2008 Woodie Awards
Carbon monoxide: The silent killer
What you don't know could kill you or someone you love
Ken Cutts
Issue date: 4/3/03 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
Most college students have many things to worry about, so why add carbon monoxide to the burden? Stats suggest it's too dangerous to ignore. Unintentional exposure to this invisible, odorless and tasteless gas causes about 1,500 deaths each year in the United States and leads to another 10,000-40,000 people seeking medical attention according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Symptoms of poisoning are difficult to identify and range from headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion, according to the "Journal of American Medicine." In most cases of unintentional poisonings, victims didn't realize that this gas was being produced or was accumulating in the air they were breathing.
The gas is usually generated by anything that burns fuel, such as gas furnaces, stoves, water heaters, barbeque grills, wood-burning fireplaces, and automobiles-especially in garages attached to a home. There are even trace amounts which can be found in candles, as well as cigarette and cigar smoke. Also remember that newer buildings are not exempt from this danger, due the fact they are "air tight" and don't allow trace levels to escape.
Carbon monoxide deaths and health-related problems are preventable with affordable alarms averaging $25, purchased from any store that sells home improvement supplies. People are exposed to a nontoxic low level on a day-by-day basis, but these alarms sound only when levels approach a dangerous amount. Recent research conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission revealed that 60 percent of American homes have not installed CO alarms to help guard against poisoning. In contrast, 94 percent of U.S. households have one or more smoke alarms for fire protection.
This information is important for students who live off-campus, as they are at greater risk than on-campus students. A room on campus is typically not surrounded by the machines that are responsible for creating CO when they malfunction, so there's no immediate need for Lakeland to install detectors or alarms. One precaution is to make sure that your home off campus is safe. If it also lacks a smoke alarm, a combination fire and CO alarm can be purchased. Some models plug into an outlet so there's no need for batteries. The safety of yourself and your family back home is worth a small $25 investment.
If you already have an alarm and it goes off, take action as if your home were on fire. Let's say you awake in the middle of the night because your CO alarm went off. Evacuate the building and call the fire department. Tell them your CO alarm has sounded, and they will air-out the building as well as search for the potential source. Rest assured that the causes are usually easy to fix, and that you will be able get a good night sleep knowing you are safe. For more information, contact your fire department or browse the Internet.
Symptoms of poisoning are difficult to identify and range from headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion, according to the "Journal of American Medicine." In most cases of unintentional poisonings, victims didn't realize that this gas was being produced or was accumulating in the air they were breathing.
The gas is usually generated by anything that burns fuel, such as gas furnaces, stoves, water heaters, barbeque grills, wood-burning fireplaces, and automobiles-especially in garages attached to a home. There are even trace amounts which can be found in candles, as well as cigarette and cigar smoke. Also remember that newer buildings are not exempt from this danger, due the fact they are "air tight" and don't allow trace levels to escape.
Carbon monoxide deaths and health-related problems are preventable with affordable alarms averaging $25, purchased from any store that sells home improvement supplies. People are exposed to a nontoxic low level on a day-by-day basis, but these alarms sound only when levels approach a dangerous amount. Recent research conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission revealed that 60 percent of American homes have not installed CO alarms to help guard against poisoning. In contrast, 94 percent of U.S. households have one or more smoke alarms for fire protection.
This information is important for students who live off-campus, as they are at greater risk than on-campus students. A room on campus is typically not surrounded by the machines that are responsible for creating CO when they malfunction, so there's no immediate need for Lakeland to install detectors or alarms. One precaution is to make sure that your home off campus is safe. If it also lacks a smoke alarm, a combination fire and CO alarm can be purchased. Some models plug into an outlet so there's no need for batteries. The safety of yourself and your family back home is worth a small $25 investment.
If you already have an alarm and it goes off, take action as if your home were on fire. Let's say you awake in the middle of the night because your CO alarm went off. Evacuate the building and call the fire department. Tell them your CO alarm has sounded, and they will air-out the building as well as search for the potential source. Rest assured that the causes are usually easy to fix, and that you will be able get a good night sleep knowing you are safe. For more information, contact your fire department or browse the Internet.