Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.
- CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside
each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in
other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or
standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms
throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound. - Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and
mounting height. - Choose a CO alarm that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
- Call your local fire department’s non-emergency number to
find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds. - Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according
to the manufacturer’s instructions. - If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries.
If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire
department. - If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air
location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure
everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from
a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel
declare that it is safe to re-enter the home. - If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage
immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other
fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are
open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not
covered with snow. - During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer,
furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up. - A generator should be used in a well-ventilated location
outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings. - Gas or charcoal grills can produce CO — only use outside.
Home Heating Equipment:
Have fuel-burning heating equipment and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in. When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation. Never use your oven to heat your home.
FACTS
- A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.
- In 2010, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 80,100 non-fire CO incidents in which carbon monoxide was found, or an average of nine calls per hour.
Chesterfield Township Fire Department
33991 23 Mile Rd
Chesterfield, MI 48047
(586)725-2233
