Monday, January 31, 2011

Silent But Deadly

You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can result. Hundreds of people die accidentally every year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning appliances. Even more die from CO produced by idling cars. Fetuses, infants, elderly people, and people with anemia or with a history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible. Be safe. Practice the Do’s and Don’ts of carbon monoxide.

Know the symptoms of CO poisoning. At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches, and may have longer term effects on your health. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning, or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause.

Play it Safe
If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning:

Get fresh air immediately open doors and windows turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.

Contact the fire department who has an instrument that will tell if the carbon monoxide levels in your house are elevated. 

If symptoms are severe you may want to contact your physician or emergency services

PREVENTION IS THE KEY TO AVOIDING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
Have your fuel-burning appliances -- including oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves -- inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season. Make certain that the flues and chimneys are connected, in good condition, and not blocked.

Choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers’ instructions.

Read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel-burning device. If you cannot avoid using an unvented gas or kerosene space heater, carefully follow the cautions that come with the device. Use the proper fuel and keep doors to the rest of the house open. Crack a window to ensure enough air for ventilation and proper fuel-burning.

Don’t idle the car in a garage -- even if the garage door to the outside is open. Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage and living area of your home.

Don’t use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.

Don’t use a charcoal grill indoors -- even in a fireplace

Don’t sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.

Don’t use any gasoline-powered engines (mowers, weed trimmers, snow blowers, chain saws, small engines or generators) in enclosed spaces.

Don’t ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them. You could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.

Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.  These units are designed to alarm before potentially life-threatening levels of CO are reached. The safety standards for CO alarms have been continually improved and currently marketed CO alarms are not as susceptible to nuisance alarms as earlier models.
Install your CO alarm according to the manufacturer's instructions. One CO alarm should be installed in the hallway outside the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area of the home. CO alarms may be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall. Hard wired or plug-in CO alarms should have battery backup. Avoid locations that are near heating vents or that can be covered by furniture or draperies. Do not install CO alarms in kitchens or above fuel-burning appliances.
IF YOUR CO ALARM SOUNDS:
Immediately move outside to fresh air.

Call your emergency services, fire department, or 911.

After calling 911, do a head count to check that all persons are accounted for. DO NOT reenter the premises until the emergency services responders have given you permission. You could lose consciousness and die if you go in the home.

If the source of the CO is determined to be a malfunctioning appliance, DO NOT operate that appliance until it has been properly serviced by trained personnel.

If you have any additional questions regarding carbon monoxide contact Environmental Services at 715-799-6152.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Safe at Home?


Did you know that falls accounted for 133 severe injuries (33%) the years of 2000 – 2005 with an average of 22 per year.  Falls occurred more often in women (53%) than men (47%).  37% of those falls were age 61 and older.    38% of the falls occurred in the home and falls down stairs were most common.  During this time two falls resulted in death and 50% resulted in hospitalization.  Alcohol was associated with 32% of the fall injuries.

Motor vehicle crashes accounted for 118 sever injuries (29%) during this same period.  Nine of the crashes resulted in death.  68% of the crashes occurred in men and 32% in women.  87% of the crashes were single vehicle with 8 of the reported deaths in single vehicle crashes.  Vehicles hitting trees were the most common types of crashes.  50% of the crashes were alcohol related.  Personal protections such as seatbelts were only used in 13% of the crash victims.   37% of the crashes occurred in adolescents and youth age group.

During random seat belt/child passenger safety seat checkpoints 299 vehicles were inspected.  Of the 299 vehicles, 200 (67%) of the drivers were wearing seatbelts and 99 (33%) were not; out of the 97 adult passengers 57 (57%) wore seat belts and 42 (43%) did not; of the 12 children 8 (67%) were properly restrained in approved child passenger safety seats. And four (33%) were not. 

The results of this data along with past data and the current economic status of the reservation strongly illustrate the need to increase injury prevention activities on the Menominee Indian Reservation.

I have recently been employed as the Injury Prevention Coordinator for the Menominee Indian Tribe, under an IHS injury prevention grant.   I work at the Environmental Services Department at the Forestry Center. 

The purpose of the grant is to reduce the number and severity of unintentional injuries on the Menominee Reservation, with emphasis on motor vehicle crashes and elderly falls.  One of the main objectives of the grant is to build an injury prevention coalition and analyze the current injury prevention programs and surveillance data.  The second objective is the development and implementation of community education programs to increase awareness of injury prevention.  These are some of the objectives that I will be addressing in the near future. 

I am excited about the position and I look forward to working with each of you to make the Menominee Indian Reservation a safer community and reduce the number of injuries related to MVC’s and elderly falls. 


Pamela Nelson, RN                                        
Injury Prevention Coordinator
Menominee Indian Tribe
P.O. Box 910
Keshena, WI 54135
715-799-4938