A reminder from NIPSCO about carbon monoxide, the "Silent Killer"

Contributed By: The 411 News

November is known across the nation as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month. NiSource, the parent company of NIPSCO, cares about safety and released a statement to remind the community about the risks of carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is called the “Silent Killer” because it is an odorless, tasteless, non-corrosive gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, natural gas, propane, or oil) burn incompletely.

Even though natural gas doesn’t contain CO, it can be produced when there’s not enough oxygen for fuels to burn properly. The most reliable way to know whether you have a CO leak is to have fully functioning CO detectors at home, especially in areas where someone sleeps. Remember to test and replace your detector batteries regularly.

Know the symptoms
With CO poisoning, you may experience flu-like symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, irregular breathing or feeling ill. If CO is present in your home, you may feel tired at home but fine when away from home. Don’t ignore the warning signs. Carbon monoxide can be fatal within five minutes at high concentrations.

If you think carbon monoxide is present or your CO detector sounds, leave the area to get fresh air, immediately call 911 and NIPSCO at 1-800-634-3524, and DO NOT GO BACK until repairs are made and it is safe to reenter.

It is not safe to re-enter the area until emergency responders identify the cause and allow you to go back inside. In some cases, emergency responders will turn off the source of the carbon monoxide but you will be responsible for repairs of that appliance or issue.

To learn more about how to stay safe from CO, visit nipsco.com/co.

Story Posted:11/21/2022