Thursday, July 25, 2013

WEST VALLEY CITY FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION

West Valley City Fire Department, responded to a carbon monoxide call this morning. When the first crew arrived they found a 17 year old unconscious and a 16 year old near unconsciousness. The teens were transported to Intermountain Medical Center. Other family members were evaluated at the scene and advised to be checked at the hospital. "We feel very fortunate that the other family members were able to call 9-1-1, this could have had a very different outcome", said Captain Steve Briley. After crews ventilated the home they investigated the cause. Apparently a water heater that was in the same room that the teens sleep had fallen or been displaced causing the ventilation pipe to come off and fill the room with carbon monoxide. 

We would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone to have your appliances properly installed and periodically checked. West Valley Fire recommends that every home have a working carbon monoxide detector. 
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Carbon monoxide is often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.
Safety tips

Carbon Monoxide safety tips

  • CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.
  • Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
  • Call your local fire department’s non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds.
  • Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.
  • If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel.
  • If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
  • During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
  • A generator should be used in a well-ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings.
  • Gas or charcoal grills can produce CO — only use outside.
We hope you find these tips helpful,

Thank you for helping make our community safer!

Fire Marshal Bob

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for sharing this! If you don't mind I'd like to share this news with friends from the Johnson Injury Law Firm. Anyway, I look forward to reading more of your future posts! Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete