C'mon in. It's 10 below zero,' " Roberts said. "She was acting strange."

A moment later he remembered the previous morning's carbon monoxide alarm. Roberts rushed downstairs, opened one of the new detectors and plugged it in. The siren went off. The digital readout stopped at 999 (parts per million) - the detector limit.

Carbon monoxide at 800 ppm can cause convulsions within 45 minutes and a coma within two hours.

Roberts called the fire department. Downstairs, near the boiler room, the department's carbon monoxide detectors soared to 1,200 ppm, a level that can cause death within three minutes.

The firefighters, Bailey and Roberts rushed outside where Bebe still sat. The couple had raging headaches and nausea.

The utilities company shut off the gas. Firefighters opened windows and doors. A gigantic fan blew the gas outside. The chimney was cleaned and later that day was able to safely vent the gas up and out of the home. This week a stainless steel sleeve will be fitted into the chimney.

Hero gets prime rib

But at 4 a.m., just two hours after Bebe awakened them, Bailey and Roberts were down the street, lying side by side in St. Vincent's General Hospital. They spent several hours breathing oxygen until the carbon monoxide levels in their blood dropped to a safe level.

During those hours Bebe was curled up in the cab of the couple's pickup truck in the hospital parking lot.

"A nurse kept going out and running the truck for a few minutes and bringing heated hospital blankets to keep her warm," Bailey said.

That night, with the house safely vented, Bebe ate prime rib.
In between all the patting.

"We had another Springer spaniel. Bonny. She was 13. She died more than a year ago," said Bailey, who was elected last November to her second term as county coroner. "She and Bebe were best friends. Since Bebe has been alone she sleeps with us. Most of the time right on the bed."

Said Roberts: "She'd been breathing the carbon monoxide most of the day and she must have been sick. I think at 2 a.m. she said, 'Enough is enough.' "

The couple sat on a sofa in their living room the other day, framed by the huge old windows that have brought the sparkling light of the Rocky Mountains into the home for 117 years. Bebe sat between them.

"It took us a while to think about it. Maybe a day or so," said Bailey, her right hand resting on her dog's back. "But then it scared us. It hit us that without Bebe, we really could have died that night."

[Well...(tongue in cheek) it's not recommended that you use a Springer spaniel as a carbon monoxide detector...they obviously can be harmed by too much CO too. A good detector is the more sensible alternative. You can try the Pocket CO at www.transducertech.com or www.quantumfields.com. It's $129 plus shipping...considerably less than the cost of a dog plus food and accessories and chewed up shoes over the course of 11 years.

It's nice to hear a more light-hearted story about CO for once, rather than all the tragedy that occurs on an almost daily basis because people don't think CO will affect them. Buy a good detector...as soon as possible.]

Diligence with appliances cuts carbon monoxide risk

2007-02-05T19:26:00.000-08:00

When it comes to carbon monoxide, what you can't see can hurt you.

A colorless, odorless, toxic gas produced by the incomplete combustion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels, carbon monoxide can be present when appliances that burn gas, oil, kerosene or wood are in use. Electric appliances do not produce carbon monoxide.

Dangerous or deadly levels of gas are produced when these appliances — including room heaters, furnaces, charcoal grills, cooking ranges, fireplaces and water heaters — are not installed, maintained or used properly or when they are used in poorly ventilated areas.

In fact, injuries due to automobiles running in closed garages make up the largest number of carbon monoxide-related calls conducted by Metro Fire Department, district chief Charles Shannon says.

Almost 5,000 people are treated at U.S. hospitals for carbon monoxide poisoning each year, though experts think the number of actual poisonings is much larger, because people mistake the symptoms — dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea and irregular breathing — with a fever-less flu.

To complicate matters, poisoning can result with none or few of these symptoms. In these cases, an overexposed person or animal simply "falls asleep" and never regains consciousness. That's why carbon monoxide is called the silent, cold-weather killer.

Best defense is detectors - [www.transducertech.com or www.quantumfields.com - Pocket CO]

Luckily, preventing carbon monoxide poisoning is as easy as keeping all fuel-burning appliances in good working order and installing a detector. They are readily available at home goods stores and easy to install, Shannon says.

Additionally, the American Industrial Hygiene Association offers these safety tips:
• Properly install and maintain any carbon monoxide-producing appliances and keep up with inspections.

• Vent appliances according to manufacturer's instructions.

• Periodically hire a qualified technician to do preventive maintenance on central and room-heating appliances.

• Keep chimneys and flues free of blockages, corrosion and loose connections.

• Vented and unvented kerosene and gas space heaters should be cleaned and inspected regularly.

• Rooms where unvented gas or kerosene space heaters are used should be well-ventilated, with doors or windows open, especially at night.

• Don't turn on a vehicle in a closed garage, even to warm it up on a cold morning.

• Stay alert for conditions that may indicate carbon monoxide leakage: signs of rusting or water streaking on vents and chimneys; soot on internal or attic spaces; loose or disconnected vent/chimney connections; and debris or soot falling from chimneys, fireplaces or appliances.

• Install a carbon monoxide detector with an alarm near bedrooms and test weekly. Considered the best defense against poisoning, these devices sound off when they detect toxic concentrations

Carbon monoxide detectors provide measure of security

2007-01-31T11:09:00.000-08:00

In July, an 81-year-old Cape Girardeau woman passed out at her kitchen table and died, the victim of carbon monoxide sucked into her home through an air conditioner attached to her garage. She had left the car running and forgotten about it.

In January 2006, thirty-two inmates in F-pod of the Cape Girardeau County Jail were evacuated when the inmates -- and shortly thereafter their jailers -- began complaining of headaches and nausea. Unusual winds caused heating vents to malfunction and carbon monoxide was sucked into the jail.

When ice storms struck Missouri in December, dozens of people in the St. Louis area forced to use portable generators or alternative heat sources were treated at hospitals for carbon monoxide poisoning. Two people died trying to heat their home by burning charcoal in a cooking wok.

Whether such incidents represent most of the problem from carbon monoxide, or CO as it is commonly known, or just the tip of a much larger problem, no one in Missouri can really say. From 2001 to 2006, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said 265 carbon monoxide poisonings were reported in Missouri, including 148 deaths. The reports range from a low of 14 in 2005 to more than 90 in 2002.

One difficulty for the health department employees who track carbon monoxide poisonings is spotty reporting. "State law says they are supposed to be reported, but there's no penalty," said Randy Maley, an environmental health specialist with the department.

Illinois, which reported nearly 1,200 carbon monoxide poisonings in 2006 alone, imposed a new law Jan. 1 requiring all homes and apartments to have carbon monoxide detectors within 15 feet of sleeping quarters. An 89-year-old Woodstock, Ill., woman who purchased a detector Jan. 2 credited it with saving her life four days later when the flue from a furnace boiler malfunctioned.

The Illinois law was a priority for firefighting agencies around the state, said Patty Thompson, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Fire Marshal. No door-to-door inspections will be conducted, she said, but when local firefighters respond to a dwelling they will check for working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If they are absent the homeowner will be given a warning. If the detectors are not installed by the time of a follow-up visit the owner of the dwelling faces a fine of up to $1,500 or six months in jail.

Missouri has no such law, and Cape Girardeau doesn't require carbon monoxide detectors in homes in its ordinances. Such a law would be difficult to enforce, fire chief Rick Ennis said, and he's not sure a local ordinance would be any more effective than public education efforts.

Cape Girardeau firefighters respond to an average of seven carbon monoxide incidents each year, Ennis said.

"It is a good idea to have them," Ennis said. "It becomes difficult when you are talking about private residences to start requiring them. No matter how good an idea it is, it is a heck of a fight."

