"ProTip" - Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

In our first "ProTip" episode, the Fire Bureau's Colin Cumesty looks at some of the advantages of having both Carbon Monoxide and Smoke detection in the same device.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas that can cause sudden illness and death if present in sufficient concentration in the ambient air. When power outages occur during emergencies such as hurricanes or winter storms, the use of alternative sources of fuel or electricity for heating, cooling, or cooking can cause CO to build up in a home, garage, or camper and poison the people and animals inside. Generators, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas, wood or charcoal-burning devices should never be used inside a home, basement, garage, or camper – or even outside near an open window or window air conditioner.

How to Recognize CO Poisoning: The symptoms and signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are variable and nonspecific. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and altered mental status.

Symptoms of severe CO poisoning include malaise, shortness of breath, headache, nausea, chest pain, irritability, ataxia, altered mental status, other neurologic symptoms, loss of consciousness, coma, and death.

Remember, if you CO detector activates, follow your home escape plan and have everyone meet at your safe meeting place and call 911 and your gas utility provider for help.