Carbon Monoxide detectors can be of great benefit to the safety of the occupants of any structure. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends installing at least one carbon monoxide detector in each home.    Groton Township Fire Department recommends that you place a detector on each floor including basements.  Carbon Monoxide is a colorless odorless gas that is a product of any combustion process. Relatively low concentrations of this gas can cause serious health risks, and even death. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental deaths by poisoning, and is responsible for over 1500 deaths and 10,000 illnesses per year. Symptoms may include headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells and confusion.

The key to avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning is early detection of dangerous levels of the gas by a carbon monoxide detector. However, the carbon monoxide detector is in no way a replacement for smoke detectors. It is a separate detector used to supplement your home safety.

Procedure if an alarm sounds: If anyone has a headache, upset stomach, or other symptoms: call 9-1-1 immediately and move to a location which has fresh air

• IMPLEMENT YOUR HOME ESCAPE PLAN
• DO A HEAD COUNT TO CHECK THAT ALL PERSONS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR
• DO NOT RE-ENTER PREMISES UNTIL IT HAS BEEN AIRED OUT AND THE PROBLEM CORRECTED!

If no one exhibits symptoms of discomfort associated with carbon monoxide poisoning, simply;

1. Operate reset button
2. Turn off appliances, vehicle, or other sources of combustion at once (furnace, water heater, wood burning stove, RV, automobile, etc)
3. Get fresh air into premises
4. Call a qualified technician and have the problem fixed before re-starting appliances

Although there needs to be an urgency about a detector sounding, it is important to realize that these detectors activate at minimal concentrations. A sounding carbon monoxide detector does not indicate an immediate emergency unless there are people experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Contacts: For additional information concerning carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide detectors or Fire Department response procedures please feel free to contact Groton Township Fire Department.

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Fire Department, 9414 Portland Road, Castalia, OH, USA

Last Updated 12/21/07