Sault Fire has some tips on staying safe from carbon monoxide

As part of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness Week, Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services has a number of reminders for local residents.

Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week runs from Nov. 1-7 and Fire Services is reminding residents that CO alarms must be installed in homes if you have a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. Fuel-burning appliances can include furnaces, hot water heaters, gas or wood fireplaces, portable fuel-burning heaters and generators, barbeques, stoves and vehicles.

“You must have a working CO alarm adjacent to each sleeping area of the home, if your home has a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage,” said Public Education Officer Aaron Gravelle. “A working carbon monoxide alarm is for the safety of everyone in your home and some homes require multiple CO alarms to ensure that safety.”

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, tasteless, and odourless gas that can be deadly.

It's produced when fuels such as propane, gasoline, natural gas, heating oil or wood do not burn completely in fuel-burning appliances and devices such as furnaces, gas or wood fireplaces, hot water heaters, stoves, barbeques, portable fuel-burning heaters and generators and vehicles.

Ways to prevent carbon monoxide in your home include:

• ensure fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents are cleaned and inspected annually
• check that all outside appliance vents are not blocked
• gas and charcoal barbeques should only be used outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Never use barbeques inside garages, even if the garage doors are open
• portable fuel-burning generators should only be used outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from windows, doors, vents and other building openings
• ensure all portable fuel-burning heaters are vented properly, according to manufacturer’s instructions
• never use the stove or oven to heat your home
• never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor inside a garage, even if the garage doors are open. Always remove a vehicle from the garage immediately after starting it

Exposure to carbon monoxide can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, as well as confusion, drowsiness, loss of consciousness and death.

If your alarm sounds and you or other occupants suffer from symptoms of CO poisoning, everyone should leave the home immediately and call 911 or your local emergency services number from outside the building.

If the alarm sounds and no one is suffering from symptoms of CO poisoning, check to see if the battery needs replacing or the alarm has reached its "end-of-life" before calling 911.

More tips on carbon monoxide safety can be found here.