Ennis said his home has gas heat, a gas fireplace and a wood-burning fireplace. All are potential sources of carbon monoxide, a gas released by the incomplete combustion of almost every burnable fuel. The gas is odorless and colorless, which means detecting it requires a mechanical device.

Ennis has a carbon monoxide detector in his furnace room and one in his living room near the door leading to the garage.

Unlike smoke from a fire, which rises because it is warm, carbon monoxide is likely to disperse through the atmosphere indoors, Ennis noted. That means a carbon monoxide detector can be placed conveniently and use an electrical outlet.

A detector with a plug "is the simplest, easiest device," Ennis said. "But if you lose your power, you better have a battery backup." [Pocket CO is battery operated and small enough to put anywhere or even carry with you wherever you go]

Carbon monoxide detectors [alarms only] available at area hardware stores range in price from $24 to $50. Some available at Elias Ace Hardware on North Kingshighway sound an alarm when readings rise, while others show the concentrations of the gas. [Only a good detector will be able to show you concentration and a really good one can show you exposure ofer a period of time, they can sell for up to $800 but the Pocket CO, which can do all of that, sells for $129 at www.transducertech.com and www.quantumfields.com] Normal levels of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere shouldn't register any readings.

Fred Elias, owner of the hardware store, said he has sold 40 detectors in the past month, some as a result of publicity about the new Illinois law and some as a result of news reports about carbon monoxide poisonings following the ice storms.

Elias credits the detectors in the home of a friend with saving him from carbon monoxide poisoning. "I was spending the weekend in St. Louis, and the CO detector woke us up," he said.

"He had a gas fireplace, and it was either putting CO off or taking oxygen out of the air."

Elias has two detectors in his home, one in the furnace room and one near the bedrooms. "I'm a fairly careful person."

The state health department education program hits a higher gear in winter months, when people use furnaces that haven't been operated during warm weather or try to make it through a power outage. "Unfortunately, we think people should understand these things and be aware of the danger," Maley said. "Then somebody leaves the car running in the garage and someone ends up dying. And sometimes it is as crazy as someone smoking turkeys in their basement.

"Our job is to remind people that everything that burns gives off carbon monoxide, and they need to be aware of that," Maley said.

Arundel carbon monoxide leak hospitalizes 5

2007-01-31T11:07:00.000-08:00

Five people were hospitalized this morning after being exposed to potentially harmful levels of carbon monoxide in a Ferndale home, an Anne Arundel County fire official said.

A carbon monoxide detector in the home at 102 Ferndale Road went off about 10:40 a.m., and emergency crews found two women, ages 51 and 46, two men, ages 55 and 20, and a 16-year-old boy suffering from headaches and nausea, said Lt. Russ Davies, a fire department spokesman.

Tests revealed readings of 120 parts per million of carbon monoxide on the first floor of the home and 900 parts per million in the basement, which can be lethal during a short period of exposure, Davies said. A reading of 30 parts per million typically sets off a detector's alarm.

Two of the victims were sent to Maryland Shock Trauma Center and three were sent to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Davies said. Their conditions were not available.

Carbon monoxide safety devices vary

2007-01-31T10:46:00.000-08:00

Q How effective are carbon monoxide (CO) alarms seen in stores? What should I look for when buying a CO alarm?

A There are two types of devices. The terms "CO alarm" and "CO detector" (or CO monitor) are often used interchangeably, but the units are quite different.

CO alarms are designed to sound an alarm when CO levels become life-threatening. They do not provide information about chronic low-level exposures, which are known to be harmful.

A CO detector or monitor, on the other hand, will provide information about low levels, generally under 30 parts per million (ppm), and sound an alarm at life-threatening levels. [like the Pocket CO] (There is no standard for safe levels of CO in homes. [REALLY?? Here are some indoor air quality standards from two national agencies...

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) established recommended ventilation rates for indoor environments in 1973. ASHRAE amended this standard in 1975 to specify the minimum value of 5 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of outdoor air per person be used in building design. This standard has been incorporated into the building codes of many cities and states. The 62-1989 standard recommends a minimum of 15 CFM of outdoor air per person for offices (reception areas) and 20 CFM per person for general office space with a moderate amount of smoking. Sixty cubic feet per minute per person is recommended for smoking lounges with local mechanical exhaust ventilation and no air recirculation.

NIOSH ( National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) recommendations:
• 250-350 ppm
normal outdoor ambient concentrations
• 600 ppm
minimal air quality complaints
• 600-1,000 ppm
less clearly interpreted
• 1,000 ppm
indicates inadequate ventilation; complaints such as headaches, fatigue, and eye and throat irritation will be more widespread; 1,000 ppm should be used as an upper limit for indoor levels
These levels are only guidelines. If carbon dioxide levels exceed 1,000 ppm it does not necessarily indicate that the building is hazardous and should be evacuated. Rather this level should be used as a guideline that helps maximize comfort for all occupants.] The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standard for outdoor air is 9 ppm over eight hours.) Health authorities caution that long-term, low-level CO exposure should be avoided, especially by pregnant women, children and those with heart and lung disease. A CO detector/monitor also alerts occupants to a developing CO problem, so they can take steps to prevent a crisis.

CO detectors/monitors can be difficult to find; most retailers stock only CO alarms. That's because nine years ago Underwriters Lab (UL) changed the standard, turning away from monitoring and toward the less-sensitive alarm.

The change was spurred by a desire to reduce the number of nuisance calls to utilities and first responders. Some health authorities argued that the change would eliminate information about chronic low-level exposure.

Another reason for the wide use of CO alarms is a new Minnesota law that requires only minimum protection, installation of a CO alarm, in new construction. (The law will extend to existing housing next year.) But it doesn't preclude higher levels of protection.

When buying CO protection, remember that minimal protection is better than none at all. Then consider who's in your home and how much information you want. If your household contains pregnant women, infants, children, senior citizens, people with heart or respiratory problems, or if you want to be alerted to a developing CO problem, invest in a CO detector/monitor.

Several sites on the Internet sell the monitors [www.transducertech.com or www.quantumfields.com]

If minimal protection is what you want, then buy a CO alarm. Look for one that meets the UL standard (usually indicated on the box), has a long-term warranty and can be self-tested and reset.

A basic, off-the-shelf CO alarm costs $20 to $50. Other alarms sells for around $90 and CO monitors, with a higher level of protection, can sell for up to $800, plus shipping and handling. [Pocket CO is only $129]

Whether you buy an alarm or a detector/monitor, it's a good idea to write the date on the device when you install it so you know to replace it in five years (or when recommended by the manufacturer).

Remember these are back-up devices and should not be relied upon exclusively. The first line of defense against CO is to make sure that all fuel-burning appliances operate properly, including water heaters. Have the heating system (including chimneys and flues) inspected each year.

Jakobsson To Hold Carbon Monoxide Detector Drive

2007-01-31T10:41:00.000-08:00

[Now you can purchase a Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com or www.quantumfields.com and get tax write-off if you donte it to this worthy cause, or one like it in your area. If there is not one in your area you can be assured there soon will be! Even if you do not donate and just keep it for yourself or give it to a loved one, you can see how important having a good carbon monoxide detector is.]

CHAMPAIGN – State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, D-Urbana, will announce at a press conference on Monday, January 29 at 9:00 a.m. in her district office, 206 N. Randolph, Suite 120, Champaign, a carbon monoxide detector drive to assist those families who need the detectors but cannot afford them.

“Carbon monoxide detectors are just as important in a home today as smoke detectors,”

Jakobsson said. “Unfortunately, some families cannot afford to buy these detectors, so our community will work together to purchase the detectors and donate them to those in need. I urge everyone in the area to open up their hearts and their wallets and buy a detector next time you go shopping.”

