While many residents in Spokane County are without electricity, and with temperatures expected to drop, barbecue grills and gas generators may seem like they could double as an indoor furnace, but that can be dangerous, according to the Spokane Regional Health District and Greater Spokane Emergency Management.
The agencies say that neither should be used inside to heat homes as families could get sick and even die from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a poisonous gas that can’t be seen or smelled and can kill a person in minutes. It is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. It can quickly build up to unsafe levels in enclosed or semi-enclosed areas.
To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, never use a charcoal or gas grill in an enclosed space or in a fireplace. A charcoal fire will not create a chimney draft strong enough to push the carbon monoxide to the outside. It’s also unsafe to use a gas oven for heat. Never run a car engine or a generator in a garage and keep generators at least 20 feet from buildings. Even at that distance, air flow patterns could still blow carbon monoxide into homes through attic vents, windows or doors, so it’s important to have a working carbon monoxide detector inside the home.
Sources of carbon monoxide include motor vehicles, small gasoline-powered equipment, burning charcoal, wood or gas, blocked chimney flues’ gas or kerosene heaters, camp stoves and lanterns.
The Department of Health’s website (www.doh.wa.gov) offers information on carbon monoxide, outage and cold weather prevention. For more local emergency preparedness information, visit either the health district’s page dedicated to emergency preparedness or the Spokane Emergency Management website.
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