In Our Backyard
While recent chatter is dedicated to carbon dioxide and its impact on our environment, take away one molecule of oxygen and you have a deadly killer, carbon monoxide (CO). CO is produced by the burning of any fuel. Leaky furnaces of any type, faulty fuel-fired heaters, blocked chimneys, idling vehicles, and outdoor generators or gas grills too close to a window are just a few of the many sources of CO poisoning. Installing CO alarms in your home is important protection for you and your family.
Annually in the United States there are over 20,000 hospital visits due to CO and its colorless, odorless, and tasteless character. In addition, approximately 200 of the nearly 500 deaths from CO poisoning each year are due to faulty home fuel equipment. In Maine, fire departments and emergency medical units respond to over 250 carbon monoxide alarms every year. Over half of these emergencies result in hospital visits and extended stays. And sadly, an average of one to four Maine citizens die yearly from carbon monoxide poisoning. Note too, multifamily units in Orono, Augusta, and Oakland were evacuated in recent years after serious levels of CO were detected in the structures.
With CO the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the US and cases of CO poisoning up 36 percent in the last 5 years, it’s wise to install electric and battery backup CO detectors in your home. These monitoring devices should be maintained similarly to smoke detectors: with testing and battery changes every six months. Changing batteries in conjunction with daylight savings time is an easy way to remember these tasks.
Another defense against CO poisoning is prevention. Establish no tolerance for the misuse of fuel burning equipment in or near the home, and make sure all furnaces and other heating appliances are professionally installed and inspected annually.
Other safe keeping and CO poisoning prevention tips include:
• Keep gasoline-powered generators outside and at least 20’ away from windows and doors – one portable generator can produce as much CO as 100 idling cars!
• Do not use cooking equipment for heating inside – especially charcoal, gas grills or propane stoves designed for outdoor use.
• Keep all exhaust vents clean and free of snow or debris and never idle cars or other vehicles in your garage, even with the doors open.
• Recognize the symptoms of CO poisoning: many are flu-like but with no temperature – headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Pets are usually affected the same way at the same time as humans.
• Never ignore a CO alarm. If the CO detector goes off call 911 and get everyone outside. Most fire departments carry CO detectors and can determine the level of CO in a building.
For more in formation on preventing CO poisoning call the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office 626-3873 or visit their homepage at http://www.maine.gov/dps/fmo/index.htm. Also visit the Maine Division of Environmental Health at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/eohp/air/co.htm.
This column was submitted by Vicki Schmidt, a GIS specialist with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Land & Water Quality. She is also a State Fire Instructor and a volunteer firefighter with the Buckfield Fire Department. In Our Back Yard is a column developed by the Maine DEP. E-mail your environmental questions to infodep@maine.gov or send them to In Our Back Yard, Maine DEP, 17 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.
