This entry was originally posted to our Facebook page, but repeated here for non-Facebook users.
The carbon monoxide poisoning event at a Long Island mall, which killed one person and sickened dozens of people, should serve as a vivid reminder of the very real danger posed by this invisible and odorless killer.
I have experienced first-hand, how easily it can happen. If it had not been for an alert neighbor, myself and my family would have surely died.
Please, please make sure your home (or business) has CO detectors installed, and maintain them with the same vigilance in which you should also be maintaining your smoke detectors.
If the alarm sounds, DO NOT HESITATE to call 911. Your local fire department will be more than happy to respond with their own specialized equipment to determine if there is a danger present. DON'T ASSUME that the detector is broken or malfunctioning. DON'T IGNORE even a short alert from the alarm that does not repeat. DON'T BE EMBARRASSED by a fire engine pulling up in front of your house at 2 in the morning with lights flashing. Let the experts do their job, and make sure you are safe.
As a former firefighter myself I responded to MANY CO calls where the person calling was embarrassed or thought it was really no big deal. And from time to time, it WAS a big deal. Even without symptoms of illness, on some occasions CO levels were dangerously high and equipment was malfunctioning. Also keep in mind too, that even a low CO level release due to faulty equipment can be a sign of an impending fire hazard as well, in a furnace or hot water heater for example.
Sorry for the big long post here, but as a former firefighter and CO poisoning survivor, I can't stress enough how serious this threat really is. And I hope this recent tragedy serves as an example that will actually save lives in the future.
Be safe.
Faulty pipe blamed for deadly Long Island carbon monoxide leak
