October 31, 2011

“Certain periods in history suddenly lift humanity to an observation point where a clear light falls upon a world previously dark.”
Anne Sullivan Macy (1866-1936)

Firefighters Urge Use Of CO Detectors in Homes
Wheeling News Register
By SHELLEY HANSON - Staff Writer, The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register
As Ohio Valley residents restart their furnaces, they also should remember to check the batteries in their carbon monoxide detectors. Wheeling Fire Department Investigator Lt. Jon Barry said the biggest culprit of CO emissions are faulty furnaces and other fossil fuel-burning appliances… Barry recommends CO detectors also be placed on every level of the home including the basement. While some may not see the value in purchasing such equipment for their home or apartment, Barry said doing so is worth the cost because it is all about saving lives. If one's CO detector does sound its alarm, Barry said, one should call 911 immediately and leave the house. But do not air out the home before firefighters arrive or they will not be able to properly detect the cause of the CO emission. ''Leave the house buttoned up,'' he said. According to the NFPA, in 2005 fire departments responded to 61,100 CO incidents nationwide. ''You can't see it or smell it ... and it's the same weight as air,'' Barry said of CO. ''How much is your life worth? You're not going to buy one every week,'' he noted. 

Police: Carbon monoxide kills Pa. woman
Beaver County Times
Authorities are blaming the fatal carbon monoxide poisoning of a young Philadelphia-area woman on a malfunctioning heating system. Upper Darby police say 22-year-old Anna Mae Croumbley was found dead in the basement bedroom of her family's home around ...

Bad boiler springs carbon monoxide leak that sickens family
Pittsburgh Post Gazette By Moriah Balingit, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A malfunctioning boiler is to blame for a carbon monoxide leak that sickened a Munhall family this morning, according to Equitable Gas. A Munhall dispatcher said police and firefighters were dispatched to the ...

DANGER! DANGER!
Residents using generators indoors after snowstorm at risk for carbon monoxide ...
Ct Post
State and local officials urged residents to be careful, since using generators improperly can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can quickly kill people in unventilated spaces. "Every year we hear of cases of people ...

Ephrata couple taken to hospital due to carbon monoxide buildup in home
Lancaster Newspapers By RYAN ROBINSON
An Ephrata Township couple were transported to a hospital this morning after a generator filled their home with carbon monoxide, a fire official said. Mr. and Mrs. Martin, who live in the 300 block of Middle Creek Road, ...

Several People Treated For Carbon Monoxide Poisoning In Ansonia
Valley Independent Sentinel by Jodie Mozdzer 
At least three people from a multi-family home on Cook Street in Ansonia were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning Sunday (Oct. 30). The poisoning was not related to the storm. Rather, there was a problem with ...

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning In Oxford
Valley Independent Sentinel by STAFF
A man was taken to the hospital after suffering apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in a garage at a home on Seth Den Road in Oxford late Saturday. Oxford fire officials confirmed the Valley Indy's account Sunday ...

UNITED KINGDOM CO ALARM SURVEY
Many ignore carbon monoxide dangers
The Press Association
Only a third of UK homes currently have a carbon monoxide alarm and only one person in five realizes the gas can kill, according to new research. The figures were highlighted by campaigners who are trying to cut the toll of deaths and injuries that it ...

October 30, 2011

“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact.” Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

Carbon monoxide poisoning in New London
Fox11online.com
New London - Several people in New London have been taken to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning. New London's fire chief says this happened at an apartment building on Oakridge Lane. A ThedaCare spokesperson says about 15 people have been taken ...

Oxford Resident Hospitalized With Apparent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Patch.com
Oxford firefighters responded to a call on Seth Den Road of a person who suffered what appeared to be carbon monoxide poisoning. An Oxford resident was hospitalized after suffering what appears to be carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Valley ...

Furnace Heat Preps
WLUK
Check furnace before turning on heat to help prevent Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

October 28, 2011

You can't move so fast that you try to change the mores faster than people can accept it. That doesn't mean you do nothing, but it means that you do the things that need to be done according to priority.”
 Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

Saline business evacuated as officials investigate possible carbon monoxide ...
AnnArbor.com
Saline police and firefighters are on the scene of what they're saying could be a carbon monoxide leak at JAC Products. At least 5 people were transported to area hospitals for medical attention, according to Saline fire officials. ...

Five Bridgeport Township residents treated for carbon monoxide poisoning ...
The Saginaw News - MLive.com
Three members of a Bridgeport Township family were transported to a local hospital this morning for treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning, with two experiencing “possible life-threatening conditions” according to firefighters. ...

WINTER ADVISORIES
Public information statement national weather service burlington vt 500 am edt ...
Victoria Advocate
Be sure you provide adequate ventilation to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Also...With any heating system...Make sure you have a battery powered operating carbon monoxide detector. Check your food supply and stock an extra supply of non ...

Deadly gas poses risk through heaters, cars
Jamestown Sun
“… educate the whole family about the difference between a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector.” If there's any question of carbon monoxide poisoning, people should call 911, he added. You can't see it, hear it, smell it, taste it or touch ...

