CO: Response to Carbon Monoxide Incidents
Carbon Monoxide poisoning is the most common cause of unintentional poisoning death in the U.S., causing up to 1,000 fatalities a year. This poisonous gas is created when fossil fuels and other carbon-containing materials burn, particularly under conditions of low oxygen. Because carbon monoxide binds to blood with 250 times more affinity than oxygen, it replaces oxygen in the blood. Lack of oxygen in the central nervous system leads to headaches, irritability, confusion, and eventually convulsions, coma and death.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in homes or in the workplace. Heating and cooking systems, chimney flues and internal combustion engines are all potential sources of carbon monoxide. Clearly these is a need for emergency responders to be trained in the hazards of carbon monoxide, and in the handling of CO incidents.
About
the video
"CO: Response to Carbon Monoxide Incidents" is designed for fire fighters,
fire brigade members, emergency medical personnel, police, poison control center
personnel, plant safety personnel and others who may respond to emergencies
involving carbon monoxide. This program discusses the hazard properties of CO,
explains exposure limits, and tells where it is likely it be found. It discusses
symptoms at various levels of exposure and tells how a victim's age and health
may impact these symptoms. The video stresses the importance of installing CO
detectors, explains how they operate and tells how they may become contaminated
and disabled.
The video suggests simple safety procedures to follow to prevent CO poisoning from occurring both in the home and workplace. For emergency situations, the program tells what the first arriving emergency responders should do to treat victims, monitor for CO, ventilate the building and evacuate if necessary. The program tells what steps emergency medical personnel should take to reduce the concentration of CO in the blood of victims. Finally, it tells how emergency responders should locate the source of the carbon monoxide and shut it down to leave the building safe.