Carbon Monoxide
Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is an 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 are potential sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
In 2016, local fire departments responded to an estimated 79,600 carbon monoxide incidents or an average of nine such calls per hour. This does not include the 91,400 carbon monoxide alarm malfunctions and the 68,000 unintentional carbon monoxide alarms.
Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Center for Health Statistics show that in 2017, 399 people died of unintentional non-fire carbon monoxide poisoning.
Learn more about how to protect your family.