Shiawassee Realtors hope to donate carbon monoxide detectors in honor of Ryes
Argus Press
SHIAWASSEE COUNTY — The recent deaths of a Corunna couple from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning came as a shock to many in the community. In an attempt to prevent similar tragedies, the Shiawassee Association of Realtors (SAOR) has begun raising ...

Hansen Family Going to U.K. for Carbon Monoxide Awareness
WGRZ-TV
WEST SENECA, NY - The parents of a West Seneca teen who died of carbon monoxide poisoning have turned their heartbreak into a mission to help others. Ken and Kim Hansen are headed to the United Kingdom Saturday for a week-long trip where they will ...

October 28, 2011

“Education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.” John Dewey (1859-1952)

COSA NOTE: If all you have in your home or building is a U.L. 2034 listed carbon monoxide alarm and it begins to alarm, please know the levels are already beyond fire department evacuation levels. Get all into fresh air immediately and call 911. Are you, or are any of us prepared for an emergency evacuation of our homes when our carbon monoxide alarm sounds off? Have we shared this information with our family members?

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Sends Danbury Family to Hospital
Hartford Courant
Five people were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning Friday morning after their heating system malfunctioned and began emitting high levels of the odorless gas. The Danbury Fire Department responded to 61 Purcell Dr. Friday morning after one of ...

Carbon Monoxide Detected In Castle Shannon Office Building ...
CBS Pittsburgh By angelakdka
Carbon monoxide detectors inside an office building in Castle Shannon may have saved some lives today. Eight people were evacuated when those monitors went off this afternoon.

Family Of 9 Gets Out Alive Thanks To CO Detectors
KMGH Denver
"I jumped up, I went through the house and one of our carbon monoxide detectors was going off." "Denver 911, what is the address of your emergency?" the operator asked in the call. "OK, tell me exactly what happened?" said the operator. ...

Declaration urges people to be aware of CO
Argus Press
As part of an effort to increase awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, this week has been declared Carbon Monoxide Safety and Awareness Week by Consumers Energy. Gov. Rick Snyder and local agencies are warning residents of the ...

October 27, 2011

“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)

TYLER’S LAW IN MINNESOTA; CO Safety in driver‘s education classes
Know CO: It can save a life
Nascar
Carbon monoxide poisoning is so dangerous yet so preventable. Only now am I coming to grips with the fact that the only thing that could have kept Tyler alive was knowledge. Tyler's exuberance for life inspired all around him. ...

Carbon monoxide leak sickens Wilkinsburg family
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review By James Knox, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
A Wilkinsburg family of seven was hospitalized this morning after being sickened by a carbon monoxide leak in their rented duplex. The furnace exhaust had been poorly vented through a clothes dryer duct and the ...

High carbon monoxide levels injure 4 at Northwest Side two-flat ...
Chicago Tribune
Four people were taken for treatment at area hospitals following a carbon monoxide leak at a Palmer Square two-flat this afternoon, a Fire Department ...

After CO incident, Wallingford FD gives out 100 detectors
Meriden Record-Journal
Jim Duffy of the Wallingford Fire Department, stands inside fire headquarters at 75 Masonic Ave. with a carbon monoxide detector on Wednesday October 26, 2011. The department received 100 detectors to give to the public. 

October 26, 2011

“You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down.”
Mary Pickford (1893-1979)

Family Falls Ill After Carbon Monoxide Leak
WREG - Memphis
Memphis fire crews say they detected carbon monoxide in the home. The family fears the gas heater that was repaired last week could be the cause. They did not have a carbon monoxide detector. “You have to be cognizant of the fact you have a faulty furnace you can have a buildup of carbon monoxide in your home,” said Deputy Chief Gary Ludwig….Any contractor doing a major repair or installing a furnace needs to pull a mechanical permit so that inspectors can look at the work within two days. Memphis and Shelby County Construction Code Enforcement says…

Protecting from carbon monoxide extends beyond checking detectors
9NEWS.com
DENVER - If you haven't checked the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors lately, now's a good time, but that's not your best defense against the odorless, poisonous gas. Experts recommend having a detector within 15 feet of every bedroom door in ...

Making Sure You Have the Right Chimney Liner
WNEP-TV By Stacy Lange
Earlier this month, carbon monoxide poisoning claimed the lives of three people in Northumberland County. Now investigators say faulty equipment in that family's chimney may have caused the deadly carbon monoxide to back up into the home ...

People at increased risk for carbon monoxide poisoning in winter
KNDO/KNDU
People are coming up with ways to stay warm, but some of those release carbon monoxide. Firefighters say don't try to keep your house warm with alternative sources like barbecues. Keep unused gas stove burners off. Generators should also be kept ...

Fire dept. speaks out after Saskatoon carbon monoxide deaths
News Talk 650 CKOM
Saskatoon's Assistant Fire Chief Dan Paulsen is speaking about the dangers of carbon monoxide after two people died from CO poisoning in a residence located on Avenue M over the weekend. Police report that an 18-year-old woman and 42-year-old man fell ... Paulsen adds that many people confuse symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning with flu symptoms, which include headaches, dizziness and nausea. 

SCIENCE REPLAY
First oxygen-breathing life on land discovered
LifeScience By Wynne Parry
The transformation known as the Great Oxidation Event occurred when the atmosphere gained oxygen, an element crucial for nearly all animal life, including humans. The new analysis indicates the earliest estimate to date for the start of The Great Oxidation Event 2.48 billion years ago.

October 25, 2011

“The idea that to make a man work you've got to hold gold in front of his eyes is a growth, not an axiom. We've done that for so long that we've forgotten there's any other way.” F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940)

Tragic Confirmation
Carbon monoxide caused 3 deaths
Danville News
COAL TOWNSHIP — A blocked chimney flue has been blamed for the carbon monoxide deaths of an elderly couple and their adult daughter on Oct. 1. Wayne S. Maurer, 93, his wife, Catherine M. Maurer, 84, and their daughter, Mary Jo A. Maurer, 43, ...

Carbon monoxide gas in Raleigh home sends 2 adults, 3 kids to hospitals
DeSoto Appeal By Kevin McKenzie
Two adults and three children were transported to hospitals today after Memphis Fire Department rescue crews detected carbon monoxide in a Raleigh home, officials said. Called shortly before 6:30 am, the crews were unable to determine ...

Atlanta giving away free smoke-carbon monoxide detectors
WXIA-TV
ATLANTA -- As the weather gets colder, an ever-present danger is carbon monoxide poisoning from small generators or gas grills used in enclosed spaces, or from gas furnaces, wood or charcoal being used for indoor heating without proper ventilation. ...

WORTH REPEATING: Factory Recall for CO Alarms
ADT Recalls Carbon Monoxide Detectors Due to Failure to Properly ...
CDC.GOV
Description: This recall involves hardwired carbon monoxide detectors with model CO 1224T installed by ADT The model number is behind the front cover ...

CO Tool as a Weapon in Rodent Control
Lompoc getting new weapon in war on gophers
Santa Maria Times
In this long-run fight that has continued with no resolution, the city is bringing a new contraption to control its gopher population: a machine with four nozzles that is capable of pumping pressurized carbon monoxide into the ground. The use of carbon ...

October 24, 2011

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.”
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

COSA NOTES:
What can I do to protect myself and my family from carbon monoxide?
Have carbon monoxide alarms in your house or apartment. Make sure one of them is a low level monitor that begins alarming as early as 10 PPM of CO or earlier. You should not have to experience headaches or flu-like symptoms before the alarm notifies you of the gas presence.

It is highly recommended that if unvented combustion systems are used indoors (not COSA recommended) that they be used with caution and with carbon monoxide alarms and perhaps CO2 (carbon dioxide) monitors to ensure healthy air. When measuring carbon dioxide, make sure you compare your inside air with air found outside.

Don’t start and leave running cars, generators, snow blowers, trucks, or other vehicles in an enclosed area especially the garage or close to openings in the house. Even with the big doors open it can still be dangerous. CO can also get into rooms above the garage! Keep generators far away from windows, doors and other entries into buildings.

Gas & oil furnaces and water heaters and fireplace chimneys can get blocked by snow, bird nests or accidental clogging and can result in carbon monoxide production and eventual poisoning.

Have your furnace and other fuel burning appliances tested and inspected by a qualified professional once a year or before each heating season to each manufacturer’s measurable standards found in the instructions. You should receive a measurement report verifying what tests were taken and the results. A certified professional should have a variety of certifications and continuing education credentials available for consumer viewing. The real certification is in the work performed that is verified and documented. Don’t assume classroom certifications achieved by heating contractors equal work performed. The technicians still has to do the work & conduct the tests. If they don’t or can’t, don’t pay for the service. Find out what tests will be performed before you schedule service.

Don’t wait until illness symptoms occur or until something breaks! Have your appliances checked at least annually. Get a baseline on your house and your family. BE SAFE! If you are sick with symptoms known to be related to carbon monoxide exposure, go to the doctor and get tested.

It is very important to know that CO Alarms Listed by the UL 2034 Standards may not be the best for some people of vulnerable health. They are not required to sound off until 70 PPM of CO is present for as long as 4 hours. They do not meet OSHA workplace standards for alarming. The test button does not tell you the sensor works, just that the audible sound works.

U.L. 2034 requires listed alarms to notify consumers by product package instructions that suggest people of vulnerable health use a better alarm than that listed as U.L. 2034. COSA describes these people to include: pregnant women, infants and people with heart or respiratory complications, chronic depression or similar symptoms described on this link as related to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Chicago Sunday Update
Carbon monoxide leak sends 4 to area hospitals
WGNtv.com
Four people were treated at area hospitals because of a carbon monoxide leak this afternoon, Fire Department officials said. Firefighters were called to a home in the 2100 block of North Bingham Street about 5:15 pm, where they discovered several ...

