Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas you cannot see or smell. It is one of the biggest dangers after storms and ice when families use generators and heaters.
If anyone has a headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea or confusion while a generator or fuel heater is running, get everyone outside to fresh air right away and call 911.
Generators
- Never run a generator inside your home, garage, basement, crawl space or shed, even with doors open.
- Keep it at least 20 feet from your house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors and vents.
- Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Use heavy-duty outdoor extension cords, or have an electrician install a transfer switch.
- Let it cool before refueling. Store fuel outside the house.
Heating and cooking
- Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
- Never use a grill, camp stove or charcoal indoors or in a garage.
- Use LED lights instead of candles or oil lamps.
CO alarms
Put a battery-powered or battery-backup CO alarm on every level of your home and near bedrooms. Test it monthly and change batteries twice a year.
Food in an outage
Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed. A fridge keeps food cold about 4 hours. A full freezer holds about 48 hours, a half-full one about 24. When in doubt, throw it out.
Sources: CDC carbon monoxide poisoning prevention; Ready.gov power outages (FEMA); FoodSafety.gov.