CPSC Renews Carbon Monoxide Warning as Winter Storms Prolong Outages

Overview

• The CPSC advises operating portable generators only outside at least 20 feet from homes with exhaust directed away, never in garages, porches or other enclosed spaces.
• Working carbon monoxide and smoke alarms should be installed on every level and outside sleeping areas, with monthly tests and battery checks, and consumers are urged to consider generators with automatic CO shutoff features.
• Local agencies report ongoing hazards as El Paso Fire logs 74 carbon monoxide incidents this winter with 34 confirmed exposures, and Cincinnati crews note seasonal spikes linked to unsafe heating practices.
• America's Poison Centers reports rising weather-related calls that include carbon monoxide cases, with more than a quarter involving children under six and Michigan averaging about 800 CO-related ER visits annually.
• Clinicians typically treat carbon monoxide poisoning with high-flow oxygen, with ventilators or hyperbaric therapy used for severe cases, and anyone suspecting exposure should get to fresh air and call 911.