Carbon Monoxide:Poisonings and Deaths

New Mexico Wing Civil Air PatrolSafety Briefing

January 2009 / 2010

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Safety Briefing Requirements for Safety Briefing Requirements for ALLALL

CAPR 62-1 (3d)CAPR 62-1 (3d) CAP Safety Responsibilities and CAP Safety Responsibilities and ProceduresProcedures

AllAll CAP members must obtain a CAP members must obtain a monthlymonthly 15 minute face-to-face 15 minute face-to-face briefing (or Make-up) before they briefing (or Make-up) before they may participate in may participate in anyany CAP activity CAP activity (including unit meetings).(including unit meetings).

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

To: NM Wing Staff

Upon completion of this briefing, send an email stating:Subject: January Wing Safety Briefing“January Carbon monoxide Dangers” briefing reviewed and completed” toJudy.Candelaria@kirtland.af.mil

(otherwise, send email notification to your Squadron Safety Officer)

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

CO (carbon monoxide) is a gas that isCO (carbon monoxide) is a gas that is– ColorlessColorless– TastelessTasteless– OdorlessOdorless

Produced from incomplete combustion Produced from incomplete combustion in a fuel burning devicein a fuel burning device

CO can kill you and you won’t even CO can kill you and you won’t even know you died!!know you died!!

What is CO (carbon monoxide) ?

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

C O

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

CO (carbon monoxide) can be CO (carbon monoxide) can be found almost everywherefound almost everywhere– At homeAt home– At work / office / schoolAt work / office / school– AutomobilesAutomobiles– Recreation: generators or stovesRecreation: generators or stoves– Aircraft in flightAircraft in flight

Where can you find CO?

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

CO (carbon monoxide) can be CO (carbon monoxide) can be found almost everywherefound almost everywhere– At homeAt home– At work / office / schoolAt work / office / school– AutomobilesAutomobiles– Recreation: generators or stovesRecreation: generators or stoves– Aircraft in flightAircraft in flight

Where can you find CO?

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

January Safety Briefing

Joseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

15,000+ visits / year to Hospital ER

500 unintentional deaths / year

Most frequent in JANUARY (then December)

January Safety Briefing

Joseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

CO prevents oxygen from attaching to the hemoglobin molecule in your blood

Oxygen cannot be delivered to the brain and other tissues

SYMPTOMSConfusion, hallucinations, headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, palpitations, seizures

COMA and DEATH

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Typical Scenario

You are relaxing home with the family on a cold January evening

Everyone in the family is feeling sick with either a headache, or nausea, or dizziness, or tiredness -- could it be the flu?

Unbeknownst to you, your 12 year old furnace is putting out 400 ppm of CO from a cracked firebox. And you are poisoned!

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Another scenarioYou and your copilot have been flying highbird for 2.5 hours

The pilot is getting nauseated – hmmm . . . . . that’s unusual

The copilot has a splitting headache

Unbeknownst to both, a cracked manifold is leaking CO into the cabin via the heater. And you are poisoned!

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Prevention of poisoning

BE AWARE of CO poisoning!(free)

Get a Home Carbon Monoxide detector (with good batteries!)$50

Get an Aircraft CO detector ($5)

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

Get away for the source – Get away for the source – – leave the house, land the airplane, leave the house, land the airplane,

get some fresh airget some fresh air

– Severe: Severe: Hospitalization and Hospitalization and adminsitration of 100% oxygenadminsitration of 100% oxygen

Fix the source !Fix the source !January Safety Briefing

Joseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

TREATMENT of poisoning

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

If you suspect CO poisoning . . . . . . . If you suspect CO poisoning . . . . . . .

--Call the --Call the local gas companylocal gas company and have and have them check your furnace, hot water them check your furnace, hot water heater, wood stove, etc. Replace heater, wood stove, etc. Replace the defective item.the defective item.

--Ground the airplane until the --Ground the airplane until the manifold leak is repaired.manifold leak is repaired.

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

FIX THE SOURCE

Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide DangersDangers

January Safety BriefingJoseph R. Perea, MD, Maj CAPNM Wing Director of Safety

Questions?Questions?

Personal experiences?Personal experiences?

ReferenceReference– http://www.carbonmonoxidekills.cohttp://www.carbonmonoxidekills.co

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