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"I should be raising a large family right now," said Burt, a Minnesota mother who lives with her surviving son Ryan. "Every day I have to live with my decision. I have to live with the fact that the loss of their lives was preventable by something as simple as a carbon monoxide alarm." Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization, urges everyone to purchase CO alarms and replace the batteries in existing CO alarms. Known as the silent killer, CO is an odorless, colorless gas produced by incomplete burning of fuel, such as propane, kerosene, gasoline, oil, natural gas, wood and charcoal. In RVs, emissions from gasoline-driven generators (less so with LP powered generators) are a significant source of carbon monoxide. Each year, more than 500 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. "We had been sick but we didn't know why," Burt recalled. "I was continually bringing my children to the doctor. They would wake up in the morning lethargic and ill, but after a 20-minute drive to the doctor's office they would be running around and playing. No one caught on that it was carbon monoxide from a faulty furnace. A CO alarm would have warned us long before our lives were in danger." Symptoms of CO poisoning include nausea, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, breathing difficulty and confusion -- but they are general enough to be confused with the flu, according to Dr. Jerrold Leikin, director of Medical Toxicology for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois. CO alarms are designed to alert residents before carbon monoxide concentrations grow to toxic levels, often providing hours advance notice of a tragedy. RVers should never sleep in their rigs while their generator is running unless it is equipped with a working carbon monoxide detector, and even then it's still not wise. Engine cooling air must not be used for heating the working or living space or compartment. RVers should inspect for exhaust leaks at every startup and after every eight hours of running and make sure there is ample fresh air when operating their generator in a confined area. "A CO alarm should not be confused with a smoke alarm," said John Drengenberg, Consumer Affairs Manager for UL. "A smoke alarm tells you to get out immediately. A CO alarm warns of a potential poisoning risk, usually long before symptoms are apparent, which allows you time to get help. You need both life safety devices in your home." Most importantly, if a carbon monoxide alarm is activated, immediately open windows and doors for ventilation and then call a qualified technician to identify the source. Top of Page Get your FREE RV Travel Newsletter every week - sign up now.
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