Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Carbon Monoxide News March 31, 2020, posts updated frequently

Everyday: Carbon Monoxide Safety Education Day
This is a resource that’s always open – ever changing

Scroll back in time through our archives for previous CO News links.
Every day for 10 years - collected CO news links from around the world

Viewing the daily CO News links widens your perspective on carbon monoxide, and combustion safety and helps with the engagement of the practiced skill.


We can learn from others’ mistakes and efforts to prevent poisoning.
Carbon monoxide safety, we are all in this together.

What is the risk of being nauseous from carbon monoxide?
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Quote and Song - daily
The senses deceive from time to time, and it is prudent never to trust wholly those who have deceived us even once.
Rene Descartes (1596-1650, bio link)

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View Now - New Video - Yes, it is about CO2 not CO
Carbon Dioxide in Confined Space; Carbon Dioxide is in every breath you take 20m44s BDCOSA
What do you know about carbon dioxide that you didn't hear on a news program? This 20+ minute video will be placed in the Classroom Discussion segment below. Follow along with this in-house experiment.
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CO News links below: but first these announcements

"Classroom Discussions"
CO Safety program segments below

Carbon Monoxide Safety for the Life and Death of it"
COSA March 22, 2020 - The segment Classroom Discussions was added on March 22, 2020 and will be found below the positioning of the two daily CO News story link sections. 

These Classroom Discussions are instructional segments (5 to 30 minutes) provided to help everyone learn more about carbon monoxide. They will also help prepare you for the Carbon Monoxide and the Combustion Analysis exam credentials provided by the ESCO Group https://escogroup.org/ and HVAC Excellence. They are also provided to assist instructors with their training and exam duties and provide guidance to all HVACR technicians.

The ESCO Group has your HVACR instructional aids and courses up online. Use this short cut to the ESCO Proctor Log-in if you are a certified ESCO Proctor. The HVAC Excellence and the ESCO Group facilitates technical training and guidance every day. Everyone else interested can visit ESCO Group https://escogroup.org/
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(Scroll down for today's CO News link postings.)
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Site Construction - Every Day Carbon Monoxide Safety Education Continues
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Carbon Monoxide Safety Training - Everyday at this site 
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World Wide Reports - Pollution and Health Effects- Fire Safety
Carbon Monoxide News Links
March 31, 2020 - More news links below 
(International Spelling; no edits)

Safety Always for Heating & Air Conditioning, Plumbers, Electricians
Coronavirus outbreak and HVAC contractors
ACHR News
The Coronavirus outbreak has made HVAC contractors change how they do business. Contractors must figure out how the pandemic is affecting their employees, customers and sadly – their bottom lines. (Read more at ACHR News)

Firefighters union concerned over access to COVID-19 testing and protective supplies
CTV News
Toronto - They provide essential services like responding to carbon monoxide emergencies, attending medical incidents and battle blazes—and they don’t always know what they’re up against when a call comes in. (Read more CTV News)

For emergency responders, new protocols in place
hngnews.com
While Wisconsinites are working from home, following Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home order, firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians all must interact with the public as emergency responders. - Fortunately, the volume of calls has significantly dropped, not only in Waunakee, but in Dane County altogether as most people are hunkering down at home. (Read more hngnews.com)

Don't overlook farm shop hazards
The Sabetha Herald Inc.
When shop doors are closed and engines are running inside the shop, carbon monoxide fumes pose a serious threat to anyone in the shop. - Equipment noise, especially noise from multiple pieces of machinery, can also cause hearing damage. - Regularly completing a safety checklist in the farm shop can help identify safety issues related to electricity, lighting, unsafe storage, etc. Establishing a time for the inspection can help ensure it’s completed. (Read more, good stuff at The Sabetha Herald Inc.)

Last Week - CO News Summary
Carbon Monoxide News, Weekly Summary March 23 29 2020 16m14sBDCOSA
COSA - video
Close calls and death - Carbon Monoxide News Weekly Summary March 23 to 29 2020. Review posted articles relevant to carbon monoxide, air quality, combustion and fire safety with the intent to raise awareness. Includes bonus video preview of Classroom Discussion segment regarding the practices of everyday measurement for professional technicians.
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NOTE: The following link leads to an edited and updated presentation of a previously posted session. This will also be found below in the Classroom Discussion section. It contains all the same material and some additional health information.

