Additionally, CO alarms must be installed in an appropriate location and tested regularly to assure they are in working order as they have a limited lifespan. Reasons cited for not having a working CO alarm in existing dwellings include underestimation of CO exposure risk, living in a rental property in which the landlord had not installed an alarm, and expense ( Hampson & Weaver, 2011). Unintentional, non-fire-related CO poisoning is preventable with proper installation and use of CO-producing sources, as well as well-maintained carbon monoxide alarms ( Graber, Macdonald, Kass, Smith, & Anderson, 2007). As CO poisoning symptoms are often vague and confused with viral illnesses, these numbers are likely an underestimation of actual exposures ( Ghosh et al., 2016). Current estimates indicate over 400 deaths associated with CO poisoning and 20,000 non-fatal exposures severe enough to require emergency medical services (EMS) intervention in the US annually ( Iqbal, Clower, King, Bell, & Yip, 2012). Lower-level CO exposure symptoms can include headache, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea exposure to elevated levels of CO can result in confusion, unconsciousness, and death. Symptoms of CO exposure are non-specific and dose-dependent. Faulty equipment or improper use of CO-producing equipment in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces can lead to the accumulation of CO gas and increase the risk of poisoning ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2017). CO is also produced through the burning of cooking and heating fuels such as charcoal, kerosene, and propane. Appliances (e.g., heating units, water heaters) and equipment with gasoline-driven internal combustion engines (automobiles, portable generators, construction equipment, lawn mowers) are common sources of CO production. A common cause of poisoning in the United States (U.S.) is carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-irritable gas produced by the partial burning of biomass and fossil fuels.
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