KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - The return of adverse weather and the potential of power outages brings with it the threat of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Additionally, if the power goes out in your home, there are steps you can take to keep food safe to eat for as long as possible.

Avoid accidental carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide gas comes from burning fuels such as gasoline, propane, oil, kerosene, natural gas, coal or wood. Follow these tips to avoid accidental injury or death from carbon monoxide:

• During a power outage or at any other time, do not operate gasoline powered machinery such as a generator indoors, including the garage
• Do not warm up your vehicle by idling the engine inside an attached garage
• Do not cook or heat with charcoal barbeques inside your home
• Have your gas or oil burning furnace inspected for leaks and serviced by a professional each year
• Hire a professional to inspect and service all chimneys and vents. A blocked vent (from soot or a birds nest, for example) can cause carbon monoxide to back up into the house
• Avoid combustion “space heaters” unless there is an exhaust vent. Place space heaters correctly to avoid fire
• Install certified carbon monoxide warning devices in hallways outside bedrooms

Physical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include splitting headache, nausea and vomiting, and lethargy and fatigue.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you. If you believe you could be experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Call for medical help from a neighbor’s home. The Fire Department will tell you when it is safe to reenter the home.

More information on carbon monoxide

Keep food safe

If the power goes out in your home, there are steps you can take to keep food safe to eat for as long as possible.

Try to keep the doors closed on your refrigerators and freezers as much as possible. This keeps the cold air inside. A full freezer can stay at freezing temperatures about 2 days; a half-full freezer about 1 day.

If you think the power will be out for several days, try to find some ice to pack inside your refrigerator. Remember to keep your raw foods separate from your ready-to-eat foods.

Refrigerated foods should be safe as long as the power is out no more than a few hours and the refrigerator/freezer doors have been kept closed. Potentially hazardous foods should be discarded if they warm up above 41ºF.

Frozen foods that remain frozen are not a risk. If potentially hazardous foods are thawed, but are still cold or have ice crystals on them, you should use them as soon as possible. If potentially hazardous foods are thawed and are warmer than 41ºF, you should discard them.

When in doubt, throw it out!

More information on keeping foods safe following a power outage

Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day.

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