PRESS RELEASE: 10/17/05

Detect a Safety Risk – Don’t let carbon monoxide sneak up on you.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is formed by the incomplete or faulty burning of any fuel, including natural gas.

It can be present without you knowing it. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of CO can lead to unconsciousness, brain damage or death. Don’t let it catch you unprepared:

• Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.

• Keep all fuel-burning equipment properly adjusted.

• Make sure furnace and fireplace exhaust go out the chimney or vent pipe.

• Repair broken mortar or other chimney damage immediately.

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Suspect a natural gas leak?

If you smell a strong, persistent gas odor, immediately:

• Put out all open flames and don’t smoke or light any matches.

• Don’t touch any electrical light or appliances switches or use your phone; it may cause a spark.

• Leave the house and call MGE at 252-1111 (or toll-free at 1-800-245-1123 for long-distance calls) from a neighbor’s home, away from the gas odor. As you leave, open doors and windows – but only if you can do so quickly and easily.

• Stay away from your house until you’ve been told it is safe to return.

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Household Chemical Emergency
Nearly every household uses products containing hazardous materials or chemicals.

Although the risk of a chemical accident is slight, knowing how to handle these products and how to react during an emergency can reduce the risk of injury.

Take Protective Measures

The following are guidelines for buying and storing hazardous household chemicals safely:

• Buy only as much of a chemical as you think you will use.
• Keep products containing hazardous materials in their original containers and never remove the labels.
• Never store hazardous products in food containers.
• Never mix household hazardous chemicals or waste with other products. Incompatibles, such as chlorine bleach and ammonia, may react, ignite, or explode.

Take the following precautions to prevent and respond to accidents:

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructors for the proper use of the household chemical.
• Never smoke while using household chemicals.
• Never use hair spray, cleaning solutions, paint products, or pesticides near an open flame (e.g., pilot light, lighted candle, fireplace, wood burning stove, etc.) Although you may not be able to see or smell them, vapor particles in the air could catch fire or explode.
• Clean up any chemical spill immediately. Use rags to clean up the spill. Wear gloves and eye protection. Allow the fumes in the rags to evaporate outdoors, then dispose of the rags by wrapping them in a newspaper and placing them in a sealed plastic bag in your trash can.
• Dispose of hazardous materials correctly. Take household hazardous waste to Clean Sweep.

Learn to recognize the symptoms of toxic poisoning, which are as follows:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Irritation of the eyes, skin, throat, or respiratory tract.
• Changes in skin color.
• Headache or blurred vision.
• Dizziness.
• Clumsiness or lack of coordination.
• Cramps or diarrhea.

Be prepared to seek medical assistance:

• The poison control number is (800) 222-1222. Post this number in a readily accessible location for quick reference by family member and care givers.
• Dial 9-1-1 for medical emergencies.

During a Household Chemical Emergency
If there is a danger of fire or explosion:

• Get out of the residence immediately.
• Stay upwind and away from the residence to avoid breathing toxic fumes.

If someone has been exposed to a household chemical:
• Find any containers of the substance that are readily available in order to provide requested information.
Call 911.
• Follow the emergency operator or dispatcher’s first aid instructions carefully. The first aid advice found on containers may be out of date or inappropriate.

Do not give anything by mouth unless advised to do so by a medical professional.

Discard clothing that may have been contaminated. Some chemicals may not wash out completely.

The following are some materials that comprise a hazard in your home

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Last Updated May 22, 2006
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