Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Sickens Polk County Residents

POLK COUNTY, FL — Polk County officials are warning the community of carbon monoxide poisoning from portable generators. (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Lakeland Patch. Click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Polk County Fire Rescue transported patients in two separate incidents Tuesday morning, while area hospitals have patients present in their Emergency Room with carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said.

One incident took place in southwest Lakeland and the other in Lake Alfred, and both involve a generator running in an enclosed garage, officials said in a news release.

"Portable generators are useful during power outages, but improper use can be risky," the news release reads. "The most common dangers associated with portable generators are carbon monoxide poisoning, electrical shock or electrocution, and fire hazards."

Here are some safety tips for residents provided by the county:

• Generators and gas grills should be operated in well-ventilated locations, outdoors, away from all doors, windows and vent openings.
• Never use a generator or gas grill in an attached garage, even with the door open.
• Place generators so that exhaust fumes can’t enter the home through windows, doors or other openings in the building.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for correct placement and mounting height.
• Turn off generators and let them cool down before refueling. Never refuel a generator while it is running.
• Store fuel for the generator in a container that is intended for the purpose and is correctly labeled. Store the containers outside of living areas. Propane tanks should also be turned off when not in use and stored outdoors.
• Do not connect a generator to your home’s electrical system without a licensed electrician providing a means to connect. Improper wiring creates the danger of back feeding the power system, energizing downed lines and fatally electrocuting anyone that contacts those lines.

The Department of Health reminds residents that you cannot see or smell carbon monoxide. Portable generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide very quickly. If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air right away, officials said.

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If you have a poisoning emergency, call your nearest Florida Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911 immediately.

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