Friday, May 15, 2015

Carbon Monoxide News May 15, 2015 – posts updated frequently

Every day is a carbon monoxide safety education day.
Scroll back in time through our archives for previous CO News links.
We can learn from others mistakes and efforts to prevent poisoning.
Carbon monoxide safety, we are all in this together.


Earthquake in Nepal: Children Need Your Help Now
Nearly 1 million children require humanitarian assistance, and UNICEF is on the ground working to provide critical aid to children and families.

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Edith Wharton (1862-1937, bio link)

"Shine A Light" Rolling Stones - music link

Featured News Links – More news links below
Morgan County second grade students receive carbon monoxide detectors
WATE 6 On Your Side
WARTBURG (WATE) – Some East Tennessee second grade students got a lesson on fire and carbon monoxide safety on Thursday after one of their classmates died from carbon monoxide poisoning… Jamon Carroll, 8, along with two other family members, Anthony and Jacob Carroll, all passed away in Wartburg in April from exposure to the fumes of a gas-powered generator running outside the home. Investigators believe the deaths were an accident…

Get the Summer Season Off to a Safe Start
Government of Ontario News
Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors where needed and replace the batteries at the beginning of each season… Barbecues emit carbon monoxide and should only be used outside… Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of fatal poisonings in North America. Exposure to high concentrations can cause death in just a few minutes…

Naperville Fire Department deploys innovative rescue vehicle program
Positively Naperville
The Naperville Fire Department today launched the Rescue Vehicle Program, an innovative program aimed at more efficiently delivering appropriate resources to non-emergency calls… As staffing allows, each rescue vehicle will be staffed by one firefighter or firefighter/paramedic trained to respond to non-emergency calls, such as carbon monoxide calls where no illness is reported, elevator alarms where no one is trapped, malfunctioning fire alarms and open burning complaints… Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis said the department responds to an estimated 1,000 non-emergency calls annually… “Prior to this program, such calls would have resulted in the dispatch of a large engine or ladder truck with three personnel assigned to it,” said Chief Puknaitis. “The Rescue Vehicle Program allows us to be much more efficient with staff, gasoline, and other resources while providing the same great service to our residents.”
More news links below –

We have all been CO poisoned, some more than others
The following link takes you to a site with views from those who have been poisoned. The seriousness of carbon monoxide poisoning, the grief, suffering and disorientations experienced are clearly portrayed with the intent to help others and prevent future poisonings. With respect, please visit: 

What is in the air you are breathing right now?
What will you be doing today; walking into poison?
Who will be responsible for the air you breathe?
You may be the only person who can prevent your own poisoning. 

We are all vulnerable to carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning.
Everyone has been poisoned by CO and will be poisoned again. The degree of the poisoning depends upon allowing yourself to be in a situation where someone else controls the air you breathe and the mechanisms for alarming notification.

Please read the alarm information on the package and in the instructions that come with the carbon monoxide alarm. Know that if it is a U.L. 2034 Listed product (or CSA 6.19 Listed), it is a high level alarm that has been tested to alarm no sooner than 70 PPM at the lowest (the alarm must resist for one hour when above this level) and when over 400 PPM before 15 minutes at the highest concentration, after resisting alarming for 4 minutes when over this level.

Know when your fire department and emergency responders begin wearing their breathing apparatus and what their civilian evacuation levels are for carbon monoxide; it may be as soon as the gas is present in your presence. Pregnant women, infants & children, people with heart & respiratory struggles, those suffering depression or chronic headaches and all people of vulnerable health should be alerted as soon as the gas begins to concentrate, around 10 PPM (parts per million) or lower.

You most likely need a low level carbon monoxide detector to sound off when carbon monoxide hazards are just beginning, not after you’ve been exposed to levels that make you have headaches, flu-like symptoms, increased tiredness, heart stresses or worse.

Do not take risks with carbon monoxide. Take responsibility for the air you breathe and the combustion systems you are responsible for. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for others, unless you think $45.00, high level protection is good enough.

Help prevent injuries and deaths; don’t guess about carbon monoxide. Measure carbon monoxide for safety and knowledge. The more you test the more you learn. 
GET BUSY
Measurement is continuing education at its best. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety

CO and Air Quality News Links
Elderly residents evacuate 2-alarm fire at senior living center in north Houston
KPRC Houston
Firefighters are going through the apartments to make sure they are clear from carbon monoxide, as many of the residents have breathing problems…

Corfu carbon monoxide tragedy: Can we trust tour operators with our safety?
Telegraph.co.uk
The inquest concluded that they were unlawfully killed and that the tour operator had breached the duty of care it owed to the family… The rules on a tour operator’s responsibilities in this area were set out in 1992, by the same EU directive that introduced rules on financial protection for holidaymakers. They require tour operators to take responsibility – within reason – for the safety not only of their own actions, but also for those of their suppliers…

9 Reasons to Ride Your Bike to Work This Friday
HONOLULUMagazine.com
The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that, "transportation is the largest single source of air pollution in the United States." The cocktail of toxic fumes that come out of our cars includes particulate matter, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, benzene and more. Biking not only saves about a pound of air pollution per mile, but the people riding bikes, even on the road, inhale as much as 60 percent less air pollutants than those who drive to work…

Milton homeowner fined for alleged smoke alarm violation
InsideHalton.com
The kitchen fire was out upon arrival, but following an investigation, it’s alleged there were no working smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detector in the home… The homeowner was issued a ticket for $360 for allegedly failing to have a working smoke alarm on every level…

Johnson County Contractor Licensing Conference
CO EXperts
Johnson County Kansas - Continuing Education – – Video Link

Carbon Monoxide Safety - El Paso County, Colorado, Public Service Announcement

Who is responsible for the air you breathe? 
Take control inside your homes. 
-Link to:  CO alarm standards  

The lowest U.L. 2034 & CSA 6.19 carbon monoxide alarm test point is: 
- 70 PPM to 149 PPM –resist one hour, must alarm before 4 hours 
Please read the alarm information on the package and in the instructions. Know when your fire department and emergency responders begin wearing their breathing apparatus and what their civilian evacuation levels are for carbon monoxide; it may be before 70 PPM. It is for pregnant women, infants & children, the elderly and all people of vulnerable health. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety 

Consider low level protection for carbon monoxide and smoldering fire detection problems; don't leave anyone behind.

These following links may be of some use to you: 

· Please take CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY CARE during all holiday and everyday activities.

National Conference of State Legislatures 
Carbon Monoxide Detectors State Statutes 

Twenty-Nine U.S. states have statutes that require carbon monoxide detectors in certain residential buildings. Updated Nov. 2014
Alaska | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida |
Georgia | Illinois | Maine | Maryland | MassachusettsMichigan |
Minnesota | Montana | New Jersey | New Hampshire | New York | 
  
Red Cross - Disaster Relief to safely assist law enforcement, fire department, utility company, city, county and state authorities as repair and rebuilding moves forward. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety

Nationally, the Red Cross provides food and shelter to people affected by as many as 70,000 fires annually, or about one fire every eight minutes.

The following companies are acknowledged for their continued support of carbon monoxide safety education and this daily news blog. They may just have what you are looking for. 
Fieldpiece Instruments 
The Energy Conservatory 
IntelliTec Colleges 

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