Kidde C3010-D manual Information About Carbon Monoxide

1. Information About Carbon Monoxide

General Carbon Monoxide Information

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless poison gas that can be fatal when inhaled. CO inhibits the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen.

Periodically review this alarm user’s guide and discuss your CO alarm emergency procedure with all the members of your family. Never ignore a CO alarm. A true alarm is an indication of potentially dangerous levels of CO. CO alarms are designed to alert you to the presence of CO before an emergency – before most people would experience symptoms of CO poisoning, giving you time to resolve the problem calmly.

Determine if anyone in the household is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning. Many cases of reported CO poisoning indicate that while victims are aware they are not well, they become so disoriented they are unable to save themselves by either exiting the building or calling for assistance. Also, young children and household pets may be the first affected. You should take extra precautions to protect high-risk persons from CO exposure because they may experience ill effects from CO at levels that would not ordinarily affect a healthy adult.

Symptoms of CO Poisoning

The following common symptoms are related to CO poisoning and should be discussed with ALL members of the household.

Mild Exposure:

Slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue (often described as “flu-like” symptoms).

Medium Exposure:

Severe throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion, fast heart rate.

Extreme Exposure:

Unconsciousness, convulsions, cardio-respiratory failure, death.

If you experience even mild symptoms of CO poisoning, consult your doctor immediately!