CPSC Awards More than $3.0 Million in Grants to 22 State and Local Governments to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Release Date: July 02, 2024

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 Prevention Grant 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 Prevention Grant 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.

Visit CPSC’s Carbon Monoxide Information Center to learn more about the dangers of CO and how to protect families from invisible killer. https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Carbon-Monoxide-Information-Center

CPSC Awards More than $3.0 Million in Grants to 22 State and Local Governments to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | CPSC.gov

 

Carbon monoxide exposure at Vermont school prompts class cancellation, hospitalizations

Coventry, VT –

“The affected students and adult had been in a classroom closest to an outside construction site on the school property. While heavy machinery was running outside, air conditioning was running inside the building, pulling outside air in…It’s likely that the carbon monoxide came from the operation of the heavy equipment.”

 

Carbon monoxide exposure at Vermont school prompts class cancellation, hospitalizations | Fox News

 

State’s largest hospital, UVM Medical Center, asks for $204 million increase

Vermont –
“In late 2019, air circulation problems shut down five operating rooms at the Fanny Allen campus, which conducted about 30 outpatient surgeries a day.
Carbon monoxide was found in the ventilation system, causing dizziness and nausea in staff. A similar issue in the building’s inpatient rehab area displaced 14 patients. After months of investigations, a brief attempt to reopen the OR and inpatient rehab unit and yet another poisoning incident in November 2020, Fanny Allen closed permanently last fall.“
Is CO in the air at your workplace? Your doctor’s office? The hospital where you’re having surgery? Is there CO detection installed to alert staff before you become injured?

 

State’s largest hospital, UVM Medical Center, asks for $204 million increase – VTDigger

 

NFPA Journal: General Negligence

“A new Fire Protection Research Foundation report highlights the nation’s enduring CO problem”

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021spring/index.php?startid=20#/p/20

CO Detection: What It Is and Why We Need It

VT hotel evacuates due to fumes

Quality Inn, Rutland, VT – “…and the portion of the building where the rooms were located measured at 300 ppm…the building had 64 rooms, most or all of which were occupied by multiple people…vulnerable population and also apparently some essential workers…” Source of CO listed as a gas powered power washer.

https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/hotel-evacuates-due-to-fumes/article_328aff49-e060-59d8-93ca-f877dc23c81c.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share&fbclid=IwAR2GvzyGgIdv7R1LhCqH8bVP4afkZMgBmzFbc6KC9Rg48T_bTBdrCrA6Ucs

4 hospitalized after carbon monoxide leak at assisted living facility

Essex, VT –

“The leak was discovered in the building’s parking garage…Elevated levels of carbon monoxide were also detected on the first and second floors…Four employees showed signs of carbon monoxide exposure and were taken to UVM Medical Center in Burlington for treatment.”

4 hospitalized after carbon monoxide leak at assisted living facility (mynbc5.com)