A new law effective January 1 makes it mandatory to have a carbon monoxide detector in every home, and each homeowner and landlord is responsible for the purchase of the detector. With winter heating season in full force, this is the time of year when many furnaces and heaters malfunction and emit deadly carbon monoxide throughout households. The donated detectors will be collected for the next two weeks at participating stores and then will be distributed to homeowners on fixed or limited incomes, seniors and those with disabilities shortly after.

“Our community has been so generous in the past with book drives, toy drives, food drives and the like, so there is no doubt in my mind that the success of this drive will be no different than previous ones,” Jakobsson continued. “We want to get these detectors into homes right away, not just because it is the law, but because we want folks to be safe.”

Present to accept the first detector and kick off the drive will be John and Roni Replogle of Champaign.

Participating are Champaign Firefighters Local 1260, the Champaign Fire Department, Urbana Firefighters Local 1147, Urbana Fire Rescue, the City of Champaign, and the City of Urbana. Businesses participating in the drive and sites for drop off are Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, and Meijer.

For more information about the drive, please contact Jakobsson’s office at 373-5000, the City of Champaign Fire Department at 403-7212, or the Urbana Fire Rescue Services at 384-2420. To request a detector or to let us know about someone in need, call the City of Champaign Neighborhood Services Department at 403-7070 or the City of Urbana Community Development Services at 384-2447.

Encounter drives carbon monoxide alarm warning

2007-01-31T10:38:00.000-08:00

DALLAS - Beverly Hite was never on television before Sunday, and she said would have kept it that way if it wasn't for her dangerous run-in with carbon monoxide.

After an alarm warned her Wednesday morning that dangerous levels of carbon monoxide were in her home and endangering her family, Hite said she felt she should tell her story as a warning for others.

"It was one thing if I lost my life, but when I think of a one-and-a-half-year-old and a preemie at that," she said.

Hite said she wasn't feeling well that cold morning and turned up the heater, which is powered by natural gas. Soon after turning up the heat, an alarm sounded.

"It said something like carbon monoxide, leave the area," she said.

A repairman quickly arrived on the scene. Hite said as she watched him, she could see shock come across his face.

"He got this look on his face," she said. "He was very shocked. He said it was the highest level he had ever seen in a home. He said, 'You are very, very blessed.'"

The detector saved not only Hite's life, but she believes it saved her grandchild's life as well.

"I get kind of emotional when I think about that," she said. "Not only was his life saved, but my daughter's [as well]."

Hite went to her computer after the incident and began e-mailing friends and strangers alike to emphasize a carbon monoxide detector [Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com] can be life-saving piece of equipment.

"I have a lot of responses," she said. "People say, 'I don't have one, but I'm going to get one.'"

As for Hite, she said she is purchasing another one just to be safe.

Get in the know about CO

2007-01-29T10:21:00.000-08:00

[This is a great story...even kids are getting into the fact that carbon monoxide is more dangerous than most people realize]

The Carl W. Goetz Middle School in Jackson, N.J. proves that you’re never too young to teach others about safety.

The 1,300 students of Goetz have launched an ambitious educational campaign about the dangers of carbon-monoxide poisoning. Better still, the students are holding a series of fundraisers to provide free carbon-monoxide detectors to as many nearby homes as possible.

The initiative began last year, after a seventh grader died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator in his home. “We wanted to know why and why he didn’t have a detector,” said eighth grader Kassandra Brady. At the same time, she said, her fellow students wanted as many homes as possible to install CO detectors “so this won’t happen again.”

Under the tutelage of computer technology teacher Deborah Potter and several other teachers, Goetz students made brochures, banners, and video commercials to educate the community about CO poisoning with the catchy slogan “Get in the Know about CO”.

They’ve already held a student-faculty volleyball tournament (the teachers won) and a raffle for a prime parking spot. So far they’ve raised $1,700, but hope to get more money through donations and other planned fundraisers. In the spring, they plan to distribute CO detectors on a first-come, first-serve basis.

That’s a big goal, considering the town has about 20,000 households. But many homes — particularly those with Goetz students — already have detectors.

Eighth grader Jillian Nicholl said she now checks her home’s CO detector “about every two to three months” to make sure it’s working.

Before the Get in the Know campaign, Nicholl said she didn’t have “a clue" what CO was — or what the detector was for. [many adults are the same way about CO]

Beware of carbon monoxide

2007-01-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

Winter emergencies often create unique problems that can turn deadly if not managed properly.

One such emergency is carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. While not exclusive to only wintertime emergencies, it often occurs during power outages, when people are trying to stay warm inside. Remember the “don’ts”:
• Don’t idle the car in a garage, even if the garage door is open.
• Don’t use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short while.
• Don’t use a charcoal grill or camp stove inside, even in a fireplace.
• Don’t sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.
• Don’t use any gasoline-powered engines in enclosed spaces.
• Don’t ignore symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, particularly if more than one person in the house is feeling them: headache, drowsiness, and burning eyes.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause loss of consciousness, and even death.Carbon monoxide detectors, widely available in stores, should be considered a back-up, not a replacement, or proper use and maintenance of fuel-burning home appliances.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, different types of CO detectors vary in reliability, and are not generally considered to be as reliable as home smoke detectors.[unless you get a good CO detector like the Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com]

If the CO detector alarm goes off:
• Make sure it is your CO detector and not your smoke detector.
• Check to see if any member of the household is experiencing poisoning symptoms.
• If they are, get them out of the house immediately and seek medical attention, telling the doctor you suspect CO poisoning.
• If no one is feeling symptoms, ventilate the home with fresh air, and turn off all potential sources of CO — your oil or gas furnace, gas water heater, gas range and oven, gas dryer, gas or kerosene space heater, and any vehicle or small engine.
• Have a qualified technician inspect your fuel-burning appliances and chimneys to make sure they are operating correctly and that nothing is preventing the fumes from being vented out of the house.
©Ozarks Newsstand 2007

Beware the silent, winter danger

2007-01-29T10:13:00.000-08:00

By Jennifer Meyer, Times Staff Writer
01/26/2007

It's a killer, empowered by ignorance.

A chemist could explain to us the complexities behind carbon monoxide's lethal potency, how the gas delays oxygen delivery from the lungs to body tissues and why children, who breathe more rapidly than adults, die sooner when exposed.But even scientists say we need just a few facts, a short list of "don'ts" to save our lives from the deadly gas we can't smell or see.

First on the list? All cases of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning are readily preventable, according to a report from the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Be especially vigilant in winter, keeping in mind two principal sources of CO - an inefficient or faulty-operating furnace and exhaust fumes from gas-powered vehicles, said Melanie Smith, public information officer for the La Vista Volunteer Fire Department.

When temperatures alternate between warm and cold, as they have done this winter, furnaces run inconsistently and therefore, less efficiently, she said. Because carbon monoxide is a byproduct of incomplete combustion, blocked flues and faulty furnace or duct repair work can hike the gas to toxic levels. Watch for initial symptoms of poisoning such as dizziness, nausea and a headache that circles the head like a headband, Smith said.

"Carbon monoxide is measured in parts per million, and you start feeling sick at levels of 150 to 250 parts per million.[actually much less than that especially over an extended period of time]"Even more frightening, according to the AIHA, is the fact that CO victims may experience none of these warnings and may simply fall asleep, never regaining consciousness.

The La Vista Volunteer Fire Department has responded to 10 carbon monoxide calls since Jan 1 of this year, Smith said."Approximately 60 to 70 of our calls each winter deal with carbon monoxide," she said. "It's a mix of detectors going off , where we'll go in and find low levels of CO, or we respond with a rescue squad because someone's not feeling well and when we get there, we find the whole family sick, an indication of high CO levels."