Flu-like symptoms and the health effects of carbon monoxide exposure COSABD7m34s
COSA - video
Are your symptoms flu-like? Don’t get lost in the symptoms – measure carbon monoxide. No matter what you do for a living you should know about the health impacts of carbon monoxide exposure and what your role in the prevention of poisoning. (Re-edit video of 031320) Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety - Classroom Discussions (Video - Classroom Discussion - edited version)

Don’t let poor health symptoms be your carbon monoxide alarm.
Carbon monoxide poisoning often occurs and reoccurs with common, nagging type symptoms and often confuses the sufferer with headache, tiredness or shortness of breath. Diligent measurement for CO is very easy and can help identify the toxic gas in air and perhaps help in the reduction of some poor health symptoms if the sources are removed or repaired. You could measure or you could guess or seek measurement.
Please  Note: "Place a carbon monoxide alarm with a digital display on a seat in the motor vehicle when you are out driving in emergency snow conditions (or always for that specific). Harmful levels of carbon monoxide (CO) can penetrate inside a motor vehicle just due to prevailing winds and exhaust not moving away from the vehicle but under it. If you want to learn more about carbon monoxide, begin measuring it with a personal CO monitor everywhere you go." Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety

To all parents everywhere; grief's pain alerts others
Chester County Press
Inside, Carly and Daulton had passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning. The gas tank was empty and the ignition was still on. Fumes from the exhaust had been drawn into the car through the air vents… “One of the best things for me is to talk to parents who have also lost a child,” Donna said.

More CO News links below
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The most recommended CO Alarm in U.S. is a high level alarm
Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms
UL 2034
1.3 Carbon monoxide alarms covered by this standard are not intended to alarm when exposed to long-term, low-level carbon monoxide exposures or slightly higher short-term transient carbon monoxide exposures, possibly caused by air pollution and/or properly installed/maintained fuel-fired appliances and fireplaces (More)

Get an earlier warning, learn more about CO in your life
Low-Level Carbon Monoxide Protection and TPI Model 780
COSA - TPI; supporting carbon monoxide safety education
When does your carbon monoxide alarm? How do you test it? Are you sure it is responding to carbon monoxide in a safe, timely manner? Do you know much about your carbon monoxide alarm? This Classroom Discussion segment does highlight low-level CO protection with one of our supporter's manufactured product while it helps with CO alarm education. (View video)
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CO, Air Quality, Pollution News Links 
March 31, 2020 (International spelling, no edits)

It's no hint when the blue sky reappears
Science hints air pollution may increase COVID-19 risk
Charlotte Post
RALEIGH – Health experts worldwide are warning that breathing polluted air can worsen and even cause high blood pressure, diabetes and respiratory diseases – and early evidence suggests these conditions put people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness. (Read more at the Charlotte Post)

Air pollution: through the smog darkly - archive, 1965
The Guardian
They stop cigarette advertising, they give lectures to schoolchildren on lung cancer, good, OK. But that is an individual choice. For pity’s sake what about the very air we must breathe? (Read more, support The Guardian)

Air Pollution Paired With Heart Disease Significantly Raises Risk of Dementia: Study
Being Patient
Lifestyle, genetics and age all play a role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. But environmental factors like air pollution may play an even bigger role in a person’s risk of dementia than researchers previously thought. - In a new study out of Sweden, researchers found that both heart disease and exposure to air pollution significantly increased the risk for developing dementia. (More)
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Please, stop diagnostic errors; start testing for carboxyhemoglobin

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

Did you know that many people do not measure the air they breathe?

