Q. How can I keep myself and my family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning this winter?


A. In winter, it's common for people to strike up their coal or wood stoves, gas water heaters or to lean extra on their generators. These devices are great for keeping warm, but they also pose a threat of carbon monoxide poisoning. Some simple signs to recognize are dizziness, nausea and confusion. Continued exposure can also lead to brain damage and, ultimately, death.

When fossil fuels aren't properly ventilated, the carbon monoxide emitting from the stove or generator begins to displace the oxygen in the area. This means your body isn't getting enough oxygen to properly function.

Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, so many times it's difficult to know when you're being exposed, and every person's tolerance level is different. Symptoms mimic the flu: headache, nausea and fatigue. It's important to pay extra attention to these symptoms during winter, especially if more than one person in the household is experiencing them at the same time.

The first thing you should do if you start to feel sudden drowsiness, visual impairment, confusion or even hallucinations: Go near open windows or go outside. Being in the open air allows you to get the oxygen your body needs. Immediately afterward, go to the emergency room or your physician's office, where you can be seen quickly.

Before it comes to this, you may want to keep a few things in mind to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Get a detector. Carbon monoxide detectors sound if an accumulation of carbon monoxide it found over time. Most detectors require a power supply, so if your power goes out, so does the detector. There are many models, however, that offer back-up battery power.

Test and maintain. Once you have your detector in place, make sure to test alarms every month and switch out about every five years to ensure they're working properly.

Keep everything clean. Check your stove, clean your chimneys and make sure everything is well maintained and not emitting smoke. Also, think about starting up your stove earlier in the year, around autumn. Preventative maintenance could save your life.

Brian Allen, R.N., specializes as the emergency services educator and practices in the Emergency Department of Pocono Medical Center, East Stroudsburg.