Coroner’s Report, Tennessee
Carbon Monoxide ruled as cause of death to five adults at Clarksville Speedway
The Tennessean
The September deaths of five people found inside a camper at Clarksville Speedway in September were caused by acute carbon monoxide toxicity, according to the city's police department. The five adults who died were between ages 27 and 39 and attending ...

October 23, 2011

“The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.” Confucius

Carbon monoxide survivor leaves hospital
Atlanta Journal Constitution By Shelia M. Poole
The youngest survivor of an apparent carbon monoxide poisoning incident in Kennesaw has been released from the hospital, police said Saturday. "The last I heard, the juvenile was released from the hospital and the woman was about to ...

High carbon monoxide levels injure 4 at Northwest Side two-flat
Chicago Tribune By Liam Ford Tribune reporter
Four people were taken for treatment at area hospitals following a carbon monoxide leak at a Palmer Square two-flat this afternoon, a Fire Department spokesman said. Fire officials were called to a two-flat in the 2100 ...

2 deaths in Saskatoon may be CO poisoning, police say
CBC.ca
Two people are dead, possibly from carbon monoxide poisoning linked to a gas-powered generator, police in Saskatoon say. The deaths of an 18-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man at a home in the 1000 block of Avenue M South were reported to police ...

Colder weather can lead to more carbon monoxide calls
Leavenworth Times
And as the use of furnaces increases, firefighters tend to see a spike in carbon monoxide calls, according to Leavenworth Assistant Fire Chief Mark Nietzke. Exposure to carbon monoxide can cause flu-like symptoms, and CO poisoning also can be fatal. ...

October 22, 2011

“People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent.”  Bob Dylan (1941,)

Safety checks recommended for heating systems as weather turns cold
The Augusta Chronicle
Homeowners with gas heaters also should check for cracks in the combustion chamber or pipes to make sure no carbon monoxide is leaking inside. Home heating is the main source of carbon monoxide, he said. The odorless, colorless poisonous gas occurs ...

October 21, 2011

“Nothing leads the scientist so astray as a premature truth.”
Jean Rostand (1894-1977)

Factory Recall for CO Alarms
ADT Recalls Carbon Monoxide Detectors Due to Failure to Properly ...
CDC.GOV
Description: This recall involves hardwired carbon monoxide detectors with model CO 1224T installed by ADT The model number is behind the front cover ...

Carbon monoxide kills two in Kennesaw home
Atlanta Journal Constitution By Mike Morris
Two Kennesaw men died early Friday from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning caused by an improperly placed generator. A woman and a 10-year-old boy inside the home on Twelve Oaks Circle were hospitalized after the incident, which occurred ...

CO Detector Saves Family
Valley News Live
A family is lucky to be alive after being exposed to toxic levels of carbon monoxide. It happened at around 11:00 Thursday morning at a home in North Fargo. Firefighters say it may have been caused by a broken furnace. Al and Shirley Shafer and their ...

Four years after carbon monoxide deaths, safety reigns at World Clydesdale Show
Madison.com
DeVere R. Clay, 68, and his wife, Barbara J. Clay, 57, and their grandchildren Erin Briney, 10, and Hope Briney, 13, all of Tomah, died of carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping in the living quarters of their horse trailers in an Alliant Center ...

Appliance fires raise questions about UK regulator
Reuters
In November 2008 a student in Cork, Ireland, died from carbon monoxide poisoning which the coroner said was caused by a gas cooker. The cooker was sold under the New World brand which is owned by appliance maker Glen Dimplex. ...

October 20, 2011

“Delay is the deadliest form of denial.”
C. Northcote Parkinson (1909-1993)

Suspected Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Kills Couple Inside Mackinac County Cabin
9&10 News
Emergency crews got to the cabin near Hessel to find Howard and Judith Rye dead from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. Michigan State Police say the couple were supposed to be back in their hometown of Corunna Thursday, but when they didn't show, ...

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Still a Life Saving Device
9&10 News
Accidents like the one in Mackinac County, tend to remind us of the importance of carbon monoxide detectors in the home. There are no safety codes mandating the devices like there are for smoke detectors. But they are the only true way to detect the ...

Leaf fires cause significant health damage
UPI.com
"Besides being an irritant, leaf smoke contains many hazardous chemicals, including carbon monoxide and benzo(a)pyrene. Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin in the bloodstream and thus reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood and lungs. ...

City Says North Minneapolis Chimneys Potentially Dangerous After Tornado
KSAX
City inspectors identified more than 200 properties with either damaged or block chimneys, that could cause carbon monoxide poisoning. The city is contacting each property owner to encourage them to schedule a carbon monoxide safety inspection before ...

October 19, 2011

“Beware of missing chances; otherwise it may be altogether too late some day.” Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Clinton police advise: Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning
Hunterdon County Democrat - NJ.com By Rick Epstein / Hunterdon County Democrat
The Clinton Police Department urges the public to avoid the tragic results of carbon monoxide poisoning. As the fall temperatures roll in, many of us close up the windows and light the fireplaces, ...

