Saturday, April 16, 2016

Carbon Monoxide News April 16, 2016 – 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.


“Hide nothing, for time, which sees all and hears all, exposes all.” 
Sophocles (496-406 BC, bio link)

"All For Love" Bryan Adams with Rod Stewart, Sting - music link, live

How much carbon monoxide are you in when in any motor vehicle?

Did you know that many people do not measure the air they live in?
After prevention there is no greater awareness than measurement.

Awareness leads to quick thinking. Measurement leads to quick action.

Are you in the know?
Do I know enough about carbon monoxide and carbon monoxide poisoning to justify never knowing how much is in the air I breathe every day, everywhere I go?”

There are some people who want to be notified of the presence of carbon monoxide at levels or concentrations as soon as the gas is present, at concentrations well below those that can instigate poor health symptoms but not be high enough levels to sound the CO alarm they own.

There are some people who do not want to push a button on their CO alarm to see what low, aggravating levels of the poison might be in their home, or anywhere.

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

Featured News Links – More news links below
A father recalls son and how he learned of his deadly accident
Grand National-winning trainer pays tribute to his late son in emotional interview
The42
The Rule The World trainer’s 30-year-old son Christopher (nicknamed Tiffer) was tragically found dead in his apartment in Argentina last June due to carbon monoxide poisoning… “It was about 5 o’clock in the morning. I heard it but I didn’t really believe it… “Lots of people have lost their kids, it’s not nice.”

NEWS IN BRIEF: Gas alert at office building
West End Extra
FIREFIGHTERS have issued a warning over the dangers of carbon monoxide after a leak in an office building in Westbourne Park…

Carbon monoxide monitors will now be required in residential
Siouxland Matters
The alarms which are designed to detect the odorless gas are now mandated in any residential building where people sleep at night. It's a push that both Southland landlords and fire officials agree is necessary…

Carbon monoxide detectors save lives
Fenton Tri County Times
Len and Heather Quasarano, and their four young children, died in their Fenton Township home as a result of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning… It is believed carbon monoxide was the result of a generator being operated in the basement of the home, after a storm knocked out power… Fenton Township Fire Chief Ryan Volz said they run about 25 to 30 carbon monoxide alarms per year. “Our normal response is a defective detector or low battery,” he said. “Since the Quasarano incident we have run three calls that had CO in their home and had to evacuate.”

Campers warned, alerts issued
Authorities anticipated traffic delays from Midwest Horse Fair
WKOW
In 2015, one person got sick and another person ended up dying after suffering from the effects of carbon monoxide in their camper… As a result, Reese says the fair is taking an extra precaution this year…

After Passaic tragedy, proposed law aims to educate drivers on dangers of carbon monoxide
NorthJersey.com
The bill lays down a framework for a public education program that is designed to prevent similar future tragedies. One provision would require the motor vehicle agency to include questions about the dangers of carbon monoxide buildup in automobiles on the written examination that all prospective drivers take when they apply for permits…

Replay: Fire Hazards in the Wild (and not so wild) 

Forest and wild land fire fighters and support staff often get poisoned as they work.  These fire fighters work in deteriorated air  quality without the aid of breathing apparatus that your local fire departments would not nor are they allowed to work in. The respiratory and cardiac health of these courageous people are jeopardized with the inhalation of the smoke and toxic gases produced by the various stages of combustion that are occurring. They often work in atmospheres of carbon monoxide above the evacuation levels used by fire departments for citizen evacuation of buildings and their COHb levels can only go up as oxygen displacement and poisoning begins. 

by Lisa A. Klatka, DO, MS 

They know about forest fires in Montana, unfortunately.  "Traditionally, breathing smoke on the fire line has been considered all in a day's work for wild land firefighters. Smoke is one of the many occupational risks that comes with the job, along with falling snags, breaking a leg, or worse, getting burned over. Researchers are just beginning to learn more about the serious health problems that can result from inhaling wildfire smoke." (Robin Bible, Tennessee Division of Forestry, "Breathing" ) “Through the detailed chemical characterizations of smoke, we find literally hundreds of compounds, many of these in very, very low concentrations,” says Darold Ward of the Forest Service's Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana.

When forest fuels burn, they discharge hundreds, if not thousands, of chemical compounds into the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide, total suspended particulates, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and water vapor. “Breathing high smoke concentrations does expose those persons to toxic compounds contained in the smoke,” says Shannon Therriault, air quality specialist with the Missoula City-County Health Department.

One of the greatest hazards in smoke  lies in the particulate matter, a general term for that mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in air. Particulate from smoke tends to be very small, and as a result, is more of a health concern than the coarser particles,” Therriault said. “For example, the diameter of the average human hair is about 30 times bigger. These particles can build up in your respiratory system, causing a number of health problems, including burning eyes, runny noses, cough, headache and irritated sinuses. Long-term exposure, such as on the order of what firefighters experience, can impair lung function and possibly lead to cardiopulmonary disease and lung cancer.”

Studies have found that fine particulate matter,  alone or with other pollutants, is linked to a number of significant respiratory and cardiovascular-related diseases. In addition, airborne particles are respiratory irritants and laboratory studies show that high concentrations of particulate matter cause persistent cough, phlegm, wheezing and physical discomfort in breathing. Particulate matter also can alter the body's immune system and affect removal of foreign materials like pollen and bacteria from the lungs.

