What you should know about Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, colorless, tasteless gas which is highly toxic and kills about 800 people per year in the United States. As you cannot smell, taste, or see CO it is impossible to detect without the proper equipment before a tragedy strikes.

Any fuel burning appliance can be a source of Carbon Monoxide. CO is produced when any type of fuel (wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, natural gas, propane, etc.) is incompletely burned or exposed to heat, as in a fire.

Typical appliances that we rely on for comfort such as: furnaces, fireplaces, grills, clothes dryers, stoves, space heaters, hot water heaters and automobiles, are often the main source of CO. When they malfunction or are not properly vented, CO levels rise quickly.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) enters the body through the lungs during the normal breathing process, just like oxygen. The problem is, CO competes with the oxygen by combining with the red blood cells, replacing the oxygen. This prevents the flow of oxygen to the brain and other vital organs causing a variety of medical problems. Once CO enters the bloodstream, it is not easy to remove, and can continue to block out oxygen over a period of time.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning can cause the following symptoms. Discuss these symptoms with all household members.

Mild Exposure: slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue.
(often described as “flu-like” symptoms)

Medium Exposure: severe, throbbing headache,
drowsiness, confusion, accelerated
heart rate.

Extreme Exposure: unconsciousness, convulsion, heart
and lung failure, brain damage, death

Many cases of extreme exposure have shown that victims are aware they are not feeling well, but are unable to function well enough to exit the building or get help. Carbon Monoxide affects individuals differently based upon pre-existing medical conditions, age, and length of exposure.

Back to FD Main Page