ACFD to provide free carbon monoxide/smoke detectors to city homeowners
Press of Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY - Atlantic City Fire Department Chief Dennis Brooks announced a program Monday that will provide free carbon monoxide/smoke detectors to city homeowners. Brooks said carbon monoxide detectors should be considered as important to ...

Welcome Aboard the Industrial Waste-Powered Airplane
Wall Street Daily
Except instead of wastewater, it's using carbon. You see, industrial facilities generate a ton of carbon monoxide as a byproduct. Normally it just ends up polluting the atmosphere. But LanzaTech has developed a carbon re-use technology that can convert ...

October 18, 2011

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”
Mark Van Doren (1894-1972)

Carbon monoxide leak in Highwood sends 4 to hospitals
Highland Park News
Four people, including two inside a dentist's office, were hospitalized after a carbon monoxide leak Monday in north suburban Highwood. Emergency personnel responded about 12:35 pm to a report of a person with chest pains inside a dentist's office at ... All crews carry a carbon monoxide monitor inside a bag, which activated while assisting the person with chest pains, Pieri said. At that point crews realized the man with chest pains was actually suffering from effects of the carbon monoxide, and the building was evacuated.

Firefighters install carbon monoxide detectors, remind public about new law
San Jose Mercury News By KIMBERLY WHITE
APTOS - Mostly in an effort to protect themselves, but also to raise awareness about a new state law, firefighters with the Aptos/La Selva Beach Fire Protection District spent Monday installing the life-saving devices at its three stations.

October 17, 2011

“Acceptance of prevailing standards often means we have no standards of our own.” Jean Toomer (1894-1967)

Who is responsible for the air you breathe?

COSA does not have an approval system for carbon monoxide alarms. There are many times at national conferences that we may put carbon monoxide alarms into sealed bags and test them with certified, known quantities of carbon monoxide. We and others in the industry often or always do these tests during public and private training programs to help raise awareness to how CO alarms work. It is always our recommendations to have at least one alarm in a building that is capable of alerting the occupants to levels as early as 10 PPM, and as soon as it reaches that level; NO waiting!

However, there are some fire departments around the country that begin evacuations at 10 PPM so perhaps the alarm set points should be 7 or 8 PPM for those locations. It is important that each homeowner or responsible building occupant know at what level their fire department evacuates for carbon monoxide levels found inside and take appropriate measures for alarm protection.

This live CO alarm demonstration is one used to help raise awareness to carbon monoxide alarm set points. People often bring their personal CO monitors with them or will bring their own CO alarm and ask them to be verified on the spot. Personal protection monitors need to be calibrated per manufacturer specifications; this is merely a verifiable spot test.

Home alarms… how do you know if they work? The test button has only to verify that there is enough electrical current to sound an audible alert, not that the sensor is working at all or to what % of drift or deviation from accuracy there may be from the tested-to-listing set point. We can test for home alarms in the field, but not too many people want to wait around for up to 4 hours to see if their alarm is going to go off at 100 PPM. (According to the U.L. 2034 listing, the alarm has to resist sounding for one full hour when the levels are over 70 PPM and under 150 PPM and must alarm before 4 hours have lapsed. This has been their U.L. Approval criteria for quite a few years.)

We encourage everyone to read the packaging on the outside of a new carbon monoxide alarm to find out when the alarm testing set points were set for. The U.L. 2034 listed alarms as stated have been tested at 70, 150 and 400 PPM. We must decide if this alarm will protect all who enter from the levels they should be protected from.

Tarrytown Firefighters Respond to Carbon Monoxide Scare
Patch.com By Krista Madsen
There was a carbon monoxide scare from a power washer at the Landmark Condominium complex at 18 N. Broadway, according to one of the Tarrytown firefighters dispatched to the scene, at about 12:30 pm this Saturday. ...

Carbon monoxide: Cold season's silent assailant
Santa Fe New Mexican.com
It could be the flu or food poisoning, but it also could be carbon-monoxide — CO — poisoning. People with old boilers, gas furnaces and gas stoves, in particular, should have their homes tested once a year, experts say. Every year, carbon-monoxide ...

October 16, 2011

“Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weakness.”
Jean Vanier (1928,)

Carbon monoxide a silent and scent-less threat, authorities say
Daily Herald Eugene R. Worth, MD, M.Ed. –
Medical Director of Hyperbaric Medicine at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo -- said the children were suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Due to the boat's slow speed and the lack of wind, ...

October 15, 2011

"The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.” Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

Wallingford family taken to hospital due to carbon monoxide exposure
Meriden Record-Journal
WALLINGFORD - Five children and their mother were transported to Yale New Haven Hospital due to carbon monoxide exposure Thursday night, police said. Wallingford Police Department Communication Center received an emergency call from a woman at 40 ...

Who needs carbon monoxide detectors
WWLP 22News
(WWLP) - As the winter heating season approaches, 22News is working for you with information about carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced by appliances and other devices that emit gas or other petroleum products. ...