Carbon monoxide,  a colorless, odorless gas, is produced as a byproduct of incomplete combustion. Firefighters are exposed to large amounts of the gas in the smoldering stages of the fire, usually during the final mop-up stage. Carbon monoxide enters the bloodstream through the lungs and reduces oxygen delivery to the body's organs and tissues. Also See
 International Association of Wildland Fire  

Unfortunately we throw people into harm’s way to put out wildfires.  Fortunately we know that technology and portable safety systems exist to monitor the health and protect the air breathed in by these courageous people. The fire fighter should have a base COHb% test registered before their season or before their entry into the fire battle zone. They should be tested again when they finish their shift or whenever the symptoms begin to appear or be acknowledged by the fighter.

Breathing apparatus and monitoring COHb levels makes the most sense for protection even in the mop up areas where the smoldering embers may be the biggest threats.  
No one should have to breathe in those gases as part of their job to save public or private lands despite the tradition of the fire fighting system. Bob Dwyer CSME. Carbon Monoxide Safety

Please, stop diagnostic errors; start testing for carboxyhemoglobin
Carbon Monoxide Intoxication
Journal of Neurology and Neuroscience
Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication is one of the main causes of poisoning in industrialized countries and it often leads to diagnostic errors,… 

Carbon monoxide intoxication.
nih.gov
However individuals with ischemic heart disease may experience chest pain and decreased exercise duration at COHb levels between 1% and 9%. COHb levels between 30% and 70% lead to loss of consciousness and eventually death… 

NOTE: Listed U.L. 2034 & CSA 6.19 Carbon Monoxide Alarms 
VISUAL DISPLAY:
Must not display under 30PPM in normal operation
AT 70, 150 & 400 PPM display must be accurate within plus or minus 30 Percent 

SENSITIVITY TESTING: Resist alarming first times shown, must by second shown time
70PPM [PLUS OR MINUS 5PPM ... [BETWEEN 60 _ 240 MINUTES]
150PPM [PLUS OR MINUS 5PPM] ... [10 - 50 MINUTES]
400PPM [PLUS OR MINUS 10PPM ... [4 _ 15 MINUTES]

“CITIZENS WILL CONTINUE TO DIE & BECOME SERIOUSLY ILL DAILY!” George Kerr - CO Experts 
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 

7 Warning Signs Of Dangerous Respiratory Problems
Parent Herald
Some early warning signs of respiratory problems include cough with mucus, shortness of breath, morning headaches and a bluish tinge in the nails ...

Spontaneous Combustion Deemed Cause Of Fire On Hoffman Farm Property
WHMI
… workers had been staining the new staircase. He says the blaze was caused by spontaneous combustion from stain soaked rags being left on the floor, noting investigators were able to determine exactly where the fire started, which was where the rags were left. Cole says warning labels on stains warn that used rags should be put in pails or tubs of water because the materials can spontaneously combust and start a fire…

Trees Trade Large Amounts Of Carbon Among Each Other
Headlines & Global News
"Evidently the forest is more than the sum of its trees," said Professor Christian Körner, one of the study researchers from the University of Basel… Using a type of modified carbon dioxide, botanists from the University of Basel were able to track the gas as it was taken up by roots of various trees in a forest near Basel, including trees of different species… Researchers found that this extensive carbon trade among trees is facilitated via symbiotic fungi in the forest soil…

Clear-cutting destabilizes carbon in forest soils, study finds
Phys.Org
Soil is the world's largest terrestrial carbon pool. In northern hardwood forests in the United States, mineral soil pools store up to 50 percent of total ecosystem carbon. Logging and other land-use changes are a major cause of soil carbon release, but there has been recent interest to further understand soil carbon dynamics in forested ecosystems after logging. This is of particular importance in the northeastern U.S. because of the great potential for the use of biomass as part of a diversified renewable energy portfolio…

How much carbon dioxide is produced per kilowatt hour when generating electricity with fossil fuels?
US Energy Information Administration
Energy Information Administration - EIA - Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government... 

Sit and rest a while; miss the children, prevent repeating this tragedy. 
Corfu carbon monoxide deaths: Memorial unveiled in Horbury 
BBC News 
A memorial bench to two young children who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu has been unveiled in West Yorkshire…

How to use a Fire Extinguisher
VideoNex
In this informative and succinct video, learn how to identify and appropriately execute the use of a CO2 Fire Extinguisher…

Cdc Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
New Movie Release 2015
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Public domain video from CDC. Carbon monoxide (sometimes referred to as CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced ... 

CO EXperts
Johnson County Kansas - Continuing Education – – Video Link


A well put together video is found with the next link, but remember U.L. 2034 Listed CO Alarms are high level alarms. Use them for protection against accute levels, but be aware you can still experience symptoms of the poisoning even though the devices are in place.
About Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
DailyMotion
About Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 

JEMS.com - ...site has been designed with this in mind – to create a visual, interactive, educational resource which can hopefully end incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning and save lives… For more information, please visit - www.thesilentkiller.co.uk 

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. CO Experts


These following links may be of some use to you: 
U.S. Drought Monitor
- Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive
- Current Data for Atmospheric CO2
- Federal Aviation Administration CO warning
- Carbon monoxide toxicity-Emergency Medicine Ireland
- Carbon Monoxide Survivor- Views from those who have been poisoned.
- Carbon Monoxide detection- National Fire Protection Association

· 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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