Stay safe during National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – November is National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month and Columbia Gas wants to help you stay safe.
According to the CDC, more than 100,00 Americans visit the ER for unintentional CO poisoning, more than 14,000 are hospitalized and more than 400 Americans die from from carbon monoxide exposure. Columbia Gas of Ohio’s communications director, Erica Chronaberry, shares advice on how to stay safe from the odorless and tasteless gas.
“So, some ways that our community members can stay safe against carbon monoxide poisoning, first thing they can do is to get carbon monoxide detectors. Just like you have smoke detectors to alert you in case there’s smoke or fire, carbon monoxide detectors can alert of carbon monoxide detection in your home. So, you want to have carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and you want to have them in every room where someone sleeps. ”
Known as the silent killer, carbon monoxide is produced when fuels like gasoline, wood, natural gas, propane, or oil burn incompletely. With that in mind, Chronaberry recommends having your fuel burning appliances inspected along with insuring that they are being used properly.
“Some other ways you can protect yourself against carbon monoxide issues, you know, if you have a chimney, make sure it is clear of debris before you fire up your fire place. Same thing with your vents. Do not use your natural gas appliances to heat your home, use them the way their meant to be for cooking your food. Those are just a couple simple tips that we can all do to ensure that we’re safe against carbon monoxide poisoning.”
You can visit the website on your screen to learn more about carbon monoxide, find additional safety tips, and find qualified contractors to inspect your appliances.