As part of their standard procedure, firefighters enter a carbon monoxide scene in full gear, exactly as they would with a fire, Smith said."At a measurement of 20 parts per million, we suspect CO and call the gas company to check the gas line," she said. "We usually let the professionals handle that end of the problem."

Exhaust fumes from the garage in winter can jeopardize oxygen levels as well. "Even if you turn the car off, but shut the garage door immediately without giving the space a chance to air out, CO gets trapped and can seep into the home - for example, if the door leading from the house into the garage is left open," Smith said. "A simple remedy is to leave the garage door up for a few minutes after turning off the car."

Power outages pose another menace - think carefully before you use a campfire stove, a kerosene space heater or a gas fireplace for the first time."These are huge potential problems for carbon monoxide," Smith said. "Open a window as a precaution if you use them. Older homes tended to be drafty so that helped, but now houses are so tightly sealed there's nowhere for the gas to escape."

Modest-sized homes should have at least one CO detector. "If your home has three floors, you should have a detector on the main floor and certainly have one on the floor with the furnace," she said. "Other good spots are near a gas fireplace and a hallway close to the garage."

A bad battery, dust, pet hair or a draft can cause the detector to emit false alarms. [especially if they are low-quality like the $30 ones you find at Home Depot and other retailers. See www. trasducertech.com for info about their Pocket CO]

Since accurate measurements of CO depend on undisturbed air, place detectors in low-traffic areas and don't install one near the furnace, she said.

Carbon Monoxide Detector Saves Man's Life Twice

2007-01-26T11:43:00.000-08:00

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. -- A Sun Prairie man said his life as been saved twice by a carbon monoxide detector.

Like many, Bill Forest said he put off installing carbon monoxide detectors in his home, but he said he is thankful every day that he eventually did.

"About 5:30 in the morning this alarm went off and I was so groggy and tired I don't know how much of it was lack of sleep and how much of it was the carbon monoxide," Forest said, recalling the first time the detector went off.

That time, the hot water heater was responsible for the toxic gas. The power company said it was amazed at the levels the family had been exposed to.

"(The power company) said, 'It's really bad in there. He said you guys really should not have awakened. We should have just hauled you out of there dead,'" Forest said.

Less than a year later, Forest said a remodeling contractor broke furnace pipes and carbon monoxide was in their home again.

"That was our second time in one year that little baby (the detector) probably saved our lives," Forest said.

Lori Wirth, with the Madison Fire Department, said carbon monoxide is very difficult to detect in a home without a carbon monoxide detector.

"We have recorded several saves just this winter, and it's something that we obviously believe very strongly in because carbon monoxide poisoning is so difficult to detect any other way," Wirth said.

Wirth said the winter months are the worst for carbon monoxide dangers, especially during power outages during winter storms. The department recommended that everyone have a detector in at least the sleeping areas of their home. Forest said he now has six in his house because he doesn't want to take any chances.

"I have two granddaughters, you bet I feel lucky," said Forest. "They were both born this year and we wouldn't have them if it hadn't been for that."

The Madison Fire Department offered some tips for buying a good carbon monoxide detector for homes.

Fire officials recommended getting a detector with a minimum of 85 decibels so it will be loud enough to wake a family when it goes off. They said that hard-wired detectors are good, but recommended having a battery backup so it can still be used during a power outage. [Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com or www.quantumfields.com has both battery and 85 dB alarm as well as many other features]

Carbon monoxide in house; four hospitalized

2007-01-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

Four adults were taken to area hospitals Wednesday after apparently suffering carbon monoxide poisoning in their south Sacramento home.

Firefighters were called to the scene after one of the occupants of the home in the 7900 block of 36th Avenue began to faint, said Capt. Jim Doucette, Fire Department spokesman.

They found four adults, ages 20 to 82, who were vomiting and complaining of headaches, Doucette said. Two were having fainting spells and one had been vomiting since Sunday.

Firefighters evacuated the home and shut off the gas and electricity.

The Hazardous Materials Team found high levels of carbon monoxide in the home, in addition to the presence of natural gas, Doucette said. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. workers also responded.

Department officials warn people who smell gas in their home and are suffering similar symptoms -- headaches and nausea or vomiting -- to open their windows and call 911.

Blocked vent to blame in Stony Point carbon monoxide poisoning

2007-01-24T19:08:00.000-08:00

STONY POINT - An accidentally blocked ventilation pipe was to blame in the carbon monoxide poisoning of a family Saturday.

Building Inspector William Sheehan and a fire inspector investigated the incident on Stubbe Drive.

Sheehan said yesterday that it appeared the cap of a vent for a gas-fired water heater had been blown off by high winds and that the homeowner had put it back himself.

"When he put it back on, he forced the pipe down on top of the heater and eliminated the air gap between the vent and the boiler," Sheehan said. "The boiler was not properly venting, which allowed carbon monoxide to come into the house."

Four members of the family were taken to Nyack Hospital for non-life-threatening exposure to carbon monoxide [a tragedy avoided for sure!]. They were later taken to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, which has a hyperbaric center.

When police arrived, they found a child lethargic, incoherent and nauseous. Later, two other children and a parent began showing signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Stony Point Fire Department ventilated the house. The Stony Point and Haverstraw ambulance corps also responded.

Police said there was no carbon monoxide detector in the home, as is required by county law.

County Fire Coordinator Gordon Wren Jr. said yesterday that the incident illustrated the importance of installing carbon monoxide detectors in homes.

Carbon Monoxide and Homeowners Insurance

2007-01-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

The following are excerpts from the Insurance Information Blog posted by jumpajoe:

You can get some discount [on homeowners insurance] without help of any insurance agent as some home insurance companies provide discount on the basis of your home security system. So by installing home security equipment( from the insurance company s associates) like home video camera, fire alert, burglar alarm, carbon monoxide detector and smoke detector you can get discount up to 10%.

And who doesn't want a discount on their homeowners insurance? Pocket CO is the answer! You can take it wherever you are in your house and put it anywhere you want to leave it so you never have to worry about finding a plug (some cheap ones are plug in) within 11 feet of a bedroom or hardwiring one into your home's electrical system (lots of time and money). www.transducertech.com

After carbon monoxide death, chief urges detectors in homes

2007-01-24T18:45:00.000-08:00

MANSFIELD -- A Jan. 11 buildup of carbon monoxide that killed a Mansfield woman in an apartment house could have become a major tragedy.

Mansfield Fire Chief Jim Welch said residents of three other apartments could have been overcome and perished if one resident hadn't awakened.Mary J. Pond, 52, died of carbon monoxide poisoning on Jan. 11 in the 41 E. Wellsboro St. apartment she shared with Donald Hall. Hall woke up and found Pond unconscious in an apartment bathroom early that morning. Police and firefighters awakened and evacuated residents of the building, several of whom showed effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.

"If those CO levels had continued to build and (Hall) hadn't awakened, the other residents could easily have succumbed," Welch said. "That was the first really cold night where the boiler would have been running almost continuously. Conditions were perfect.

"Carbon monoxide levels in the basement, near the boiler, reached 700 parts per million. In Pond's apartment, the level measured 450 parts per million -- after a firefighter had opened a window. Toxicity begins at 50 to 80 parts per million [toxicity actually begins as soon as it hits your bloodstream, at 50-80ppm you're seeing some serious effects, at 700ppm it would be a matter of minutes before you would pass out] .Even at those low levels, exposure can be fatal over a relatively long period of time."

