FACTS
--In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.
--A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount over a shorter amount of time.
SAFETY TIPS
--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 has the label of a recognized 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, 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 arrive.
--If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engines 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.
All information has been referenced from the NFPA Public Education Division. To view the NFPA site you can go to www.NFPA.org/education or just click above on Departments, then Fire Department, then Useful Links, and then National Fire Protection Agency.