More Comprehensive Testing Of CO Alarms Required
OilFiredUp
According to the Gas Safety Trust's Carbon Monoxide Hotspot Report 2011, deaths from CO poisoning in the UK have tripled in the last year. The report counts 50 recorded incidents involving 105 people including 25 fatalities and 80 cases of illness ...

October 14, 2011

“The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool.”
Stephen King (1947,)

Carbon Monoxide Sends Nine to Hospitals
NBC Connecticut
Officials say five children, a mother, and three rescue personnel were taken to area hospitals for treatment after being exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide. The Wallingford Police Department received a call at around 7:42 pm that alerted them to ...

Carbon Monoxide Detector Mailer is Bogus
KHSL
Several Action News viewers have called in to ask about a mailer being sent out this week that urges recipients to send in money to pay for a carbon monoxide detector or face fines from the state. Action News checked into this mailer and learned that ...

Deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning have tripled Best Medical Cover
The Gas Safety Trust has urged people to be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide, after figures revealed a major increase in the number of deaths resulting from CO poisoning. The number of deaths resulting from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning has ...

Furnace tune up helps prevent carbon monoxide danger
Warwick Advertiser
That contractor, among other things, can help identify and address any carbon monoxide issues in your home through the proper maintenance of your heating unit. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that is odorless, colorless and tasteless. ...

October 13, 2011

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”  Buddha

Gas fitter denies manslaughter over alleged carbon monoxide death 
Bristol Evening Post
At first it was thought the neuro- science graduate had slipped and banged her head, but the prosecution say Miss Anderson died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the gas boiler fitted by Hartley. During a brief hearing at Bristol Crown Court, ...

October 12, 2011

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Soon To 'Power-Out' - Next Edition!
Western Queens Gazette by LIZ GOFF
Thousands of carbon monoxide detectors installed in New York City residences under a 2004 law may no longer work. The devices have a life expectancy of five to seven years, so detectors installed in 2004 are likely to have stopped working ...

Carbon monoxide detectors offered
Long Beach Press-Telegram By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Fire Chief Alan Patalano speaks during a press-conference Tuesday to discuss Fire Prevention Week, which began Sunday, and to focus in particular on the need for carbon monoxide detectors in all households and the need for ...

Recycle old alarms with new program
Peace Arch News By Sarah Massah
Peace Arch News The Semiahmoo Bottle Depot is now accepting expired and used smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for recycling as part of a new province-wide program that kicked off right before Fire Prevention Week. ...

Carbon monoxide warning as Northern Ireland tops UK deaths table
Belfast Telegraph By Lisa Smyth
Northern Ireland has the highest rate of fatalities from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the UK, latest figures have revealed. Alarming data from the Carbon Monoxide Hotspot Report 2011 has highlighted the need for greater awareness in ...

Carbon monoxide leak caused disruption at Redcar steel plant
SteelGuru
Evening Gazette reported that a leak of carbon monoxide caused disruption at a Redcar steel plant. Bosses at Thai company SSI confirmed the leak came from the Redcar coke ovens plant at around 7.45 AM local time. Spokesman Mr John Baker said that ...

October 11, 2011

“An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Woman hospitalized when carbon monoxide leaks from faulty furnace kwgn.com
DENVER -- A woman was recovering Monday after she was hospitalized when fire crews found carbon monoxide levels that were six times higher than normal in her home. The woman felt sick and called a neighbor, saying she was having trouble breathing. ...

Near fatality focuses Fire Prevention Week reminder
Bennington Banner
ARLINGTON -- Arlington firefighters say they're using an incident two weeks ago that came close to being a double fatality as a reminder for people to ensure they have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in their homes. ...

As cold weather approaches, make sure your house is safely heated
Lawrence Journal World
Floerchinger and Tolefree also said it's best to have professionals check your furnace to help you avoid high carbon monoxide levels in your home that can extremely dangerous. They offered several safety tips as winter approaches. ...

October 10, 2011

“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

 Four People Taken to Hospital Following Carbon Monoxide Leak
Patch.com By Greta Cuyler
Four people were transported to the University Medical Center at Princeton on Sunday afternoon for treatment of potential carbon monoxide poisoning. The injuries were not life-threatening, Princeton Fire Chief Dan Tomalin said. ...

SCIENCE
Carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide transfer optimized by researchers
Biofuels Digest
In Illinois, researchers have found a way to convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide using an ionic liquid as a co-catalyst, reducing the amount of electrical energy required. A research team at the University of Illinois worked with researchers at ...

October 9, 2011

“Also note that invariably when we design something that can be used by those with disabilities, we often make it better for everyone.”
Donald Norman (1935,)

Time To Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors
KRDO
As people shut their windows and crank up their furnaces, Colorado Springs Firefighters warn people to check their carbon monoxide detectors. According the CDC, carbon monoxide is the cause of 500 deaths each year. It also puts thousands in the ...

