Protect Your Family from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

You can’t see it, taste it, or smell it but Dr. Vicki Whitacre of the Muskingum County Health Department said it can kill you in minutes.

Known as the "silent killer" – The Environmental Protection Agency reports high levels of Carbon Monoxide are responsible for hundreds of accidental deaths each year.

It starts usually with a headache and you just start feeling bad, then you’ll get a little nauseated, you may get achy, you can get some chest pain from it," explained Whitacre. "You may start to have vomiting, even diarrhea, it sort of presents like the flu, and families will just go to bed and ignore it."

The Health Department’s Public Information Officer Jennifer Hiestand said two local families have recently been taken to the Emergency Room because of high exposure to the gas. In neither case were the symptoms life threatening.

"It does permanent damage if your levels are very high," said Whitacre. "It does damage to your brain, damage to your nerve cells, anything that takes oxygen away from your nervous system can do permanent damage."

Carbon Monoxide is produced by burning fuel. Homes should be checked annually to be sure the fuel-burning appliances are vented correctly. Carbon monoxide detectors — like smoke detectors — are readily available and recommended.