Be Alert to Carbon Monoxide Dangers During, After Hurricane Milton, Experts Warn

High winds, torrential rain: all dangerous, but there’s a silent killer lurking after hurricanes like Milton: carbon monoxide.

Experts from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warn of the potentially lethal effects of carbon monoxide (CO), emitted by gas generators that people may use to power their homes during and after major storms.

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “more than 400 people die every year in the United States from CO poisoning,” the CPSC said in a statement released ahead of Milton’s expected arrival in Florida.

“About 92 of these deaths are linked to portable generators,” the agency said.

These deaths do not need to happen. The CPSC urges Floridians in the storm’s path to follow these gas generator safety tips in case they lose power:

• NEVER operate the generator in or too close to your home, and this includes garages, porches, carports, basements and crawlspaces. CO is an odorless gas that can build up stealthily and even opening windows or doors is not enough to disperse it.
• Operate the generator at least 20 feet away from the house and make sure the exhaust is directed away from the house or any building that a person could enter. If any windows, dryer vents, or other building vents are in the path of generator exhaust, close them.
• Follow your generators’ operating instructions regarding rainy and windy weather, including “risks of electrical shock in adverse weather conditions, which may include the use of an NFPA-rated non-combustible generator tent or may indicate to wait until the rain pass,” said the CPSC. Keep your generator in good working order.
• Many generators now come with a CO safety shutdown feature, which shuts down the device when high levels of gas are detected around the device. “These models may be advertised as certified to the latest safety standards for portable generators – PGMA G300-2018 or G300-2023 and UL 2201 – which are estimated to significantly reduce deaths from CO poisoning,” the CPSC explained.

CO and smoke alarms keep you and your family safe

Make sure they are always powered with working batteries, but especially before big storms. “The combination of interconnected smoke and CO alarms is best; when one sounds, they all sound,” the agency said.

A smoke and CO alarm must be installed on each floor of the home and in every bedroom.

If your alarm goes off, don’t ignore it – go outside and call 911.

The electrical dangers of wet appliances

If you notice that a connected appliance has become wet, do not touch it due to the danger of electric shock.

If gas or electrical appliances are submerged, ask a professional or your gas/electric company representative to check them before using them. “Replace all gas control valves, electrical wiring, circuit breakers and fuses that have been underwater,” the CPSC advised.

Coal and candles also pose dangers

Lighting a hibachi or other charcoal brazier indoors — even in your garage — is a potentially lethal idea, the agency warned.

And every year Americans die in fires started with candles. Instead, use battery-powered lights.

If you must use candles, “do not burn them on or near anything that could catch fire,” the CPSC said. “Never leave lit candles unattended. Extinguish candles when leaving the room and before going to sleep.”

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