Frisco Teens Hospitalized
MyFox Dallas
FRISCO, Texas - More than a dozen people -- many of them teenagers -- were taken to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning this evening in Frisco. "Everyone seemed a little worried, but more so for everyone else," said Devin Reavis. ...

Watch Out For 'Silent Killer' As You Turn On Heater
KFOX El Paso
EL PASO, Texas -- As the weather cools down and the heaters come on, carbon monoxide becomes a real danger in your home. If you're not careful, the tasteless, odorless, invisible gas could kill you. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) said on average, ...

October 8, 2011

“You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.”
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

Two People Taken To Hospital After Carbon Monoxide Detected In ...
9 News Now wusa9.com
Firefighters and haz-mat crews found elevated levels of carbon monoxide inside both addresses. The houses were ventilated. EMS evaluated a total of 3 people. ...

CO detector essential in tight homes
Ottawa Citizen
Carbon monoxide is the issue, and with cold weather on its way, a carbon monoxide detector is more important than ever. This is especially true if you live in a modern, energy-efficient home. The hazards of carbon monoxide shouldn't be news to any of ...

Free smoke & carbon monoxide alarms
News Talk 610 CKTB
It's a public education program aimed at reducing home fires and carbon monoxide deaths to zero. Enbridge Gas Distribution, the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council adn St. Catharines Fire Services working together. Fire Chief Mark Melenbacher ...

October 7, 2011

“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.” Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

COSA asks that before you use that gas or oil furnace,
Get your combustion heating systems serviced and verified to operate within the measureable parameters listed on the service data plate on the furnace. This information is also found in the technician instructions that came with the furnace, along with the “Owner’s Manual”.

In many cases knowledgeable, trained and credentialed technicians will be able to provide you a combustion analysis report that is printed right off of their test instruments. This report will include measurements of how much carbon monoxide may be being generated before and after their service. Hopefully there is none or very little. Sometimes it is just not possible to get a system to produce “0” PPM of CO. Get them tested and please make sure there are no obstructions in the vent or chimney before using.

It is recommended that there be at least one low level carbon monoxide alarm in every building to ensure that all who enter are protected from the levels they need to be protected from.

Lucky escape from Carbon Monoxide leak leads to safety warning from Cambs fire ...
Haverhill Echo
PEOPLE are being reminded to make sure they get gas appliances regularly serviced after two households in Cambridgeshire had a lucky escape from leaking carbon monoxide (CO). “Gas appliances are increasingly useful as the weather turns colder but also ...

October 6, 2011

“The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos.” Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002)

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Dispatch Log
Fire Log: Carbon Monoxide Alarm at Post 53
Patch.com By John Davisson
Carbon monoxide alarm: The DFD was called to respond to a carbon monoxide alarm activation at 45 Birch Rd. around 6:40 pm No unusual readings were found at the scene, however. Fire alarm: The DFD was called to respond to a fire alarm ...

Maine Pollution Controversy
'The smell of money'
The Maine Campus
Old Town Fuel & Fiber, as it is currently known, has without fail exceeded the amount of carbon monoxide it is allowed to release into the atmosphere, per a license granted by Maine's Department of Environmental Protection, for the past 12 quarters. ...

October 5, 2011

“Medical science has proven time and again that when the resources are provided, great progress in the treatment, cure, and prevention of disease can occur.” Michael J. Fox (1961,)

Off-Campus Apartment Building Evacuated For Carbon Monoxide
NBC4i.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Firefighters evacuate an off-campus apartment building after getting a call about carbon monoxide. Columbus fire responded to a 45-unit apartment building at 285 E. 14th St. at about 9 am Wednesday on reports of possible ...

NE Indiana
Man dies of carbon monoxide poisoning
KPCnews.com
ALBION — A rural Albion man died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a defective home furnace Sunday, the Noble County Coroner confirmed Tuesday. Maynard E. Peterson, 83, died at his home, Noble County Coroner Dr. Terry Gaff said. Gaff ruled it an accidental death. Peterson was in his home when he was discovered unresponsive by his daughter, Susan Peterson, Gaff said. He was transported to Parkview Noble Hospital, but efforts to resuscitate him failed. Susan Peterson also lived in...

COSA NOTE: CO poisoning detected when symptoms were presented and the victims tested onsite, immediately.
Colder Weather And Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Insurance News Net
Each year, Bellingham Fire/Whatcom Medic One crews respond to emergencies where someone has been accidently poisoned by carbon monoxide (CO). In some cases, entire families have had to receive emergency treatment. Whatcom Medic One crews recently treated a victim of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The patient presented with vague symptoms that mimicked a heart problem. Sophisticated medical equipment that monitors the level of oxygen and carbon monoxide in the blood stream alerted the medics, who then shifted their treatment plan, including ensuring everyone else in the home was assessed for CO exposure. Further investigation found a malfunctioning natural gas furnace that allowed the odorless, tasteless and colorless gas to leak into the residence....

Carbon monoxide alarm alerts Franklin residents; Fire chief reminds people to ...
Hunterdon County Democrat - NJ.com
Quakertown Fire Company was dispatched to a residence on Upper Kingtown Road for a carbon monoxide alarm and firefighters with CO detectors attempted to enter the residence and found double the acceptable levels at the front door. ...

