Carbon Monoxide – The Silent Killer, Kills about 400 Americans Every Year. Are You Safe?
Every year this silent killer kills more than 400 Americans in their own home and surroundings. People are not aware about this serial killer and this lack of knowledge leads to more deaths. We are talking about Carbon monoxide poisoning that kills hundreds of people every year without them knowing that they are dying. Data at Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in the US, total of 2,244 deaths were directly resulted from unintentional CO poisoning from 2010 and 2015, with winters taking the highest tolls. It is infact also a gross fact that more people die of CO poising than mass shootings in USA. Great percentage of these death could be avoided if people installed corrective and warning devices like carbon monoxide detector at their homes.
What Is Carbon Monoxide and How Does It Kill?
Carbon Monoxide is a gas that is odorless, colorless, tasteless and non-irritating. In other you wouldn’t even know in inhaling that is why it known as the silent killer. If we ignore the early signs of CO poisoning, one could become unconscious and the poison reduces the oxygen supply of vital organs like brain and heart and the victim dies without even knowing his death. All this could be avoided if we have a proper Carbon monoxide detector fixed at our home.
What Are The Symptoms Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
CO gas is untraceable to humans. So people don’t even realize inhaling the deadly poison. The early symptoms are generally mistaken for common cold or flu and people take it lightly. It generally effects the whole of the family and pets too. So if everyone is feeling sick at home and are feeling fine outside, then it is the ultimate indicator of Co poisoning. The most vulnerable are the old and the young ones in the family. Here are the common symptoms if someone is poisoned buy the Carbon Monoxide:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Loss of muscle control
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Visual changes
- Sleeplessness
- Fluttering of heart
- Redness of skin
- Confusion
- Slowed reaction time
- Altered driving skills
Severe or continuous exposure can lead to suffocation which leads to unconsciousness and death due to heart or brain failure.
Which Are The Household Equipment Which Can Cause CO Poisoning?
American household are filled with Co poisoning producing equipment’s. It normally comes from appliances which use fuel like wood, oil natural gas propane, kerosene, coal and gasoline. These equipment generally include:
- Furnaces
- Dryer vent
- Chimney
- Fireplaces
- Ovens and Gas stoves
- House vehicles
- Water heaters
- Grills, power tools, garden equipment, power generators etc.
- Stoves which use wood
What Should Be Done In Case Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
As discussed earlier the early symptoms are similar to common flu and cold. Whenever you suspect of being effected by CO poisoning, do the following at the earliest.
- Go Outdoor immediately into fresh air.
- Call 911 emergency.
- Turn off all the non-electrical appliances running in the house.
- Call the fire department as soon as possible
- Take every help available from the neighborhood
The CO gas is odorless, tasteless and non-irritant so you would not feel it and it can quickly make you dizzy and can hamper with your thought process. So take quick and swift action.
How Can We Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Nearly 25 states is USA have made it compulsory for the residents to install carbon monoxide detector. But still people are not fully understand the gravity of the situation and avoid using it. They would happily install a home security camera or even a pet camera but would not install a CO detector. Which is more likely to cause harm to them. So if you really want you and your loved ones to be happy, then please install the carbon monoxide indicator at your house, as you would surely be using one source of CO emitting device or the other. If everyone becomes aware of the hazards and harm of CO then we can easily save the 400 American lives form being lost.
