FDNY-CO Detectors

	[Share]Published: November 06, 2014 The FDNY Urges All New Yorkers to Have Working CO Detectors After Three Near-Fatal Incidents After three separate carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning incidents in one week, which hospitalized six people, the FDNY urges all New Yorkers to ensure they have working CO detectors in their homes and businesses. FDNY members responded to an incident on Nov. 3 at 760 Barnes Ave. in the Bronx, which registered CO readings as high as 400 ppm; Nov. 4 at 2915 Curtis St. in Queens, which had readings of 400 ppm; and Nov. 6 at 730 New Jersey Ave. in Brooklyn, where there were readings as high as 500 ppm. A CO reading of 9 ppm is considered a health and safety concern by the FDNY. FDNY EMS Lt. Jonathan Negron from the HazTac Battalion responded to the call in Queens. He said when EMS members arrived at the single-family home, their CO alarms immediately activated. They helped evacuate three elderly women from the residence, including one who was 100-years-old and bed-confined. All three victims complained of dizziness, nausea, fatigue and headaches. They were transported to New York-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medical Center for their hyperbaric chamber. One or two more hours in the residence, Lt. Negron said, would have proved fatal. This incident, as well as the one on the Bronx, was caused by faulty appliances, while the incident in Brooklyn was caused by burning wires in the street. “Having [members] carry CO meters is an investment by the FDNY that is saving lives,” Lt. Negron said. He stressed that all New Yorkers should have working CO detectors in their homes, “it’s an easy, inexpensive investment that can keep you and your family safe.” CO is known as the ‘silent killer’ because it is undetectable by human senses. If a smoke or carbon monoxide detector is activated, evacuate your home immediately and call 911.   The FDNY urges that all heating equipment, including boilers and hot water heaters, are regularly inspected and maintained by licensed professionals. To report problems with heat or boilers, which could potentially lead to a carbon monoxide incident, New Yorkers should call 311. “This is the season for CO emergencies,” Lt. Negron said. “It wouldn’t have taken long for these incidents to be fatal.” Learn more about carbon monoxide and how to keep your home safe.