Carbon monoxide poisoning is a growing concern this time of the year, especially with even more bitter temperatures in the forecast.
More people are inside and sometimes, just trying to keep warm when they become sick.
“The colder it gets the greater the risk. The greater number of incidents we respond to,” Manchester Battalion Fire Chief Craig Webb said.
That’s because people trying to keep their homes warm can lead to problems with carbon monoxide.
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“You can’t see it. You can’t taste it. You can’t smell it. The only way to identify it is with one of the detectors or one of our meters,” Webb said.
The Newington Fire Department also sees a rise in CO-related calls this time of year.
“These calls vary from faulty detectors [expired or malfunctioning] to a real CO incident with or without symptoms,” Staff Captain Kirk Rosemond from the Newington Fire Department said.
Sometimes firefighters get a call that a carbon monoxide alarm is going off. Other times, it might be several people not feeling well.
“It almost seems like a flu-like presentation,” Dr. Husnain Kermalli, Saint Mary’s Hospital chief medical officer, said. “Depending upon the severity of the poisoning, we have to go through essentially giving more oxygen to patients.”
To help stay safe, the state Department of Public Health urges people to not use fuel-powered equipment – like generators - in enclosed spaces, make sure snow hasn’t blocked gas dryer vents or car tailpipes, and have qualified contractors check potential trouble spots like heating systems.
If you suspect an issue, get out of the home, call 911 and first responders will make sure you’re OK.
“Then we are going to identify the source of the carbon monoxide. We’re not going to leave until we figure it out,” Webb said.
That’s also the case in Newington.
“We work to remove the hazard with ventilation, isolation of equipment, often recommending to the homeowner to have their appliances serviced or repaired,” Rosemond said.
Another key is to make sure you have working carbon monoxide alarms on every level of a home and outside each bedroom.
Many fire departments provide alarms for free.
