Pottawatomie County Emergency Medical Services (PCEMS) has rolled out new potentially life-saving safety equipment designed to protect both emergency responders and the patients they serve.
As part of this initiative, PCEMS crews will now carry continuous carbon monoxide (CO) detectors attached directly to the equipment they bring into calls for service. These personal monitoring devices provide real-time detection of carbon monoxide levels, alerting responders to the presence of this colorless, odorless, and potentially deadly gas.
“Carbon monoxide exposure is often referred to as a ‘silent killer,’” said PCEMS Assistant Director Troy Armstrong. “By equipping our crews with continuous CO monitoring, we are adding another layer of protection that enhances scene safety, improves situational awareness, and supports faster identification of hazardous environments.” “Our responders are frequently called into homes, businesses, and other enclosed spaces where the source of illness or injury is unclear,” Armstrong said. “Carbon monoxide exposure can present with vague symptoms that mimic other medical conditions. These monitors give our crews an immediate warning that something isn’t right—allowing us to protect ourselves, identify potential exposure earlier, and get patients out of harm’s way faster.”
The detectors will automatically alarm when elevated CO levels are detected, allowing crews to:
Identify unsafe environments quickly
Remove patients and responders from danger sooner
Initiate appropriate medical evaluation and treatment
Coordinate with fire and other public safety partners for mitigation
This proactive safety measure not only helps protect EMS personnel operating in unknown or potentially hazardous environments, but also improves patient outcomes by identifying carbon monoxide exposure that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Pottawatomie County EMS remains committed to continually evaluating and adopting tools, training, and practices that enhance responder safety and deliver high-quality emergency medical care to the communities it serves.
“I’ve updated my checklist: ‘Turn on CO detector’ is now before ‘engine start,’ and the detector is mounted in my primary field of view, with a second as backup. My grandchildren, in flight training, will soon receive their own CO detectors as Christmas gifts…”
“The risk of dying of CO poisoning while traveling is low compared with, say, the risk of dying in a car accident. But one study suggests that more than 150 CO-related incidents occur in short-term lodging (including hotels and motels) in the US each year and that the number is likely underreported. And the number doesn’t include vacation rentals such as Airbnbs, other travel-related situations, or international incidents.
Even if carbon monoxide poisoning doesn’t result in death, it can still cause lasting health issues. When carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in the bloodstream, it can cause long-term neurological problems — from personality changes to intellectual impairment — even if you appear to have only mild or moderate symptoms up front. And while the risks are higher for children, older adults, and those who are pregnant, people of any age and health status are at risk.
But there’s some good news: CO poisoning is pretty preventable if you have a good-quality carbon monoxide detector. When you’re on the road, a small, lightweight, battery-operated detector could save your life.”
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) – The Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office is sounding the alarm about carbon monoxide detectors sold online, saying purchasers might be putting themselves and their loved ones at risk.
“The ones you buy online are probably not compliant with the code for this country, and the State of Rhode Island,” State Fire Marshal Timothy McLaughlin told 12 News.
UL Certification Mark. (Courtesy: Business Wire)
He says it’s easy to ensure the detectors in your home are up to standard: “If you look on the back, it should have a ‘UL’ sticker,” McLaughlin said. “That means it’s been tested. We know it works.”
UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories, a Chicago-based company that tests detectors before sending them out to be purchased.
When UL confirms a detector is working properly, the company will mark the detector with a UL stamp.
In contrast, McLaughlin said, there is no way of knowing whether carbon monoxide detectors bought online meet the proper standards to be put in someone’s home.
“We don’t know if they work, we don’t know where they come from. You buy them from China or wherever they come from, we have no idea if they’ve been tested,” the fire marshal said. “Once it’s stamped by UL, we’re very comfortable that it’s going to work, and it’s going to work the way it’s supposed to.”
With the potential fatal threat carbon monoxide poses, ensuring your detectors are up to code can truly be the difference between life and death.
“[It’s] odorless, you can’t taste it, you can’t see it, you can’t smell it. By the time you realize that there is CO in your house, it’s probably going to be too late,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin told 12 News consumers can purchase UL-tested carbon monoxide detectors at any big box store, and recommended purchasing detectors with lithium batteries, which can last up to 10 years without having to be changed.
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