Carbon monoxide accumulates in the bloodstream [it attaches to and blocks your cells from carrying oxygen]," Welch said. "It produces flu-like symptoms. People think they have the flu, because it's that time of year. Instead of getting out of the house to go to work in fresh air for eight to 12 hours, they stay at home, and it gets worse.'

"Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless -- but easily detectable. Welch said the solution to a potentially fatal problem is easy."

Anyone who has a gas-fired electrical appliance that requires venting should have a carbon monoxide detector," he said. "It's that easy."They cost $25 to as much as $800 [Pocket CO from www.transducertech.com is $129], depending on the model, brand and features. And they [the cheap ones-see below] are available in just about any hardware or department store. The detector sounds an alarm when the carbon monoxide in room air reaches a predetermined level [usually too high (25-30ppm) for standard home detectors]-- before it becomes toxic. [at those levels it already is...and if you've been exposed to say 24ppm over a longer period of time (overnight for example) the alarm won't go off, but you're still going to see serious effects, headache, nausea, unconsciousness...a more sensitive detector is needed, i.e. the Pocket CO.]

"Carbon monoxide poisoning isn't that uncommon, unfortunately," Welch said. "It can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. The answer is to get a detector, and to have your furnace inspected regularly. That just makes sense from an energy efficiency standpoint, too."

Winter Camping & LP Use in RV's

2007-01-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

Well the cold winter months are here and I thought this would be a good time to talk about your RV’s LP gas system, since it is the primary source for heating your RV.

LP gas is a camper’s best friend. It provides us with warmth on a chilly day, hot water to shower with, cold food in the refrigerator and the capability to cook on the road the same way you do when you’re at home. When we need it it’s there, instantly providing us with all of the amenities and creature comforts we are accustomed to. We don’t even think about it; it’s taken for granted that when you push that button, like magic it responds to your demands.

The best source for heat in your RV is to use the forced air furnace. There are a couple of things you need to be aware of when you use the RV furnace. First of all it will consume more LP gas than any of the other LP gas fired appliances. The LP tank or cylinders should be full before leaving on your trip, and you will need to monitor the LP gas supply carefully during your stay. Second, if you are not plugged into an electrical supply the furnace fan can quickly drain the auxiliary battery(s). Batteries that are not fully charged in cold temperatures can freeze, resulting in not being able to use the RV furnace. I recommend that you plan your stay where you have access to an electrical supply when camping in cold weather. When we travel in cold weather, and are plugged into electricity, we set the forced air furnace on a low setting, around 55 or 60 degrees, and supplement the heat with a thermostatically controlled ceramic heater. These heaters work extremely well and you don’t need to be concerned about a fire or carbon monoxide.
Caution: Carbon monoxide is deadly. You cannot see it, taste it or smell it. NEVER use your range burners or oven as a source of heat. If your RV is not equipped with a carbon monoxide detector you should purchase a battery operated model [www.transducertech.com look for Pocket CO under products] designed for use in RV’s. Always test the carbon monoxide detector for proper operation before each trip.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Kills 3 in N.H.

2007-01-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

Berlin, New Hampshire - January 18, 2007

The three people were found dead in this house on Demers Street, a little before 8:00 Wednesday evening.

They were identified Thursday afternoon as 75-year-old Henrietta Robbins, 54-year-old Donald Robbins and a 15-year old boy -- who a family friend says was Donald Robbins' son.

When firefighters arrived on the scene they reported a black soot coating the windows. The victims, along with two dogs, were found unresponsive in the house. A local artist who goes simply by the name Nash stopped by the home Thursday afternoon to pay his respects to his friend.

"Very loving man all he wanted to do was live peacefully he already served his country he loved his mother he loved his son and he loved life," says Nash.

State fire investigators have determined that a improperly vented boiler contributed to the cause of death which at this time is not being released.

What is your life worth that's what I tell people when I go out and do talks is your life worth nine bucks what is it that you are willing to give up for your own safety," says Asst. Chief Robert Goodrow.

Assistant Chief Goodrow is Berlin's fire prevention officer. He works with the local community to educate about the importance of having working carbon monoxide detectors in homes. He offers these tips to the public:

First and foremost -- install a carbon monoxide detector [www.transducertech.com]. After all, it could save your life.

Maintain your heating system regularly. Faulty ones often cause carbon monoxide leaks.

Also never heat your home with your oven.

Never leave your car running inside your garage.

Family suffers carbon monoxide poisoning

2007-01-22T19:08:00.000-08:00

CORPUS CHRISTI - A Corpus Christi family learned first hand why carbon monoxide is called a silent killer, after an incident on Wednesday that could have easily ended in tragedy.

Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, yet potentially deadly. According to authorities, some roofing materials got caught in a ventilation pipe, which blocked the carbon monoxide from getting out and forced it back inside a local famiy's home.

Corpus Christi paramedics arrived at the home at the Buccaneer Apartments around 12:30 p.m. The family was complaining of headaches and dizziness. All three were quickly put on oxygen and taken to the hospital, after crews detected a high level the gas.

Luckily, this is something from which a person can easily recover. The family should be okay after getting plenty of oxygen back into their systems.

Fire officials said it doesn't always end like it did Wedneday.

"They generally become unconscious, and no one is there to rescue them," Fire Marshall Andy Cardiel said.

Words of a 30 Year Disaster Burn Specialist

2007-01-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

The following is a post from the RadioReference.com forums...this was the last post of a very long thread proving that carbon monoxide poisoning is very real and is a bigger problem than most people realize...

From experience, I've learned that not all CO detectors are created equal plus where you place them is quite important.

1. Some won't go off until the CO levels are at IDLH levels and others will activate for flatulence two rooms away. Morale: Buy the good ones. [go to www.transducertech.com and look at the Pocket CO for a good detector]

2.If the detector is placed too close to to stoves and other combustion devices, they activate easily and not representative of true CO concentrations in the living space.

3. Yes! There are dummies who burn charcoal inside during the winter. We've responded to some nitwit who was using his BBQ in the living room! There are others who use the fire place without insuring that the chimney is open and cleaned. [Can you believe this?!?!]

Cliffnotes Version: Avoid the cheap detector kits. Place them where should be located. Use common sense for surviving the winter. When in doubt about any of the above, talk to your local fire company BEFORE the fire occurs. The life you save could likely be the firefighter's.

Carbon monoxide law is a lifesaver for one family

2007-01-22T18:55:00.000-08:00

A Naperville landlord is crediting a new state law with saving the lives of a family in one of his dwellings.

As of Jan. 1, carbon monoxide detectors must be installed within 15 feet of every bedroom in nearly every Illinois home and apartment.

So, when he made his rounds to collect his tenants' rent on New Year's Day, Jim Freier, property manager for ERA Naper Realty, installed those devices in the apartments he manages.

As it turned out, one of the detectors he installed that day likely saved the lives of Maria Teresa Flores and her three children.

"The first night I had the carbon monoxide detector, it started beeping, and I was so scared," Flores said.

She got out of bed and called her friends, asking what to do, and they instructed her to immediately call both Freier and 911. She did just that, then, on the advice of the 911 operator, awoke her kids and, after opening every window, evacuated the apartment, standing pajama-clad in the cold morning air, waiting for help to arrive.

With an ambulance and the Naperville Fire Department en route, Freier called Kohler Heating and Air Conditioning, which arrived on the scene in 20 minutes and confirmed that the apartment's furnace was faulty. Apparently the furnace filter had not been changed and, since it was starving for air, the heat exchanger cracked. The cracked heat exchanger was leaking carbon monoxide.

It was silently killing the Flores family, said Freier.

Flores agreed.
"You don't see it, you don't smell it, but you really do feel it," she said.

