Protect Your Family From Carbon Monoxide (NAPSA}—Whenpeople think of unintentional poisonings, the toxic products stashed under the kitchen sink often come to mind. But thereis onelife-threatening poison that parents may not think about—carbon monoxide (CO). Carbon monoxideis the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), claiming 400 lives and injuring another 20,000 each year. Colorless, odorless and tasteless,it is often called “the Silent Killer.” The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, nausea and dizziness. Since these symptoms are similar to thoseofthe flu, CO poisoning may be dismissed as a virus. Unfortunately, the consequences of doing so maybetragic. “Young children are especially vulnerable to the effects of CO. Dueto their smaller bodies, children process CO differently than adults and may be more severely affected by carbon monoxide in their blood,” said Alan Korn, executive director for Safe Kids USA CDCreports show that from 2004 to 2006, children age 5 and younger had the highest estimated rate of CO-related emergency departmentvisits amongall age groups. Commonhousehold appliances, such as a furnace or water heater, are potential CO poisoning sources. Whentheseor other fuel-burning devices malfunction or are used improperly, carbon monoxide can quickly build up inside a home, causing injury or even death. So how can families be sure the silentkiller isn’t lurking in their About Carbon Monoxide (CO} Odorless, colorless, deadly gas Leading cause of accidental poisoning decths Can be produced by any fuel-burning appliance Symptoms of CO poisoning can mimic the flu Source: Centersfor Cisease Control and Prevention (CDC] @ home? Install a carbon monoxide alarm.It’s the only safe way to detect this poisonousgas. In fact, many state leaders haverecognized the importance of having a working carbon monoxide alarm. Currently, 24 states require CO alarmsin certain residences. In addition, families can take these simple steps to reduce the chanceofhaving a CO incident: * Install a carbon monoxide alarm outsideevery sleeping area andonevery level of your home. * Place CO alarmsat least 15 feet away from fuel-burningappliancesto reduce nuisancealarms. * Test alarms each month and replace them every seven years. * Haveall gas-, oil- or coalburning appliances inspected by a technician every year to ensure they are working properly. * Never use a stove to heat your home. * Donot usea grill, generator or camping stove inside your homeor garageor near a window. Never leave a car, SUV or motorcycle engine running inside a garage,even if the garage door is open. For more information on carbon monoxidepoisoning as well as other home safety tips, visit www.safekids.org.
