Part of the overall mission and responsibilities of the Easthampton Fire Department is to conduct inspections on numerous occupancies and businesses throughout the community. The purpose of these inspections is to ensure they comply with all of the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth in order to provide the highest level of protection and safety to all occupants and patrons. These inspections also help to protect the financial investment of the owners.
Yesterday during one of the food truck inspections, our inspectors found a water heater that was installed improperly (based on manufacturer’s recommendations) and venting all of the exhaust back into the trailer (see picture). This was a new food truck and could have posed a serious health hazard to the workers by having a build up of carbon monoxide inside of this unit.
The new owner of this food truck was extremely gracious and appreciative and immediately began the process of taking corrective actions for this finding.
It is examples like this that reinforce the value and purpose of these inspections and how these actions can continually have a positive impact on the life safety of the occupants and all of the patrons that use these public facilities.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric announced today 22 awardees of a grant program aimed at preventing carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The state and local governments were selected by CPSC, from a group of 31 applicants. CPSC will provide more than $3 million in federal Carbon Monoxide Poisoning PreventionGrant Program (COPPGP) funds that will be matched by $1 million in recipient funds. This will fund state and local government efforts to reduce deaths and injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning PreventionGrant Program Awards
Awardee
State
Award Amount
Alaska Department of Public Safety
Alaska
$100,000.00
City of Huntington Beach
California
$53,400.00
City & County of Denver
Colorado
$82,500.00
Government of District of Columbia
District of Columbia
$130,000.00
State of Georgia Department of Public Health
Georgia
$178,577.93
City of Aurora
Illinois
$51,000.00
Louisiana State Fire Marshal
Louisiana
$37,500.00
Maryland Department of State Police
Maryland
$200,000.00
City of Boston
Massachusetts
$260,031.75
City of Pontiac
Michigan
$300,000.00
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Minnesota
$200,000.00
New Hampshire Department of Safety
New Hampshire
$90,772.50
City of Jamestown
New York
$176,297.23
City of Syracuse
New York
$50,000.00
County of Rockland
New York
$100,000.00
Gates Fire District
New York
$50,000.00
City of Akron
Ohio
$76,460.00
City of Portland
Oregon
$320,000.00
City of Sevierville
Tennessee
$41,250.00
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
Tennessee
$300,000.00
Vermont Department of Public Safety
Vermont
$50,772.01
Central Pierce Fire & Rescue
Washington
$187,500.00
CPSC’s grant program is authorized through the Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2022 to provide eligible state, local, and tribal governments with grants to purchase and install CO alarms in residential homes and dwelling units of low-income families or elderly people and facilities that serve children or the elderly, including childcare centers, public schools and senior centers, and to develop training and public education programs with the goal of preventing CO poisoning. This legislation was sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) in the Senate, and Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Georgia) and Rep. Annie Kuster (D-New Hampshire) in the House. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on March 15, 2022.
“Following the deaths of two boys from carbon monoxide poisoning in their home, Congress enacted this grant program to prevent future tragedies. I am pleased that we are moving forward with these 22 grants to states and localities that will enable them to educate their residents and prevent CO poisoning in their communities,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric.
Grantees will have two years to use the funding to purchase and install CO alarms and complete training and education efforts.
The burning of fuels produces CO, which is a colorless, odorless gas. Exposure to unhealthy levels of CO can lead to CO poisoning, a serious health condition that could result in death. Unintentional CO poisoning from motor vehicles and fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, portable generators, and stoves, annually kill more than 400 individuals. CO alarms save lives and should be installed on every level and outside sleeping areas in residences.
Fire Service Leaders Promote Alarm Installation, Testing, and Maintenance
“Be sure you have working CO alarms on every level of your home,” Chief Andrews said. “Test them every month and change the batteries twice a year. Like smoke alarms, they also need to be replaced eventually – usually after five, seven, or 10 years. Check the manufacturer’s instructions or look up the make and model online.”
“Shortly after 9am this morning, Chief 1 and Engine 3 responded to a residence on Ned’s Point Road for a reported smell of gas.
The crew of Engine 3 entered the home and found an exhaust smell that was registering on our carbon monoxide meter at 200ppm, an extremely high level. Firefighters exited the building and donned our SCBA’s and then continued investigating. In one area of the home our meter registered 500ppm and then maxed out reading HIGH.
It was determined that a indoor pool heater had recently been turned on but during renovations to the home the heater vent pipe had been removed and shingled over resulting in exhaust and CO being forced back into the home. Our crews ventilated and secured the gas to the appliance.
CO is extremely dangerous in levels this high. Knowing that the levels were over 500ppm this incident could have resulted in unconsciousness and death. Luckily no one is living in the home as its undergoing renovations.”
