Silencing the silent killer - What's New? - carbon monoxide kills more than 2,000 people a year

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), March, 2004

Crisp winter weather--and don't kid yourself, there's still plenty of it left--can bring more than runny noses and cold toes. Along with the chilly weather comes a danger--the deadly odorless reach of carbon monoxide. This fatal gas kills more than 2,000 people a year, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. The Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that 64% of unintentional CO poisoning deaths occur in the home and approximately 10,000 people annually seek medical attention for unintentional poisoning caused by a house-related consumer product. Yet, as many as three-quarters of homes in the U.S. do not have carbon monoxide alarms.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that carbon monoxide is the cause of more accidental poisoning deaths than any other agent; and the highest number of deaths occur during the winter months.

Carbon monoxide originates from a variety of sources; including any fuel-burning appliance that is malfunctioning or improperly installed; furnaces, gas ranges, stoves, gas clothes dryers, water heaters, portable fuel-burning space heaters, fireplaces, generators, and wood burning stoves; vehicles, generators, and other combustion engines running in an attached garage; blocked chimney or flue; cracked or loose furnace exchanger; back drafting and variations in air pressure; and operating a grill in an enclosed space.

To ensure your family's safety, install carbon monoxide detectors in all bedroom and living areas. We highly recommend the Nighthawk from Kidde, Mebane, N.C. It has three plug-in mounting options--direct plug-in, table-top unit, or wall-mounted--with battery backup; a digital readout that clearly displays CO levels (which are updated every 15 seconds); and a peak level memory that recalls the highest level detected. There's also a reset button that tests alarm operation, which is a wakeup-assured 85 decibels.

For the nearest retailer carrying the Kidde Nighthawk Carbon Monoxide Alarm ($29.99), call 800-880-6788 or go online at www.KiddeUS.com.