Lakewood Fire Department responds to increased number of CO calls due to power outage

The Lakewood Fire Department is responding to an increased number of Carbon Monoxide alarms during the power outage.

Therefore, the Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners in conjunction with Fire Chief Mike D’Elia Jr., Fire Prevention Coordinator Jacob Woolf, and the members of
the Lakewood Fire Department, remind the community of the following dangers associated with Carbon Monoxide.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause severe illness or death.

Carbon Monoxide is found in all fires, as well as fumes produced by charcoal or gas. It is produced by cars and trucks, small gasoline engines, stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and wood, and gas ranges and heating systems.

CO poisoning can happen any time of year, however, CO poisoning incidents tend to increase during storm-related power outages from either burning charcoal briquettes inside their homes or from improper use of gasoline-powered generators.

Here are ways to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning.

1. Do not burn charcoal or use gasoline generators indoors, including the garage. Generators, camp stoves, or charcoal grills should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows and doors.
2. Never idle a car in a garage, even when the garage door is open.
3. If you use gas or oil appliances, make certain carbon monoxide alarms are installed on
every level of your home and outside every sleeping area.

If the CO detector sounds, turn off any heating appliance and open windows to get fresh air.

Call 911 if you experience CO poisoning symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, or headaches and move to fresh air immediately. If you suspect an appliance is the source, call a qualified technician to fix the problem before restarting the appliance.

Remember that smoke detectors provide early warning of a fire, allowing extra time to escape, and as a result, substantially reducing the risk of injury and/or death in residential fire. Smoke detectors should be located outside each separate sleeping area and on every floor of one’s home including the basement. Carbon monoxide detectors should be located outside each separate sleeping area.

A few minutes should be spent each and every month to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are operational.

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS. Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha. To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at [email protected].

Stay up to date with our news alerts by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

**Click here to join over 20,000 receiving our Whatsapp Status updates!**

**Click here to join the official TLS WhatsApp Community!**

Got a news tip? Email us at [email protected], Text 415-857-2667, or WhatsApp 609-661-8668.