Carbon monoxide detectors required

2007-01-18T18:14:00.000-08:00

I guess it would pay...literally...to get a good quality carbon monoxide detector. You'll see what I mean when you read the article below. Also look at www.transducertech.com and check out the Pocket CO. It is a great CO detector for those looking for one that actually works well, and not one of the $20 detectors from the grocery store. With CO detectors, you truly do get what you pay for.

(KIRKSVILLE) Kirksville City Council members voted 4-0 (Councilman Tim Crist was not present) Wednesday night to require all homes that have an attached garage or heat sources that produce carbon monoxide to have carbon monoxide detectors.

In December 2006, seven Kirksville residents in the same home died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Those are the most memorable incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning in recent history, but Kirksville City Manager Mari Macomber told KTVO that incident did not necessarily inspire the ordinance. According to memo by the city code administrator, "The council, as a public safety measure, wishes to alert residents to carbon monoxide exposure by early detection."

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is sometimes called "the silent killer" because there is no way to know that one is being exposed without a detector.

Penalties for violating the ordinance include misdemeanor charges and, in some cases, a fine of up to $500.

Carbon monoxide calls surge with detector use

2007-01-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

(Boston Globe) A Wayland family returned to their Bayfield Road home in October to an unwelcome surprise: Their newly installed carbon monoxide detector was sounding its alarm.

Firefighters who rushed to the scene found that the air in the home contained 205 parts per million carbon monoxide, a potentially deadly level.

The family suffered no injury or illness from the gas, which firefighters traced to an improperly installed heating unit. But without the detector, they might not have been so lucky.

"If you stay in that long enough, you're not coming down to breakfast," said Fire Chief Robert F. Loomer.

Nine months after a state law required carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in most residences, such calls are becoming more common, according to fire chiefs across Boston's western suburbs. They said they believe the detectors are improving people's health -- and sometimes saving their lives.

From April to December 2006, fire departments statewide fielded 4,737 carbon monoxide calls, according to preliminary state figures. That was a 44 percent increase over the 3,281 calls received in the same period a year before. The state is still tabulating 2006 calls, and the increase is likely to be even larger than 44 percent, said state fire marshal's spokeswoman Jennifer Mieth.

Unintentional deaths from carbon monoxide in motor vehicle exhaust: West Virginia

2007-01-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

Here's an abstract of a study done in 1989!! about carbon monoxide deaths in West Virginia. It was published in the American Journal of Public Health ; Vol/Issue: 79:3. Research done by the West Virginia Department of Health, Charleston.

"We investigated the circumstances of unintended carbon monoxide deaths from motor vehicle exhaust. Of 64 episodes involving 82 deaths investigated by the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 1978-84, 50 occurred outdoors in older vehicles with defective exhaust systems and 14 occurred in enclosed or semi-enclosed home garages. We suggest increasing public awareness of the hazards of motor vehicle exhaust and enforcing vehicle inspection regulations."

And to this day, there is little or no regulation of carbon monoxide in vehicles, even though they knew there was danger almost 20 years ago. It's up to the individual to protect themselves it seems. Truck drivers, RV owners, boat owners, etc. need to be aware of the dangers of this...as you read, most of the deaths occurred OUTDOORS, not in an enclosed space! See www.transducertech.com for information about the Pocket CO, a portable CO detector.

Another Avoidable Tragedy

2007-01-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

The moral of this story...don't wait until a tragedy happens to pretect yourself and your family from carbon monoxide poisoning. Get a detector for your home, car, anywhere. The Pocket CO is the only convenient, affordable, and totally portable CO detector on the market...it's about the same size as your car door opener on your keychain. You can carry it anywhere with you...in your purse, on your keyring, clip it to your car sun visor. It would pay to check it out. www.transducertech.com.

Marge and Terrance Kuhn thought many times about buying a carbon monoxide detector.

"We looked at them and said, '$25, oh well,' " said Marge Kuhn, 58, of Plum.

Then, in May, Terrance Kuhn, 57, accidentally left his 2003 Cadillac running in the garage and the Kuhns became victims of carbon monoxide poisoning.

She survived; her husband died 13 days later. The county Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death accidental.

The next month, Marge Kuhn bought a carbon monoxide detector.

"I never dreamt of something like this happening," she said.

Cases such as theirs have prompted five states -- Illinois, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Connecticut -- to enact laws requiring carbon monoxide detectors in homes and apartments.

Automobile exhaust, combined with inadequate ventilation, is responsible for two-thirds of fatal accidental carbon monoxide poisonings. Faulty heating equipment accounts for nearly another third.

Family in Ohio Treated for CO Poisoning

2007-01-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

EUCLID -- Three adults and four children are recovering from carbon monoxide poisoning.

The family was rushed to the hospital Thursday from their home on 232nd Street in Euclid.Although all seven are expected to recover, fire officials say their story should serve as a reminder of the importance of having a CO detector.

Every year, more than 200 people die in the United States from CO poisoning.The colorless, odorless gas causes people to feel nauseated and get a headache. Many then pass out. Some even die.

To learn more about the dangers of carbon monoxide, read more below. To find a good carbon monoxide detector, visit www.transducertech.com.

Carbon Monoxide Precautions

2007-01-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a bigger problem than most people think. Read below...

(WTNH-ABC News) _ Carbon monoxide is responsible for poisoning, and in some cases killing, hundreds of Americans each year.

When the sun goes down, the risk goes up for carbon monoxide poisoning as homeowners try to stay warm.

"Every year we lose about 500 Americans to carbon monoxide fatalities and more than 15,000 are arriving in emergency rooms," said Dr. Howard Frumkin of the National Center for Environmental Health.

Experts say faulty gas furnaces cause more problems than anything else.
"Consumers really need to take the time to have that furnace inspected to make sure there are no leaks," said Julie Vallese of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Portable generators placed too close to a home are also dangerous. You can not see carbon monoxide gas and you can not smell it, but it causes serious symptoms.

"When you begin to get carbon monoxide exposure you have headaches, nausea, some vomiting and disorientation. As it progresses some people pass out and lose consciousness. They can even progress to death," said Dr. Frumkin.

A simple blood test can determine the level of exposure. The Centers for Disease Control recommends battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors. (www.transducertech.com) If the alarm goes off, get out of the house, breath fresh air and dial 911.

Deaths Could Have Been Prevented

2007-01-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

On Dec. 17, 2006, seven members of the Kirksville population lost their lives because the duplex they rented did not have a carbon monoxide detector.

These deaths could have - and should have - been prevented.Almost three years ago, the Kirksville City Council passed a piece of legislation known as the Rental Housing Ordinance, which required all landlords in Kirksville to have their rental property inspected by city codes officials. Inspectors would have helped ensure that all rental units met certain safety standards. One precaution inspectors would have checked for was carbon monoxide detectors. The now-defunct Rental

Housing Ordinance ultimately came about after six Truman students were hospitalized in 2002 from exposure to dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide in their rental house, which did not have a carbon monoxide detector. Columbia, Mo., also has a similar city rental safety ordinance, passed more than 15 years ago after a college student there died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide, sewer gas poisoning real threat as cold weather nears

2007-01-10T16:16:00.000-08:00

Try the Pocket CO...it can be installed anywhere in your house and it's so small you'll never even know its there...until the 85dB alarm and the LED warning light start to go off! And then it's time to vent the room and call a professional to see what the problem is. http://www.transducertech.com/products/pocketco.html

With a spell of sub-zero weather marching toward the Aberdeen area this week, it's timely to guard against poisoning from carbon monoxide and sewer gas.

That was the advice Tuesday from Mike Thompson, fire marshal with the Aberdeen Fire Department.

The department typically gets more requests for carbon-monoxide checks during a cold snap, he said.