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.
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Your CO alarm may be a high level alarm –
READ THE OWNERS MANUAL 
Please note their Listed CO concentration alarm set points
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]

And Carbon Monoxide Alarms Are Cross Sensitive to Hydrogen
This is important to know because if there are charging marine or auto batteries in the spaces in or near your CO alarm, the batteries could be out-gassing hydrogen gas and your alarm may sound. Be aware of this when measuring the air near the charging of electric golf carts and electric forklifts. Hydrogen gas is a dangerous gas in confining spaces but it is not carbon monoxide.
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You don't have to wait to see what low, aggravating levels of the poison might be in your home, or anywhere as it is happening. Your safety is up to you. Are you responsible for others? 
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You will find more answers to the questions found on your carbon monoxide safety inspector exam from this point to the end of this page. You may also find information that just might save a life, even yours. (Note: some of the answers to the questions on the exam were also found above this point; good luck.)
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Classroom discussion sessions –

"Carbon monoxide safety for the life and death of it"
Suitable preparation for the HVAC Excellence Exam C-12
Introductions to combustion analysis, building and duct pressure measurement
"These individual Classroom Discussion slide videos will collectively cover the live presentations I conduct in time slots of 1½ hours to 12 hours. These segments represent over 40 years of accumulated information obtained from my interactions with many people in the interest of carbon monoxide and combustion safety. I've got thousands of slides. I hope to keep you interested in carbon monoxide and combustion safety where you are as I add and edit this information around on this site." Bob Dwyer, Carbon Monoxide Safety
Updated March 31, 2020
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NEW 03-29-2020 Carbon Dioxide in Confined Space; Carbon Dioxide is in every breath you take 20m44s BDCOSA
Measuring carbon dioxide is critical in determining indoor air quality measures in homes and buildings. 20 minutes, 44 seconds and see this easy to duplicate experiment; just add more people.

Spontaneous Combustion - Carbon Monoxide News Weekly Summary March 16 - 22 2020 13m32sBDCOSA
COSA - Classroom Discussions (Added March 23, 2020)
(Slide/Vide o)There are specific conditions required for complete combustion to occur. Fuel, air and heat are specific requirements and quantified by time, temperature and turbulence. Can the conditions of combustion be the same for a gas boiler waiting to fire and oily rags in a neglected heap left inside a room or building?

Flu-like Symptoms and the Health Effects of Carbon Monoxide
Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety - Classroom Discussions
(Video - Classroom Discussion) Are your symptoms flu-like? Don’t get lost in the symptoms – measure carbon monoxide. No matter what you do for a living you should know about the health impacts of carbon monoxide exposure and what your role in the prevention of poisoning.

The following is a slightly longer version and edited version of the one just above this one. You will find greater detail about measurement of carbon monoxide in people.
Flu-like symptoms and the health effects of carbon monoxide exposure COSABD7m34s
COSA - This edit version posted 03-30-20
Are your symptoms flu-like? Don’t get lost in the symptoms – measure carbon monoxide. No matter what you do for a living you should know about the health impacts of carbon monoxide exposure and what your role in the prevention of poisoning. (Re-edit video of 031320) Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety - Classroom Discussions (Video - Classroom Discussion - edited version)

Combustion Air and Death - Carbon Monoxide News, Summary March 8 - 15, 2020 09m10sBDCOSA
A brief tutorial regarding combustion air and carbon monoxide generation and several stories from last week that unfortunately demonstrate the tutorial. Carbon monoxide safety education requires your daily measurement.

Three separate CO News stories connected by CO alarm circumstances. Know how your alarm is tested and how it responds to the actual presence of carbon monoxide. Bob Dwyer Classroom discussion segment, March 8 2020

When is it best for me to be CO alarmed?
COSA (Video for classroom discussions, Carbon Monoxide Safety)
CO alarms are lab tested with certified carbon monoxide gas to help demonstrate delayed response vs rapid response to the toxic gas in this 15-minute classroom tutorial. Always asking the question "How soon would you like notification that your health is at risk from carbon monoxide exposure?"

The following video link appears via You Tube on “BLEVE” search
Video - Propane (LPG) tanks of any size can violently compound a structure fire – KEEP THEM OUTSIDE - This is an important notice to pass on to anyone.

Contact - the ESCO Group https://escogroup.org/ for more information on the CO exam and all their training and written exam certifications. Every item on this site is placed in the efforts to raise awareness to help reduce the impact carbon monoxide has on people.

