Sunday, July 31, 2016

Three adults and six children at a home in Yukon, Oklahoma were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning, after they used a portable generator was being used to provide power



9 Taken To OKC Hospital After Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 

 a portable generator was being used to provide power

Posted: Jul 30, 2016 10:57 AM EST Updated: Jul 30, 2016 11:40 AM EST
By News9.com

 


YUKON, Oklahoma -

The Oklahoma City Fire Department says nine occupants of a home in Yukon were transported to the hospital to be evaluated for carbon monoxide poisoning early Saturday morning.

At 6:22 a.m., crews responded to a home at 2125 Dogwood Creek Ave., after a report of a person being passed out.

According to OKCFD, electricity to the home was recently cut off, and a portable generator was being used to provide power. The generator was left running inside the garage with the garage doors open.

When firefighters arrived, they monitored the air and detected a CO reading from outside the home. So, firefighters made entry while wearing self-contained breathing apparatus. They located the unconscious adult male, and took him outside where he regained consciousness.

Firefighters said high levels of Carbon Monoxide were detected inside the home.

According to OKCFD, in all, there were three adults and six children inside the home and they were all transported to a local hospital to be evaluated for Carbon Monoxide poisoning.OKCFD said they want to remind people that portable generators should only be used outdoors away from windows, doors, or vents which could allow deadly CO into the home. And that it is never safe to use a portable generator inside a garage, even if the doors are open.



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Portable Generator Hazards


Portable generators are useful when temporary or remote electric power is needed. If used incorrectly, gasoline, kerosene, and other gas-powered generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, electric shocks, fires, and burns. Generator accidents can be fatal!

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

Every year, people die in accidents related to portable generator use. For example, a young camper was killed by CO from a portable generator's exhaust tube adjacent to the victim's campsite. Most deaths involve CO poisoning from portable generators used indoors or in partially enclosed spaces. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that between 1999 and 2004, portable generators caused 172 CO poisoning deaths in the U.S.

Generators produce high levels of CO in their exhaust. Carbon monoxide around a generator and its exhaust tube can build up within minutes, even outdoors. Carbon monoxide can linger for hours, even after the generator is shut off. 
You cannot see or smell carbon monoxide. So even if you do not smell exhaust fumes, you may still be exposed to CO. 

You can help protect yourself by installing CO alarms (battery-operated or plug-in with battery back-up) in your home, RV, boat cabin, and other areas where carbon monoxide may be present. Carbon monoxide detectors should be certified to the latest UL safety standards. Test your CO detector monthly. Replace the batteries in the spring and fall when clocks are changed for daylight saving time.
How to Avoid CO Poisoning
  • NEVER use a generator inside a home, garage, crawlspace, shed, or other enclosed area. Locate the unit outdoors and far from doors, windows, and vents. 
  • Always run your generator in a well-ventilated area, and only if you can vent its exhaust safely. Make sure the exhaust hose is placed far from other campers, tents, boats, cabins, etc. 
  • Install CO alarms in your home, RV, boat or other area where CO may be present.

Electrical Hazards

Generators pose a risk of shock and electrocution, especially if they are operated in wet conditions. If you must use a generator when it is wet outside, operate the generator under an open, canopy-like structure on a dry surface where water cannot reach it or puddle or drain under it. Do this without operating the generator indoors or near openings to any building, in order to help avoid the CO hazard. Dry your hands, if wet, before touching the generator. 

Use only heavy-duty extension cords specifically designed for outdoor use when connecting appliances to a portable generator. Make sure the wattage rating for each cord exceeds the total wattage of all appliances connected to it. Use extension cords that are long enough to allow the generator to be placed outdoors and far away from windows, doors, and vents to the home or to other structures (tents, other RVs, etc.). Check that the entire length of each cord is free of cuts or tears and that the plug has all three prongs. Protect the cord from getting pinched or crushed if it passes through a window or doorway.

NEVER try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. This is sometimes called "backfeeding." Backfeeding is extremely dangerous! It presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices.
How to Avoid Electrical Hazards
  • Keep the generator dry. 
  • Dry your hands, if wet, before touching the generator. 
  • Use the right extension cord. 
  • Check your equipment and cords before use. Double-check where the exhaust is facing, where the generator is located, and the condition of the electrical cords. 
  • NEVER plug the generator into a wall outlet. "Backfeeding" is extremely dangerous and presents an electrocution risk.
  • Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when using your generator.

Fire Hazards

Generators and the fuel you use to run them can cause fire hazards. Never store fuel for your generator in the home. Gasoline, propane, kerosene, and other flammable liquids should be stored away from living areas, and only in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers. Do not store fuel near a fuel-burning appliance, such as a furnace or water heater. Before refueling the generator, turn it off and let it cool down. Gasoline spilled on hot engine parts could ignite.
How to Avoid Fire Hazards
  • Never store generator fuel in the home or near an ignition source. 
  • Before refueling the generator, turn it off and let it cool down.
  • Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when using your generator.