My aunt told me a story this weekend and made me wonder what I can do in my own home. In 2015, a big windstorm hit my hometown and the power was out for almost a week, in some places. People resorted to generators to power their homes. A family friend, let’s call him Bob, was staying at his cabin outside of town for a couple of nights and all seemed to be well. Bob had an event coming up and when he didn’t show up for the gathering, another friend, Sam, became worried as Bob always makes it to these kinds of things. Sam and another friend decided to go out to Bob’s cabin. Once they made it out to the cabin, they found him unresponsive and immediately sought help. Sam and his friend were told if they didn’t find him that he probably wouldn’t have made it. The family found that the generators’ ventilation had got blocked and had caused carbon monoxide to enter the air. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a danger we all would like to avoid.
Safe Kids provides a few tips to combat this. First, place a CO alarm on every level of your house and near every bedroom. Frequently test them and make sure they are working properly. If you need to warm up your car, park it outside and don’t leave it running in the garage. Also, use generators and grills outside the home, away from any windows and doors. Check the vents for the dryer, furnace, stove and fireplace outside your home to make sure they’re clear of any snow or other debris.