Carbon Monoxide
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Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that stops oxygen from getting to the brain and heart. It can cause headaches, dizziness, tiredness, confusion, fainting, and vomiting. Patients with CO poisoning often feel like they have the flu.

More seriously, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause coma and death.

Prevention tips:

• •  Never use a charcoal or gas grill inside a house, garage, closed-in porch, or tent.

•  Do not use charcoal in the fireplace.

• •  When using the fireplace to burn wood or gas logs, make sure the flue is open and the chimney is not blocked.
  
  
• •  Have gas-burning furnaces and appliances checked yearly by a professional.

•  Do not use a kerosene heater or gas logs for heat unless you have a working carbon monoxide alarm.

• Never use a generator inside your home - not even in the basement, garage or porch. Keep it outside, far away from the house.
  
  
• Never use a gas stove or oven to heat the house.
  
  
• Never leave the car engine running inside a garage, even if the garage door is open.
  
  
• Never sleep in a parked car while the engine is running.
  
  
• Get a carbon monoxide detector (with a battery back-up system) for your home. Depending on the size of your home, you may need more than one CO detector.
  

If the alarm goes off, follow these steps:   

1)  Get the person out of the building and into fresh air.

2)  If the person feels sick in any way, call Carolinas Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

3)  If the person has fainted or is not breathing, perform first aid and call 911.

4)  Do not reenter the building until the fire department has checked for carbon monoxide and determined that the building is safe.

Call Carolinas Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 if you think you or someone you know has been exposed to carbon monoxide or for more information.