"So it's likely we'll get more calls this week," he said.

Sub-zero lows are expected Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Furnaces work harder in bitter cold weather, and a poorly maintained furnace can emit carbon monoxide, a potentially deadly gas. Rooftop sewer vents can also freeze up in cold weather. Properly functioning vents allow sewer gas - also potentially deadly - to escape from a building.

Thompson said one common mistake is to place carbon monoxide detectors/ alarms too close to the furnace. The best place to install them is near where people sleep so the alarm wakes them up, he said. For added protection, one can be installed at least 15 feet from the furnace, he said.

Apartment Evacuated Because of Carbon Monoxide

2007-01-10T16:12:00.000-08:00

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Firefighters in Silver Spring, Md., evacuated an apartment building in Silver Spring, Md., after dangerous levels of carbon monoxide were detected Monday night, officials said.

Prince George's County firefighters were called to the apartment complex after a hard-wired carbon monoxide detector in one of the 12-unit buildings went off, triggering automatic notification to 911.

Carbon monoxide detectors carried by the firefighters found such high levels of the deadly gas that emergency crews decided to evacuate the building.

Freightliner Cabs Harmful???

2007-01-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

This is not an isolated incident! We need to be protecting ourselves and our drivers from Carbon Monoxide poisoning! Every truck driver should have a detector/dosimeter in the cab with them and every fleet manager/owner should require it...from UPS to the big boys! If you'd like to check out ours, see www.transducertech.com.

Frieghtliner Truck Sleeper Cabs and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, is a national law firm that represents persons injured or the families of loved ones killed in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits due to defective products. We are currently investigating allegations by drivers of Freightliner trucks that they suffered injuries due to carbon monoxide poisoning from the exhaust of their trucks while sleeping in the sleeper cab.

In April 2004, a Florida jury awarded $4.4 million to the family of a truck driver who was found dead at a rest stop in his 2000 Freightliner Century Class. The jury agreed with counsel for the family that the death was caused by a defect with the truck. According to press reports, an autopsy was performed by a medical examiner who found a 67 percent saturation of the driver's blood with carbon monoxide. Freightliner stated it would appeal the verdict of liability.

Another Tragedy and Related CO Legislation

2007-01-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

Student's carbon monoxide death leads to law: Owners of homes, rental units, motels and hotels are required to install carbon monoxide detectors under a law passed by the City Council and named after (The Miami Herald)

By Laura Figueroa, The Miami HeraldMcClatchy-Tribune Business News

Dec. 31--Janelle Bertot was known for many things.
Freshman of the Year at Florida International University for the Class of 2003. Morale captain for the school's Dance Marathon that raises money for the Children's Miracle Network and Miami Childrens Hospital.

Daughter, sorority sister and friend.

Bertot died Nov. 14, 2004, of carbon monoxide poisoning and her name and memory have been attached to many things. Now it is attached to Ordinance 06-90.

When Mayor Julio Robaina and the Hialeah City Council Robaina on Dec, 12 signed Ordinance 06-90 into law -- requiring the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in homes, rental units, hotels and motels -- they named it "Janelle's Law."
"I'm very proud that something so important is going to carry her name," said Bertot's mother, Barbara, who is behind Janelle's Wishing Well, a foundation created to raise awareness about carbon monoxide-related deaths.

Barbara Bertot, whose husband Carlos is a retired Hialeah police officer, approached City Council Vice-President Carlos Hernandez and Robaina about passing a law requiring the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in buildings.

Under "Janelle's Law," the city requires all residential units to install carbon monoxide detectors. New construction projects are required to automatically install hard-wired detectors to complete their projects. Owners of existing structures, including homes, have two years to do so and are permitted to install battery-operated detectors.

The measure came after unsuccessful attempts to pass similar regulations on the county level. A state rule requires all counties to adhere to the Florida Building Code -- which y does not make installation of carbon monoxide detectors mandatory.

Still, Hialeah City Attorney William Grodnick said code enforcement officials will not be deterred from enforcing the city's new law.

Asked what the city would do if companies challenge the law, Grodnick said, "If someone is going to make those challenges, we'll let the court decide. We feel we have the authority within our zoning code to provide for certain requirements and we will enforce them."

Janelle Bertot's death was not the only one due to carbon monoxide poisoning in Hialeah. In November 2005, three young women were found dead in a closed garage at the Chesapeake Motel, 935 W. Okeechobee Rd., after they left their car running.

Studies by the American Journal of Emergency Medicine indicated that in cities such as Chicago that have mandated the installation of carbon monoxide detectors the number of carbon monoxide-related deaths have declined.

State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez, who attended the meeting in which Janelle's Law was passed, said he is making it a legislative priority in his rookie year for the state to follow Hialeah's lead.

Janelle Bertot, an honors student at Western High School in Davie, died after she and her boyfriend, Tony Perez, 25, were exposed to carbon monoxide due to a faulty exhaust system in Perez's 1993 Mercury Villager.

City Council Vice President Hernandez attended police academy with Janelle's father and worked alongside him at the Hialeah police department.

"I was touched personally by this situation," Hernandez said, explaining why he proposed the law. "I saw the effect that losing her had on him. We want to avoid these type of painful situations from happening again. It's such a small price and it's such a small step we can take to make a big change."

Barbara Bertot, who now lives in Weston, said she is not stopping with just a law in Hialeah. She plans on contacting the Westons City Council about adopting a similar measure and will push for it state-wide.

"Janelle was the type of person [who] when she believed in something she always tried to correct things done wrong," Barbara Bertot said. "Now it's my job to avoid this pain for countless other people. Had this tragedy been me, I know 150 percent Janelle would have done this for me."

Mandatory CO Laws

2007-01-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

This is also a law in Minnesota as well. I believe that most if not all states will require CO detectors in the coming years. This is a good thing as it is so dangerous. The bad thing is that most of the CO detectors available in retail stores while relatively cheap, have very low sensitivity and will only go off if the CO level gets above a major amount. What people do not realize is that even in very small amounts over time, CO can still hurt you. You need a highly sensitive CO detector/dosimeter in the home to check for those low levels and to let you know what your total dose was over a certain period of time to make absolutely sure you and your family is safe and so that you can fix a potentially dangerous situation before it gets out of hand. See www.transducertech.com for more information.

New Carbon Monoxide Detector Law in Illinois Effective January 1

Market Wire, December, 2006

Beginning Monday, January 1, Illinois homeowners, landlords and owners of occupied buildings with one or more sleeping areas will be required to install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, in accordance with the Illinois Carbon Monoxide Detector Act.

"The law applies to occupancies that use fossil fuel such as natural gas for residential heating, cooking and hot water heating, as well as occupancies connected to a residential garage," said David Foreman, Illinois state fire marshal. "CO alarms must be installed within 15 feet of all rooms used for sleeping."

"Also make sure CO alarms are 15 to 30 feet away from furnaces and other sources of natural gas combustion," John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager for Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., said. "This helps keep local fire departments from having to respond to a false alarm situation."

Carbon monoxide alarms may be battery operated, plug-in with battery back-up or wired into the home's AC power with a secondary battery back-up. They also must bear the label of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as UL, and must comply with the most recent safety standards.

Known as the silent killer, CO is an odorless, colorless gas produced by incomplete burning of fuel, such as propane, natural gas, kerosene, gasoline, oil, wood and charcoal. Sources of CO in homes can include malfunctioning gas-fired appliances, space heaters and chimney flues. Each year more than 500 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Most deaths (64 percent) occur inside homes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Symptoms of CO poisoning include nausea, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, breathing difficulty and confusion -- but they are general enough to be confused with the flu," according to Dr. Jerrold Leikin, director of Medical Toxicology for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois.

