Carbon monoxide alarms save lives, fire officials remind residents
The gas that you can’t see, taste or smell continues to be a household danger that people need to protect themselves from, the Timmins Fire Department says.
Fire services across the province have spent the first week of November promoting the importance of having working carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and annual inspections to ensure gas is not leaking from home appliances.
“(It comes from) fuel-burning appliances in your home, exhaust from vehicles and from wood-burning appliances, as well,” said fire prevention officer Andrew Hubbert.
Exposure to CO leaks in the home can cause symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness and nausea.
Depending on how much of the gas is present, symptoms can show within days, hours or minutes. In higher concentrations, carbon monoxide can quickly lead to loss of consciousness and death.
According to the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation, which promotes education around CO and pushed for alarms to be mandatory across Ontario, people are still becoming sick and dying from exposure to the gas.
“You need to protect your family,” said communications director Conrad Galambos.
“If you do not have a working CO alarm, you risk everything. Unfortunately, these tragic incidents still happen.”
It’s the law to have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms outside every sleeping area and on every floor of the home. Though Galambos said it’s difficult to enforce that for every home.
Hubbert said his fire department conducts annual inspections, to check that people have working alarms in the right places. He said crews still occasionally receive calls from people who show symptoms and don’t have alarms installed.
The recommendation is to replace carbon monoxide alarms every 10 years, change their batteries every year and to call a qualified technician to inspect household oil and natural gas-fuelled appliances annually.
Experts suggest that people also ensure that exhaust vents are clear of debris and of snow, during the winter months.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.