Director of Commerce Donna Owens encourages Ohioans to pay close attention to the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning this winter. During the most recent five-year period, an average of 34 Ohioans have died each year from carbon monoxide poisoning. The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of State Fire Marshal is offering tips to reduce the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas which replaces oxygen in the bloodstream. Mild CO poisoning feels like the flu, but more serious poisoning can lead to breathing difficulty or even death. Just how sick people get from CO exposure varies greatly from person to person, depending on one’s age, overall health, the concentration of the exposure, and length of exposure. High concentrations are dangerous even for a short time.

"The two most common sources of carbon monoxide poisoning are vehicles running in an attached garage and home heating and cooking equipment," State Fire Marshal James McNamee said.

• If you need to warm up a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting the ignition, Fire Marshal McNamee said. Do not run a vehicle, even if the garage doors are open. CO from a running vehicle inside an attached garage can get inside the house, even with the garage door open. Normal circulation inside the house does not provide enough fresh air to reliably prevent dangerous accumulations.

• Fuel-burning household heating equipment (furnaces, water heaters, and space heaters) should be checked every year by a qualified heating contractor or service technician. The best time to check this equipment would be prior to the heating season, but it can be done at any time.

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Fire Marshal McNamee also said that Ohioans may want to install CO detectors inside their homes to provide early warning of accumulating carbon monoxide. However, he noted that a CO detector is no substitute for the safe use and maintenance of a smoke detector on every level of a home. Smoke detectors react to fire by-products and provide an early warning of a fire, providing more time to escape.

Household carbon monoxide detectors measure how much CO has accumulated. CO detectors sound an alarm when a low level concentration of CO exists in the air. The alarm may sound before people feel sick.

If anyone shows signs of CO poisoning, everyone should leave the building immediately, leaving the doors open. Use a neighbor’s phone to report the CO alarm and get immediate medical attention.

If you purchase a CO detector, select one that is approved by a recognized testing laboratory, Fire Marshal McNamee said. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for placement in the home and test the detector at least once a month.

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1998 marks the 20th anniversary of the dedication of the Ohio Fire Academy. Since 1978, more than 200,000 fire service, emergency response and related personnel have participated in more than 12,000 programs offered through the Ohio Fire Academy. State Fire Marshal James J. McNamee, in reviewing the Academy's accomplishments over the past 20 years, points out that, "By being in the forefront of fire training and education, the Academy provides Ohio's fire service and other emergency responders with the best training available and enhances their capabilities to serve the citizens of Ohio."

The Division of State Fire Marshal is part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. The Fire Marshal's Office trains firefighters, enforces the Ohio Fire Code, investigates the cause and origins of fires and explosions, provides fire prevention programs and performs other services. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Commerce regulates financial institutions, securities, industrial compliance, unclaimed funds, and real estate, along with other industries. The former Department of Liquor Control joined the Department on July 1, 1997, as the Division of Liquor Control. The department's internet address is www.com.state.oh.us.