"CO alarms are designed to alert residents before carbon monoxide concentrations grow to toxic levels, often giving homeowners hours of advance notice."

In addition to installing CO alarms, the Illinois Office of State Fire Marshal and UL offer the following tips to prevent CO poisoning and what to do if your alarm goes off: -- Have a qualified technician inspect your fuel-burning appliances and
chimneys to ensure they operate correctly and that nothing blocks the
vapors from being vented out of the house

-- Test your CO alarm monthly and replace the battery annually
-- Make sure all family members know the difference between the sound of
a CO alarm and smoke alarm
-- Never ignore a CO alarm. If your CO alarm sounds, immediately operate
the reset/silence button and call your fire department or 9-1-1
-- After a CO alarm goes off, move to fresh air, either outside or to an
open window or door. Account for every household member
-- Don't re-enter your home or move away from the open door or window
until the emergency services have arrived, the home is sufficiently aired
out and the CO alarm doesn't reactivate
-- If your CO alarm reactivates within a 24-hour period, repeat the steps
above and call a qualified technician to examine your appliances, identify
the source of CO, and make any appropriate repairs

Carbon Monoxide General Information

2007-01-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure.

Definition
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, practically odorless, and tasteless gas or liquid. It results from incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion. Burns with a violet flame. Slightly soluble in water; soluble in alcohol and benzene. Specific gravity 0.96716; boiling point -190oC; solidification point -207oC; specific volume 13.8 cu. ft./lb. (70oF). Auto ignition temperature (liquid) 1128oF. Classed as an inorganic compound.Source: "The Condensed Chemical Dictionary," 9th ed., revised by Gessner G. Hawley, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., NY, 1977.

Sources of Carbon Monoxide
Unvented kerosene and gas space heaters; leaking chimneys and furnaces; back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves; generators and other gasoline powered equipment; automobile exhaust from attached garages; and tobacco smoke. Incomplete oxidation during combustion in gas ranges and unvented gas or kerosene heaters may cause high concentrations of CO in indoor air. Worn or poorly adjusted and maintained combustion devices (e.g., boilers, furnaces) can be significant sources, or if the flue is improperly sized, blocked, disconnected, or is leaking. Auto, truck, or bus exhaust from attached garages, nearby roads, or parking areas can also be a source.

Health Effects Associated with Carbon Monoxide
At low concentrations, fatigue in healthy people and chest pain in people with heart disease. At higher concentrations, impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; nausea. Can cause flu-like symptoms that clear up after leaving home. Fatal at very high concentrations. Acute effects are due to the formation of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood, which inhibits oxygen intake. At moderate concentrations, angina, impaired vision, and reduced brain function may result. At higher concentrations, CO exposure can be fatal.

Levels in Homes
Average levels in homes without gas stoves vary from 0.5 to 5 parts per million (ppm). Levels near properly adjusted gas stoves are often 5 to 15 ppm and those near poorly adjusted stoves may be 30 ppm or higher.

Steps to Reduce Exposure to Carbon Monoxide
It is most important to be sure combustion equipment is maintained and properly adjusted. Vehicular use should be carefully managed adjacent to buildings and in vocational programs. Additional ventilation can be used as a temporary measure when high levels of CO are expected for short periods of time.
Keep gas appliances properly adjusted.
Consider purchasing a vented space heater when replacing an unvented one.
Use proper fuel in kerosene space heaters.
Install and use an exhaust fan vented to outdoors over gas stoves.
Open flues when fireplaces are in use.
Choose properly sized wood stoves that are certified to meet EPA emission standards. Make certain that doors on all wood stoves fit tightly.
Have a trained professional inspect, clean, and tune-up central heating system (furnaces, flues, and chimneys) annually. Repair any leaks promptly.
Do not idle the car inside garage.

Measurement Methods
Some relatively high-cost infrared radiation adsorption and electrochemical instruments do exist. Moderately priced real-time measuring devices are also available. The Pocket CO is a nanoelectronic carbon monoxide detecting instrument that has an 85 decibel alarm at 2 feet, a vibrating alarm, and LED warning of toxic gas. With a weight of less than 2 ounces it is the smallest known loud alarm detector/dosimeter presently available. The applications range from Emergency responders, industrial occupational safety to personal use. To view specs or make inquires visit www.transducertech.com. Product availability is the first quarter of 2007.

Standards or Guidelines
No standards for CO have been agreed upon for indoor air. The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards for outdoor air are 9 ppm (40,000 micrograms per meter cubed) for 8 hours, and 35 ppm for 1 hour.

Additional Resources
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. Consumer can obtain recall information at CPSC's web site - http://www.cpsc.gov/ Consumers can report product hazards to info@cpsc.gov

Links to Additional Information
EPA's Office of Air and Radiation page - "CO - How Carbon Monoxide Affects the Way We Live and Breathe"

EPA's Office of Research and Development:
Carbon Monoxide and the Nervous System. Raub, J. A., and V. A. Benignus. Carbon Monoxide and the Nervous System. NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS 26(8):925-940, (2002).

Carbon Monoxide Poisoining - A Public Health Perspective. Raub, J. A., M. Mathieunolf, N. B. Hampson, and S. R. Thom. Carbon Monoxide Poinsoning--a Public Health Perspective. TOXICOLOGY (145):1-14, (2000).

Revised Evaluation of Health Effects Associated With Carbon Monoxide Exposure: An Addendum to the 1979 EPA Air Quality Criteria Document for Carbon Monoxide Benignus, V., L. Grant, D. Mckee, and J. Raub. Revised Evaluation of Health Effects Associated With Carbon Monoxide Exposure: An Addendum to the 1979 EPA Air Quality Criteria Document for Carbon Monoxide. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/8-83/033F (NTIS PB85103471).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)National Center for Environmental Health
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Fact Sheet - (offered in many languages) - www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)Office of Information and Public AffairsWashington, D.C. 20207www.cpsc.gov

CPSC protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, you can go to CPSC's forms page - www.cpsc.gov/talk.html and use the first on-line form on that page. Or, you can call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or send the information to info@cpsc.gov.

Carbon Monoxide Questions and Answers (CPSC document #466)

"Your Home Fire Safety Checklist" - www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/556.html - CPSC document #556

Surviving the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina CPSC Warns of Deadly Post-Storm Dangers with Portable Generators, Candles and Wet Appliances - www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml05/05251.html August 31, 2005, CPSC Release #05-251

U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityU.S. Fire Administration, 16825 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727Voice: (301) 447-1000 Fax: (301) 447-1346 Admissions Fax: (301) 447-1441www.usfa.fema.gov

Carbon Monoxide page - www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/co/

Exposing an Invisible Killer: The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide - www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/co/fswy17.shtm

American Lung Associationwww.lungusa.org

Fact Sheet on Carbon Monoxide - www.lungusa.org/air/carbon_factsheet99.html

Occupational Safety and Health Administrationwww.osha.gov

Fact Sheet on Carbon Monoxide - www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/carbonmonoxide-factsheet.pdf

U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health
"Carbon Monoxide Poisoning" www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/carbonmonoxidepoisoning.html

About Carbon Monoxide Detectors
CPSC Recommends Carbon Monoxide Alarm for Every Home (January 18, 2001 CPSC Release # 01-069)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every home should have a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. CPSC also urges consumers to have a professional inspection of all fuel- burning appliances -- including furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers, water heaters, and space heaters -- to detect deadly carbon monoxide leaks. CPSC recommends that every home should have at least one CO alarm that meets the requirements of the most recent Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 standard or International Approval Services 6-96 standard. www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01069.html