This morning Southampton Fire responded to Red Rock Plaza for a report of multiple patients exposed to epoxy fumes. Crews on scene found it was carbon monoxide exposure from a propane powered floor grinder and due to the number of patients called a MPI/MCI (multiple patient/casualty incident) and requested multiple ambulances from surrounding towns, and immediately triaged all patients. No casualties or injuries on scene, patients were transported to Baystate Medical Center for evaluation due to the time of exposure to carbon monoxide and symtpoms of CO poisoning. 3 of the patients were reported to have more severe symptoms. Thank you to Easthampton Fire Department/Chief Norris, Northampton Fire Rescue, Westfield Fire Department, Action Ambulance Service Inc. , and Southampton Police Department-Massachusetts/Chief Illingsworth for your assistance on the call. Thank you to the Easthampton public safety dispatchers for handling and getting all the resources needed to help with this call.
A feel good success story from one of our programs and the importance of properly working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (long post, but please read it all if you have time)…
On Friday night our crews were dispatched to a home in the area of Lafayette Street for smoke/carbon monoxide alarms sounding. They were met by an elderly resident who said she went to bed and was awoken by the alarms. Crews entered the residence with our explosive gas meter (this meter detects levels of oxygen, explosive gas, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide). They immediately got readings of carbon monoxide and lowered levels of oxygen in the home. Crews backed out and donned SCBA’s. Readings of carbon monoxide in the home were around 600 parts per million (it should be 0, acceptable levels are below 9 parts per million in a home). Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, order less, colorless byproduct of combustion. After a thorough investigation, it was found that the resident mistakenly left her car running in a closed garage, likely for at least 4 hours. Liberty utilities was called to the scene as a precaution, extra firefighters were called into the station due to extensive time on scene, and the home was vented with a battery powered ppv fan until there were 0 parts per million of carbon monoxide in the home. The resident was transported by our rescue to a local hospital because of slight confusion and having detectable levels of carbon monoxide in there system. If the resident had not been alerted by the properly working smoke/carbon monoxide alarms they would have passed away within hours (likely an hour).
We have a program called “Somerset Cares”. In this program we go out to Somerset homes to do safety assessments and install smoke/carbon monoxide alarms. We recently went to this home for the “Somerset Cares” program and installed the smoke/carbon monoxide alarms that saved the residents life! A testament to the success in one of the many programs we offer and the importance of properly working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms!
From the Holyoke Fire Department (Holyoke, MA) Facebook page:
SUCCESS STORY- Carbon Monoxide Alarm Saved Lives
Tuesday December 13th Truck 2 responded to a call for a residential carbon monoxide (CO) detector activation. Upon arrival the crew found evidence of high levels of CO in the home. This early detection allowed for the astute Truck 2 company to discover a fire above the ceiling in the bathroom when upon their investigation they noticed discoloration of the ceiling. No reports of smoke or other signs of fire were reported by the homeowner and in fact had it not been for the activation of the CO detector the fire would have been able to develop much further and this incident may very well have ended in tragedy. This is a great example of how these devices can and truly do save lives.
This morning at approximately 0130 T-2 Group D was dispatched to Rampart Ct for a reported Carbon monoxide detector activation. While searching for the source of the CO T-2 noticed a discoloration in the ceiling and utilizing a thermal imaging camera were able to detect a fire in the ceiling. A full response was called for which brought E-6, E-3, and Car-21 to the scene. Companies were able to extinguish the fire quickly and check for extension. No injuries to report at this time. The occupants were all evacuated early on because of the CO alarm and were displaced for the remainder of the night. The cause is under investigation by HFD and MSP investigators. Thank you once again to HPD and Cataldo EMS for assistance on scene. Thank you to the HG&E for their quick response. And lastly Kudos to T-2 for their tenacity in locating and extinguishing the fire.
“The Duxbury Fire Department was called to Alden Elementary School, at 75 Alden Street, for a possible gas leak. The Alden School custodial staff made the call after noticing an odor in the gym…elevated Carbon Monoxide levels were found in a mechanical room in the gymnasium due to a malfunction with the HVAC system…”
“Chipotle Mexican Grill at Hingham Derby Street Shops and the building it is attached to was evacuated Monday morning due to a carbon monoxide leak…one of the rooftop heating units was not working correctly and letting carbon monoxide into the restaurant.
The neighboring businesses had high carbon monoxide levels as well, so the fire department evacuated the entire building.”
“A restaurant on Boston’s waterfront was evacuated Thursday evening due to carbon monoxide. Fire officials say they began investigating after a woman reported feeling ill at Chart House on Long Wharf shortly after 8 p.m. High levels of the gas were measured…”
“Legal Sea Foods located at the Street in Chestnut Hill along Route 9 was evacuated Tuesday morning following high carbon monoxide readings in the restaurants, the Newton Fire Department tweeted. A nearby restaurant, The Cottage, was also evacuated.
WCVB first reported that carbon monoxide detectors were going off this morning when employees came to work. Newton fire and National Grid have reportedly traced the problem to a Legal Sea Foods oven.
One person was evaluated for carbon monoxide poisoning on site and was cleared, Newton Fire tweeted.
Both restaurants plan to open to customers for lunch.”
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