With the winter season in full swing, a few fire hazards and safety concerns have become more prevalent. One of those is Carbon monoxide poisoning, as Carbon monoxide is odorless, invisible, and cannot be tasted.
Crookston Fire Fighter Brian Hanson urges the public to be mindful of how deadly and dangerous Carbon monoxide is. “It can’t be seen, you can’t taste it, and you can’t smell it. Some people think they can smell it, but what they’re smelling is a bi-product of the Carbon monoxide itself,” said Hanson. “It is very dangerous and serious. We measure it by the part per million (PPM), and if you’re cooking on a gas stove, you’ll have somewhere between 5-15 PPM. Once we get near 15-20 PPM, you can start to see some health effects if you have long-term exposure to that amount of Carbon monoxide.”
Some of the health effects from too much exposure to Carbon monoxide can include minor long-term cardiovascular and mental effects in vulnerable people and an increase in cardiac and respiratory complaints. Once the PPM reaches somewhere between 50-150, the danger increases, and too much exposure could start to become deadly.
Most Carbon monoxide detectors help alert people of the danger once the PPM is identified somewhere between 25-50, and that’s why Hanson says it’s crucial to make sure you have some in your home. “Without those detectors, it could be disastrous,” said Hanson. “It is nothing to joke around with because as soon as it gets into your bloodstream, it takes a long time to get out.”
If you are uncertain if the alarm going off is a smoke detector or Carbon monoxide detector, Hanson says it’s much better to call the Fire Department rather than assume everything is okay. “Call the Fire Department right away and will get over there and check it out,” said Hanson. “If it’s nothing, then that’s fine, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. We want to show up and have there not been a problem. You aren’t bothering us by calling us to check on these detectors. Some instances and it does happen, there is a problem, and we can help figure that out and get you out of that environment as soon as possible.”
If you have any questions about Carbon monoxide, or Carbon monoxide detectors, you can contact the Crookston Fire Department at 218-281-4584. For more information about Carbon monoxide, you can click below.
https://support.firstalert.com/s/article/What-levels-of-carbon-monoxide-CO-will-cause-an-alarm
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