NEW: Hurricane Health Advisory… Risks of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Friday, August 26, 2011

GoLocalProv Health Team

With Hurricane Irene approaching with more certainty every hour, Kent Hospital’s Wound Recovery and Hyperbaric Medicine Center is urging you to be aware of the risks when using generators or any type of combustion in or near your home.

“Generators can be an essential resource during hurricanes, but with any type of combustion or generator there is a high risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning,” says Dr. Ricardo Duran, assistant medical director, Kent Hospital Wound Recovery and Hyperbaric Medicine Center. “CO poisoning is very hazardous to your health and can ultimately kill you if the exposure levels are high enough. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a colorless odorless gas that can be very hard to recognize.”

With Hurricane Irene approaching in the next couple of days, there are several factors you should be aware of when using a generator or any type of combustion:

Generators should run completely outside of your home. Placing a generator in a garage can bring carbon monoxide into your home.

Do not use charcoal grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, wood or charcoal-burning devices inside your home, basement, garage or near a window..

Do not run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.

Do not burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn't vented.

If you have a carbon monoxide detector inside your home, make sure the batteries are working. You should know that there is no way to sense carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide can back up into living spaces and not only poison the people inside but pets too.

Symptoms of CO poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill quickly. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, joint pain, chronic fatigue, dizziness, numbness, tingling or vertigo. It could also have effects such as attention problems, short-term memory problems, irritability, anxiety, blurred vision, buzzing in the ears, decreased coordination and speaking, eating and swallowing disorders, even seizures.

If you feel any of these symptoms, you should take immediate action. Get everyone including pets out of the house and into fresh air then call 911. If you can’t get everyone out of the house, open all doors and windows if possible. You should turn off any fuel burning appliances. Anyone exposed to carbon monoxide needs to be taken to the emergency room as quickly as possible. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is available to quickly dissipate the CO poison, which can save lives and reduce long-term effects of the poison.

Please do not underestimate the seriousness of carbon monoxide poisoning. Again, remember to place all generators and combustion in well ventilated areas or outside of your home during the storm. It could save your life.