Bob Dwyer Carbon Monoxide Safety Association (COSA)
You have asked - this video shows the low-level CO alarm I have in my house. It is also a good tutorial about high level CO alarms. Every home should have at least one low level CO detector.
Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety

Low-Level Carbon Monoxide Protection and TPI Model 780
COSA - TPI is a long time sponsor of this CO education effort
When does your carbon monoxide alarm? How do you test it? Are you sure it is responding to carbon monoxide in a safe, timely manner? Do you know much about your carbon monoxide alarm? This Classroom Discussion segment does highlight low-level CO protection with one of our supporter's manufactured product while it helps with CO alarm education. (View video)

About this CO Safety slide/video construction program process -
If you’re not measuring, I’m not teaching well. Can’t travel but can still teach and offer this help to all fellow instructors as they prepare the technicians who will help in providing safety practices and instruction to their future customers. This also expands our community education program for fire departments, emergency responders, health care providers, code and building officials, housing and community action programs, heating and air conditioning companies and everyone else involved in community and individual safety practices where I have had the privilege to work with and those I haven’t. 

NOTE - "Every live presentation I do is about carbon monoxide and associated conditions but each one is presented differently. This means I may charge up and add new slide/videos with the information from alternate perspectives. My slides will become familiar though it will seem the supportive CO News links will unfortunately also continue with painful similarities."

 (It is important you take the Carbon Monoxide Safety Exams to demonstrate you have retained this specific safety information. But what is most important is that you begin CO measurement daily, always. Everywhere you go or are, others will have CO exposure protection and not even know it. You will be kind of a "Silent Protector" against the "Silent Killer". You will save lives; measure and see.)

We can accomplish and seek solutions through daily research and measurement. What is the point of teaching if we don’t practice what we teach? Without measurement add darkness to the description of "The Silent Killer". "We are all students gathering information when it comes to carbon monoxide safety." Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety contact - bobdwyer@cosafety.org
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KEEP MEASURING, KEEP LEARNING

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

U.S. Carbon Monoxide Laws for each state
National Conference of State Legislatures
As of March 2018, a majority of states have enacted statutes regarding carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, and another 11 have promulgated regulations on CO detectors. Alaska requires detectors approved by the state fire marshal be installed in all dwellings. Connecticut requires them in all new construction, as does New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia. Florida also requires them in new construction, and in every room with a boiler. Minnesota passed a law requiring detectors in motor boats.

CO Detectors in U.S. Homes
27 states and the District of Columbia require carbon monoxide detectors in private dwellings via state statute: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia (via adoption of the International Residential Code), Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Certain states limit the installation to buildings with fossil-fuel burning devices, others only require the device be installed upon the sale of the property or unit.

Another 11 states require carbon monoxide detectors in private dwellings regulatorily through the adoption of the International Residential Code or via an amendment to their state’s building code: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wyoming.

CO Detectors in U.S. Schools
California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine and Maryland require carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in school buildings.

CO Detectors in U.S. Hotels and Motels
Fourteen states require the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in hotels and motels under the statute. - Three of those states (New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin) have complementary administrative regulations. - Two states (Kansas and Washington) have requirements through administrative regulations alone.
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Ontario Canada Carbon Monoxide Alarm Legislation
Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services
Hawkins-Gignac Act
Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997
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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.
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We have all been CO poisoned, some more than others
We have all inhaled carbon monoxide. We are a world of fire users.

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 - Investigate the following video segments to explore low level carbon monoxide measurement.
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MORE CARBON MONOXIDE LEARNING LINKS
CDC Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Movie Release 2015 - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Public domain video from CDC. Carbon monoxide (sometimes referred to as CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced (More)
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 acute levels, but be aware you can still experience symptoms of the poisoning even though the devices are in place.

DailyMotion - About Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning


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…

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
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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

Low Level CO Protection
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Links that may be of use or interest


- Carbon monoxide toxicity-Emergency Medicine Ireland
- Carbon Monoxide detection- National Fire Protection Association
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Tribute - 
George Kerr, a pioneer in smoke and carbon monoxide alarm manufacturing passed away in his home during the early morning of July 4, 2017. George will always be remembered for his passion to save lives and protect the health of people through low level carbon monoxide detection and alarming. He lived for over 84 years, beginning his career in fire safety in 1953.“CITIZENS WILL CONTINUE TO DIE & BECOME SERIOUSLY ILL DAILY!” - “We’ll never know how many lives we’re saving, but I know we are saving a few.” George E. Kerr (1933-2017) 
These following links may be of some use to you:
- The World Clock - Time Zones




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.

The Energy Conservatory
Masimo - see RAD 57
Mahugh Fire & Safety
ESCO Institute

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