Carbon Monoxide Safety during the Winter
With winter comes concerns about carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that is emitted when fuels like coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane and natural gas are incompletely burned. It is also produced by cars left running in garages.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that about 170 Americans dies from carbon monoxide produced by consumer products each year.
Over the holidays, a couple was found dead in Corbin, Florida from what is thought to be carbon monoxide poisoning.
The US Environmental Protection Agency advises that consumers familiarize themselves with what carbon monoxide poisoning looks like, saying:
"Know the symptoms of CO poisoning. At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches, and may have longer term effects on your health. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning, or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause."
The EPA site goes on to say that if you suspect CO poisoning, get fresh air, leave the house, and go to an emergency room.
Here are some tips to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in your house:
- Don't burn charcoal in an enclosed space like your home or a tent.
- Don't use your oven, stove, or clothes dryer to heat your home.
- Make sure that fuel burning appliances, flues, and chimneys are inspected by a professional regularly at the beginning of the heating season.
- Consider a carbon monoxide alarm that alerts if high levels of carbon monoxide occur. Like a smoke detector, a CO alarm should be installed throughout the house (the CPSC recommends the hallway area near each sleeping area). Professionals advise that CO monitors are a good adjunct, but not a replacement for, proper use of your appliances. "Don't let a CO detector lull you into a false sense of security," advises the EPA.
- If you need to let your car warm up before driving, do so outside of the garage (even if the garage doors are open).
- Make sure dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace vents stay clear of snow so that they can properly vent.
October 29: National Prescription Take Back Day
This Saturday, October 29, is National Prescription Take Back Day.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is sponsoring this day nationwide, which will allow consumers to safely dispose of their prescriptions nationwide.
The state of Oregon will have over forty locations statewide that will take prescriptions, no questions asked.
Unused medicines present a threat to households, and to the environment. They are dangerous to households with children or pets who may ingest them, and because they degrade over time, they are not safe for adults to take, either.
Medicines that are improperly disposed of when consumers throw them in the trash or flush them down the toilet become an environmental concern and end up in community drinking water supplies or harm wildlife. Organizations such as The Sierra Club are concerned about "the stew effect," which occurs when medications mix in the water system, causing unknown effects in our environment.
While the Food and Drug Administration provides a tip sheet (pdf) for disposing of medications, one of the best ways to get rid of them is to drop them off at a collection location this Saturday, October 29, from 10am to 2pm. You can check out the DEA's site for more information.
Tips for the active family to stay safe while on the go
With children back in school, family schedules are bound to be busier than ever. It's important that active families set some rules to keep everyone safe, and to protect a home.
This month, the Las Vegas Review Journal is giving us some simple tips including not leaving notes on the front door with information about schedules, establishing a "home alone" routine for your children, and creating an emergency plan.
It is also advised that social media rules are set for families, with boundaries about what is to be said on online sites about schedules and location "check-ins."
Read more at the Las Vegas Review Journal site.
Water safety is critical on Oregon's rivers and lakes
On August 21, 2011, a young Cottage Grove woman died while floating down the Willamette River.
Lane County Search and Rescue Coordinator John Miller told the Eugene-Register Guard that the group made a number of mistakes: they were using flimsy watercraft that could easily puncture or bend, they were tied together interfering with maneuverability, and they were not wearing life vests.
Mr. Miller noted that while life vests were were in the boat: “Accidents happen so quick. You reaction time is zero.” Other errors made by summer boaters including starting too late in the day, not giving enough time to reach their end point before dark, and drinking too much alcohol.
Many of Oregon's waterways are born of snow melt, which means that they are extremely cold and that drowning can occur more quickly--as your body gets cold, the body weakens which means that even the strongest swimmer could have trouble in a rapidly-moving river.
Mario Vittone, an expert in drowning and water safety wrote a widely-circulated article titled "Drowning doesn't look like drowning," in which he described the act of drowning. In it, he writes:
There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult.
With state and local budget cuts, water safety classes are not offered by public agencies. However, outdoor programs run fee-based classes which have water safety components. In Eugene, available park and recreation classes can be seen at www.eugene-or.gov. Shandy Shaffer, youth and family services manager for Eugene's recreation programs describes the classes:
“One of the first things we do is a safety talk: how to put on your life jacket, how to operate the boat in unison with your captain, how to take commands, what to do in the event you fall out of the boat ... It really is the best way to have a good time, to have all those safety checks in place.”
Water safety information is also available through the Oregon State Marine Board’s website at www.boatoregon.com.
Holiday Guide to Fire Safety
December is the time of year when we string up lights, overload electrical circuits, and bring trees indoors.
It's no wonder that each year, fires during the holiday season are the cause of 400 deaths, 1650 injuries and over $990 million in damage.
In order to keep your families safe this holiday season, please check out our tip below for fire safety around the holidays.
TREES
- Keep your tree watered and moist. Make sure that the stand is always full of water, and that the tree is not becoming overly dry.
- Dispose of the tree properly by following your municipality's instructions. Do not put the tree in a wood-burning stove or fireplace.
- Unplug tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
- Make sure the tree is at least three feet from all heat sources.
CANDLES
- Tempting as it is to have a candle-lit holiday, be sure that you don't leave candles unattended when you can help it.
- If you are using candles in a ceremony, follow these tips from the Texas Department of Insurance: "Candles other than jar candles must be used in an appropriate non-tipping, non-flammable holder. Make sure that candle containers and holders are made from tempered glass or have a proper glaze. All candles should be placed on a safe, heat-resistant dry surface. If possible, place glass chimneys or shades over them. For Christmas luminarias, use 15-hour votive candles in holders, placed in paper bags filled with at least 2 inches of sand. The candle must be of a size that will allow adequate space between the candle and bag so as not to ignite the bag."
- The Oregon State Fire Marshall advises that battery-operated, flameless candles are a safe and reasonable alternative to real candles.
LIGHTS & DECORATIONS
- When you put up your lights, check them out for frayed wires or other wear. Replace problem lights.
- Do not overload electrical outlets. Don't link together more than three strands of lights unless the instructions indicate it is safe.
- Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. It may result in a chimney fire.
Window Blind Safety
After a series of reported deaths by strangulation with window blind cords, the Window Covering Safety Council (formed from industry professionals) issued a voluntary retrofit program in 1994. They claimed that two separate strings would alleviate the risk of strangulation. However, this new safety standard ignored the fact that the strings could become knotted or tangled and still form a loop.
The 1994 voluntary retrofit program did not address the dangers of inner cord strangulation. Consumers voiced their concern that by following the industry’s safety advice (tucking the draw cords out of the reach of their child) parents were being lulled into a false sense of security regarding the safety of their mini-blinds. Children strangled to death on the inner cord of the mini blind.
