State health department warns against carbon monoxide poisoning

Closing up homes and turning on furnaces and other heat sources will help people stay warm this winter, but that warmth may come with increased risk of poisoning, according to officials with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the division of fire safety.

“The threat of carbon monoxide poisoning can come from a variety of sources such as furnaces, heaters, stoves, generators and vehicles,” said DHSS environmental public health specialist Randy Maley in a news release. “Carbon monoxide is invisible, odorless, tasteless and, in high quantities, deadly. Now is a good time to check to make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.”

According to Maley, fossil fuels such as gasoline, natural gas, propane and kerosene produce carbon monoxide when burned, as well as charcoal and wood. Gas-powered cars, boats, lawn mowers and other motorized equipment all produce carbon monoxide, as do ethanol-powered and hybrid vehicles.

Carbon monoxide also is produced from natural gas-fueled furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers, space heaters and gas ranges, as well as from kerosene heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves.

“The first line of defense against carbon monoxide is to make certain that all fuel-burning appliances operate properly,” said State Fire Marshal Randy Cole in the release. He also encourages the use of carbon monoxide detectors.

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include headaches, dizziness, weakness, sleepiness, nausea and vomiting. People with heart disease may also develop irregular heartbeats, and exposure to higher concentrations can cause disorientation, coma, convulsions and death.  

“Waiting for early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning is not a substitute for making sure possible carbon monoxide-producing sources are working properly,” Maley said. “If you wait for symptoms to become noticeable, it may be too late to call for help. You need to get out of the building or away from the vehicle.”

In the last five years, more than 3,000 illnesses and 212 deaths caused by carbon monoxide have been reported in Missouri. Doctors and laboratories are required to report cases of carbon monoxide poisoning to their state or local public health agency.

“Anyone who suspects they are suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning should immediately get fresh air and seek medical help,” Maley said.

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The Missouri Department of Health has compiled a list of precautions that can help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Be sure gas-fueled appliances are installed and used according to manufacturers’ instructions.

• Have your home heating system and chimneys, flues and vents checked each year.

• Don’t use gas-fueled appliances such as ovens, cooking stoves or clothes dryers to heat a home, even for a short time.

• Don’t burn charcoal inside a house, garage, vehicle or tent for heating or cooking, not even in a fireplace.

• Don’t use unvented gas or kerosene heaters in closed spaces, especially near or in sleeping areas. Even opening a door or window does not allow enough fresh air to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. [[In-content Ad]]