THUNDER BAY – The province is warning residents about the danger of the silent killer -- carbon monoxide -- during its inaugural carbon monoxide awareness week.
Throughout the week, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue and Union gas will be reminding local residents it’s the law to have a working carbon monoxide alarm outside all sleeping areas of your home.
This applies for all homes with a fireplace, a fuel burning appliance, or an attached garage.
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue public education officer Anthony Stokaluk said carbon monoxide is dangerous, because it’s invisible, it’s odourless and it’s tasteless.
“Without an alarm you wouldn’t know it was in your home, it’s a deadly gas,” Stokaluk said.
“What happens is with carbon monoxide poisoning the effects mimic the flu, so you are going to feel sick and a lot of people will assume they are sick with the flu.”
Stokaluk warns if you stay in that environment for too long it builds up in your system, and that’s when it can transfer into an unconsciousness and then death.
“They are required outside of all sleeping areas,” Stokaluk said. “The reason for that if the alarm ever went off and you were sleeping the closer it is to the bedroom the greater the chance it will wake you up.”
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue will be partnering with Union Gas next week in order to bring attention to the fact it is carbon monoxide awareness week, and alarms are legally required.
“We will be working with them to bring to the light maintenance issues that people should be taking with their fuel burning appliances."
