What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that we can’t see, smell or taste. It’s toxic to both people and pets. CO is known as The Invisible Killer because breathing in high levels of it can cause you to pass out and even die if you can’t escape to fresh air.
Where does CO come from?
Carbon monoxide is produced by many different types of appliances, tools and equipment. It’s also part of smoke, car exhaust, and boat exhaust. Here are some examples of sources of CO:
Stay Safe with a CO Alarm!
A combination alarm like this one can help keep you and your family safe from BOTH fire and carbon monoxide.
Did you know CO alarms and smoke alarms have different alert tones? Visit the Alarms page to hear the difference!
Remember:
- Have CO alarms on every level of your home, especially in or near bedrooms. It’s important to be able to hear the alarm if it goes off while you are sleeping.
- Know what your alarms sound like when they are alerting to CO.
- Know what to do if you hear the alarm sounding: quickly get outside to fresh air, then call 911. Firefighters will come and make sure the CO gets out of your home, and they will let you know when it’s safe to go back inside.
