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Carbon Monoxide and Fire Safety

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FiremanPete:
Hi all.

I've copied this from my reply to Tim's posting about his CO (Carbon Monoxide) Detector.... please read it and pass it on to those you love.  Remember to allow your kids to know all about fire.... don't make it the "elephant in the room" and never speak of it until it's too late.

Remember, October is fire safety and prevention month!

(Copied from alternate posting):

Okay (speaking as a fireman, of course....)

You don't put a smoke detector on an exterior uninsulated wall because of condensation.  All items on a cold wall with a heated interior will develop condensation, even if only a little.  This condensation could "short circuit" the electronic sensors in the detector and could cause it to malfunction and falsely alarm, or not to alarm at all.

The detector should not be bothered by cooking, unless you burn your food items.

Also, it's not a "fire detector"... it's a smoke detector.... there is an ionization sensor in the detector that detects substances in the air that cause readings to drop between two sensors....smoke (or steam, if lots of steam) can set off a smoke detector.

There are "smoke detectors" that actually are "fire detectors..."

These are "flame detector" type of units that actually use a photo-electronic eye that looks for the characteristic "flickering" of a flame.  These would alarm by seeing the propane fire flicker when a pot is set on a burner.  These, however, are usually 120volt AC units that have to be specially ordered, and just about every "inexpensive" battery powered unit you can buy now is an ionization-type detector as mentioned above...the newer ones are much less likely to alarm falsely without smoke from burned food.

As for "pyrophobia" as mentioned in one of the earlier postings, that is GREAT!  Kids are supposed to be afraid of fire...it's healthy!  Parents can help their kids over an exaggerated fear of fire by practicing EDITH.

EDITH stands for Exit Drill In The Home.  Families should practice exit drills, knowing exactly what to do in the event of fire.  This includes:
Getting out of bed right to the floor and crawling, NEVER WALKING if a smoke alarm is sounding.  Smoke and heat rises, and the floor is the safest place.  

Feeling a doorknob before opening a door is paramount.  If the doorknob is hot, DON'T open it.  Fire is on the other side, and you're inviting it into the room you're in.

If you can't open the door, go to a window.  Open it and climb out or wave a towel or shirt so people can see you.  And, oh yeah, SCREAM REALLY LOUD!  If you can, hang and then drop to the ground if you're on the second floor....above that, just scream and throw things to the ground if needed to attract attention....just don't squash anybody.

Have a meeting place outside that EVERYONE knows about.... a front lamp post, a tree, the neighbor's fence, whatever.... just make sure you all agree on where to go when you get out.... I've seen people die going back in to get kids who are already outside.

NEVER go back in once you're out.... for ANY reason!  GET OUT....STAY OUT.  Make your kids repeat this mantra one million times.

And TEST your SMOKE DETECTORS!  Test them at least twice a year, when you change your clocks.  I test mine about every week, if not more.
If you heat with any fossil fuel (oil, gas, pellet, wood, etc.) have a CO detector.  Carbon Monoxide is colorless and odorless and you won't know it's there until you're dead.... then again, you won't know it then either.  I've seen whole families die in their sleep from an improperly vented or faulty heating unit.  IF YOU USE PROPANE HEAT IN YOUR CAMPER, YOU'RE CRAZY NOT TO HAVE A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR.

CRAZY!

Kids need to know about fire safety, including "Stop drop and roll" and never ever playing with matches and lighters.  

Kids need adults to practice fire safety and to talk about these things.  Practice drills can be fun.  When my kids successfully complete a "fire drill" at home, I take them out for ice cream or to a movie as a reward.  I want them to have a healthy fear of fire, but more importantly, I want them to know what to do.

By the way, never use an elevator during a fire alarm at any building, especially hotels/motels.  

If a fire alarm sounds at a hotel you're at, GET OUT!  Use the stairs, not the ELEVATOR!  I count the number of doors from my hotel room to the exit stairs.  In a fire, you won't be able to see a thing, and the smoke will choke your common sense away.  If you know there's seven doors on the left in the hotel hallway, and then the stairs are door number eight, you can crawl along the door and you'll know which door to open by feeling and counting doorways along the way.....open the wrong door, and guess what....WHOOSH....

Don't forget to pound on all seven of those doors and yell "FIRE" as loud as you can...you might save some lives while saving your own.

For more information, contact your local fire department or fire marshal's office.

And, oh yeah, make sure you have a smoke detector and a Carbon Monoxide detector in your Apache this year!

Stay Safe!

Pete Swanson, Firefighter/Paramedic
Lieutenant
Engine Co. 5
East Hartford CT

Days:
Thank you, Pete! We will all be more safe if we follow your suggestions, both at home and in our Apaches. Don

lakehope7:
All of the portable propane camping items (i.e. Coleman lanterns, the portable heaters, stoves) are infamous for emitting carbon monoxide. A big mistake can be made thinking that if using one inside your camper, you'll be safe as long as you have a window open for ventilation. Don't make that mistake.

thanks, Pete, for taking the time to post all these safety suggestions!

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