Carbon monoxide safety for flood victims as cold weather approaches
YNN
But health officials are warning the public to be careful when using those items and avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. "As these temperatures get cooler, we want to remind people about the dangers of carbon monoxide and remind them not to be burning ...

October 4, 2011

“A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.”
Max Planck (1858-1947)

COSA NOTE:The change of seasons usually brings an increase in carbon monoxide accident related stories. Often this is because of the lack of maintenance to heating equipment being used for the first time this season and buildings being closed up more often due to colder weather. Get your heating equipment serviced and analyzed as soon as you can. Make sure you have working carbon monoxide alarms, with one of them a low level alarm to make sure all who enter are protected.

Coal Township couple, daughter found dead from carbon monoxide
Republican & Herald By Justin Strawser, Staff Writer
COAL TOWNSHIP - An elderly township couple and their disabled daughter were found dead in their home Monday morning from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Northumberland County Coroner James ...

COSA Notes: This study indicates it doesn't matter where you breathe in CO, just how much or how little can be harmful during pregnancy.
Carbon monoxide study delivers a surprise
Herald Sun
Mothers in areas moderately polluted by carbon monoxide gave birth to children who were an average 58g lighter, a study found. TRAFFIC pollution can lead to women having smaller babies. Mothers in areas moderately polluted by carbon monoxide gave birth ...

CAUTION NOTICE for first time furnace users this season!
Carbon monoxide leak sends several to the hospital in Muskego
Newsradio 620 By Annie Scholz & WTMJ News Team
MUSKEGO - Several people and two pets are being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. There are also reports the people are receiving hyperbaric chamber treatments. A witness tells TODAY'S TMJ4 he saw a man flagging ...

Residents reminded to check heating systems to prevent carbon monoxide buildup
Lancaster Newspapers
Installing a carbon monoxide detector and regular maintenance of heating systems are good ways to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home. By RYAN ROBINSON It's the time of year for residents to thwart a potential killer, city fire officials ...

Holiday Inn Express evacuated after carbon monoxide alarm
Kirksville Daily Express and Daily News
Low levels of carbon monoxide were detected at the Kirksville Holiday Inn Express shortly before noon and the building was evacuated until fire officials resolved the cause in one of the building's hot water heaters. The carbon monoxide ...

No one hurt in carbon monoxide scare at St. John's church and school
ReporterHerald.com By Pamela Dickman
A carbon monoxide leak prevented a Monday morning church service but did not affect classes at St. John's Catholic church and school. Police Chief Luke Hecker and another parishioner smelled the gas about 7:45 am, evacuated about six ...

October 3, 2011

“One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning”.
James Russell Lowell (1819-1891)

The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide During Pregnancy
InfantRisk Center Texas Tech University, Health Sciences Center
Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that is produced from burning fuels. Common sources of carbon monoxide include motor vehicle exhaust, ... During pregnancy, the danger of carbon monoxide to the mother and fetus is increased.

'Very high' carbon monoxide levels send two Kutztown families to hospital
Reading Eagle
Two Kutztown families were taken to the hospital Sunday morning after fire crews discovered extreme levels of carbon monoxide in their semi-detached homes, officials said. Chief Troy M. Arndt of the Kutztown Fire Company said it did not appear any of ...

Boston Apartment Building Evacuated Due To Carbon Monoxide ...
CBS Boston By KC Downey
An apartment building on Temple Street had to be evacuated due to carbon monoxide on Sunday afternoon.

Wokingham man sets up charity after wife's gas death
BBC News
A man from Berkshire whose wife died due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning has set up a charity in her name to raise awareness of gas leaks. Katie Haines, 31, of Wokingham, drowned in the bath after breathing in carbon monoxide from a leaking ...

October 2, 2011

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” William James (1842-1910)

Local Family's Fight Against Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Continues
WKBW-TV
After losing their daughter Amanda to carbon monoxide poisoning, Kevin and Kim Hansen dedicated themselves to battling the poison by raising awareness. Saturday, they took their mission to West Seneca, where they donated a specialized carbon monoxide ...

3 Transported For Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Local 10
HILLSBORO BEACH -- Three people were transported after paramedics said they had high levels of carbon monoxide in their system, said deputies. Broward Sheriff's Fire Rescue Haz Mat team went to the home at 1007 Hillsboro Mile in Hillsboro Beach at ...

Ohio landlord gets 6 months in jail after carbon monoxide deaths of 4 tenants ...
Washington Post
A coroner ruled carbon monoxide poisoning killed them. The Blade newspaper in Toledo reports that Snow apologized in court to the victims' relatives. He had known the woman for two decades and said he thought of her and the ...

Cottagers beware of carbon monoxide
Hamilton Spectator
Two senior citizens spending some time in their cabin died when they were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes. It was a couple of days before neighbours found their bodies. Police believe the killer fumes came from what police referred to as ...