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Carbon monoxide threat elevated during winter months

Carbon monoxide, also known as the "silent killer," is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that results from the incomplete burning of common fuels such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, oil, wood or coal.

When CO is inhaled, it enters the bloodstream and reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to vital organs, such as the heart and brain.

Carbon monoxide facts

• U.S. fire departments responded to an average of seven calls per hour for nonfire carbon monoxide incidents in 2005. That's an 18 percent increase from 2003, most likely due to an increase in the use of CO detectors.

• In 2005, January and December were the peak months for nonfire incidents in which carbon monoxide was found.

• The peak time of day is between 6 p.m. and 9:59 p.m.

• Overall, 75 percent of nonfire CO incidents are reported between the hours of 9 a.m. and 10:59 p.m.

• Almost nine out of every 10, or 89 percent, of reported nonfire CO incidents took place in the home. In contrast, homes accounted for 75 percent of the structure fires reported that year.

• In 2003, there were an estimated 60,600 unintentional CO detector activations in which carbon monoxide was not detected; this includes CO detector malfunctions and false alarms. Due to the increasingly large size of the national database, false alarms and false calls were not included in the publicly released data for 2004 and 2005.

• In 2003, 46 percent of all CO-related nonfire calls reported to fire departments were carbon monoxide incidents, in which carbon monoxide was found. Fifty-four percent of all CO-related nonfire calls reported to fire departments were false alarms, or no CO was found.

Fire departments are often called to assist when people suspect that carbon monoxide might be present. Some of these calls are reported after a CO alarm sounds. Some may be in response to symptoms of CO poisoning.

In 2005, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 61,100 nonfire CO incidents in which carbon monoxide was found, or an average of seven such calls per hour. The number of incidents increased 18 percent from 51,700 incidents reported in 2003.

In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burns fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide, which is why installation codes and standards for fueled equipment emphasize arrangements for adjusting venting. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

CO poisoning can be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning and other illnesses. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, light-headedness or headaches. High levels of CO can be fatal, causing death within minutes.

Although most CO poisoning happens during a single incident, it is possible to suffer from chronic CO poisoning, when a person is exposed to low levels of CO over weeks or months and experiences symptoms over that time.

Jennifer Flynn is a research analyst with the NFPA's Fire Analysis and Research Division. She can be reached at jflynn@nfpa.org.

Multiple Myeloma Family

Support Group meets Feb. 14

The Western New York and Finger Lakes Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society offers a Multiple Myeloma Family Support Group. The group targets the needs of myeloma patients and their families.

The next meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton streets, Buffalo. Frank Brown, a registered and oncology-certified nurse, will be discussing "Understanding Clinical Trials."

This program will help patients to learn more about how new treatments are developed, how clinical trials help advance blood cancer treatment, how to evaluate the benefits and risk of a clinical trail, and how The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society can help.

Preregistration is required for new members. To register, contact Coleen Jones at 834-2578, ext. 106.