“Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases: 1- It's completely impossible. 2- It's possible, but it's not worth doing. 3- I said it was a good idea all along.”
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008, bio link)
What are the CO Safety protocols or rules in your community?
Ask; don’t wait for the answer to come to you.
We rely on the services of public fire, emergency and law enforcement personnel to respond immediately to a variety of situations. These include locations with known and unknown carbon monoxide atmospheres. A carbon monoxide alarm activating, followed by a call to the emergency # describing the circumstance can help prevent further injury to the rescuers who may not be wearing personal CO monitors.
There have been too many times and too many CO headline postings that have law enforcement officers the first on a scene with a “civilian down, possible heart attack” call and they too had to be rescued due to the presence of CO. There have been times too when the ambulance team, following in after the now down police officers succumb to the CO in the air and they too have to be rescued.
A good question to ask of your local fire department or emergency response technicians, and a good answer for you to know is at what level of carbon monoxide in the air of a rescue do they put on their own self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)?” Another good question to ask of them and one you must know is what levels of carbon monoxide are the ones they use for civilian evacuation of a premise. Ask to see their carbon monoxide test instruments.
There seems to be a “grapevine” consensus in the urban fire safety community regarding the wearing of air packs when the concentrations of carbon monoxide exceeds certain levels. There is no formally written rule or guideline regarding CO for these responders so you will see some fire departments use above 10 PPM as the guideline. Others may use 25 PPM. There does seem to be a rather universal level where they all have them on when 35 PPM is exceeded.
There are also responders who will wear their air packs on any CO alarm call regardless of the concentration due to the nature of their service activity. Repetitive chronic exposures are avoided.
Unfortunately there are some fire department personnel who may respond that they don’t know what their protocols are and that they don’t wear or were not provided with personal CO monitors. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety
Four poisoned by carbon monoxide fumes
Your Local Guardian
Four people were taken to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning when fumes from a leaking boiler infected a Surbiton block of flats.
Vermont warns citizens about carbon monoxide threats
Healthvermont.gov
Breathing low levels of carbon monoxide over a few hours can have just as harmful effect as breathing high levels for a few minutes. If symptoms go away when you leave your home, but come back when you return, there may be a carbon monoxide problem in your home.
Preventing unintentional childhood injury in Utah
Safekidsutah.org
You can prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
· Heart Rescue Now This link takes you to a very short video that is a practical demonstration on the proper usage of an AED. This video is tastefully done & demonstrates the step-by-step way one might be able to save a life.
· Please take CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY CARE during all holiday and everyday activities.
· Carbon Monoxide Survivor A website made by poisoning survivors that brings a view that can only come from those that know what it is like to have been poisoned - as well as live with the long term impact.
· Consider low level protection for carbon monoxide and smoldering fire detection problems; don't leave anyone behind.
National Conference of State Legislatures
Carbon Monoxide Detectors State Statutes
Twenty-five U.S. states have statutes that require carbon monoxide detectors in certain residential buildings. Updated Nov. 2011
Alaska | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts| Michigan | Minnesota | Montana | New Jersey | New Hampshire | New York | North Carolina | Oregon | Rhode Island | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | West Virginia
Google Maps to reference the locations referenced in these Internet headlines.
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
The Energy Conservatory
IntelliTec Colleges
CO Experts
Masimo (See the non-invasive RAD-57)
Mahugh Fire & Safety
ESCO Institute
TPI - Test Products International
Every Day is Carbon Monoxide Safety Day!
