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Fire Prevention Topics:

Carbon Monoxide

Exit Drills

CARBON MONOXIDE

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless deadly gas. Because you can't see it, taste or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill you before you know it's there.

Who is at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Everyone is at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. Medical experts believe, however, that individuals with greater oxygen requirements such as unborn babies, infants, children, senior citizens and people with coronary or respiratory problems are at greater risk.

What makes carbon monoxide so dangerous?

The great danger of carbon monoxide is its attraction to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. When inhaled, carbon monoxide bonds with hemoglobin in the blood, displacing the oxygen which cells need to function. When CO is present in the air, it rapidly accumulates in the blood, forming a toxic compound known as carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). Carboxyhemoglobin causes symptoms similar to the flu, such as headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells, confusion and irritability. As levels of COHb increase vomiting, loss of consciousness and eventually brain damage or death can result. (Journal of American Medical Assn.)

Where does carbon monoxide come from?

Carbon monoxide is a by-product of incomplete combustion, present whenever fuel is burned. It is produced by common home appliances, such as gas or oil furnaces, clothes dryers, ranges, ovens, water heaters or un-vented space heaters, fireplaces, charcoal grills and wood burning stoves. Fumes from automobiles also contain carbon monoxide and can enter a home through walls or doorways if a car is left running in an attached garage.

All of these sources can contribute to a CO problem in the home. If a home is vented properly and is free from appliance malfunctions, air pressure fluctuations or airway; venting or chimney blockages, carbon monoxide will most likely be safely vented to the out side. But energy efficient insulation meant to keep warm air in during winter months and cool air in during summer months could cause carbon monoxide to be trapped inside.

Furnace heat exchangers can crack, vents and chimneys can become blocked, disconnected or corroded. Inadequate air supply for combustion appliances can cause conditions known as down drafting or reverse stacking, which force CO contaminated air back into the home.

How can I guard my family from carbon monoxide poisoning?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends installing at least one carbon monoxide detector with an audible alarm near the sleeping area. A detector on every level and in every bedroom provides extra protection. Remember, a carbon monoxide detector is a purchase that could help save your life. Get your local gas company to conduct an air quality test in your home.

What to do if your Carbon Monoxide detector alarms?

Get everyone, including your self out of the house.
If anyone is feeling ill, acting strange, or unconscious Call 911.
Call your local gas company or fire department and tell them you have a carbon monoxide detector alarm.

For more information, visit: Okaloosa Gas District > Carbon Monoxide

EXIT DRILLS

Plan your escape
During a fire, there's no time for planning. Sit down with your family and create a plan for escaping.

Draw a floor-plan of your home, mark two ways to exit every room - especially bedrooms.

Agree on a meeting place outside your home. This allows you to know everyone got out safely. Advise the fire department if anyone is still inside the burning structure.

Practice your escape plan at least every six months. Appoint someone to monitor and have a fire drill, get out quickly, but safely.

Make your drills as realistic as possible. Block off or mark some of your exits as "on fire" and use alternate escape routes, turn the lights out and pretend the house is full of smoke.

Be Prepared

Make sure everyone in the household can unlock all doors and windows, even in the dark. Windows or doors with security bars need to be equipped with quick-release devices and everyone in the household should know how to operate them.

If you live in an apartment building, use stairways to escape. Never use an elevator during a fire. It may stop on a floor where the fire is burning.

If you live in a two-story house, and you must escape from a second-story window, be sure there is a safe way to reach the ground. Make arrangements for children, older adults, and people with disabilities. People who have difficulty moving should have a phone in their bedroom and, if possible, sleep on the ground floor. (A fire drill under these conditions is a must!)

Test doors before opening. While kneeling or crouching at the door, reach up as high as you can and feel around the door (the knob, etc.) with the back of your hand. If it is hot, use another escape route, if cool open with caution.

If you are trapped, close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff the cracks around the doors with clothes, towels, etc., to keep out smoke. Wait at the window and signal for help by waving a light colored cloth or flashlight. If there is a phone in the room, call the fire department and tell them exactly where you are.

Get out fast...

In case of fire, don't panic or stop for anything! Get out fast! Do not try to rescue possessions or pets. Go directly to your meeting place and then call the fire department from a neighbors's phone. Every member of your household should know how to call the fire department by dialing 911. Give the operator all the details requested.

Crawl low under fire. Smoke contains deadly gases, and heat rises. During a fire, cleaner, cooler air will be near the floor. If you encounter smoke when using your primary exit, use your alternate route. If you must exit through smoke, crawl, keeping your head 12 - 24 inches above the floor.

Once you are out Stay Out
Once you are out of your home don't go back in for any reason. If people are trapped, the firefighters have the best chance of rescuing them. Let them know who and where you think the trapped are. The heat and smoke of a fire are overwhelming. Firefighters have the training, experience, and protective equipment needed to enter burning buildings.

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