The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection has warned of the currently increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
“Fire departments and rescue services had to be deployed several times on recent hot days to bring people with symptoms of poisoning to clinics,” says vfdb President - Dirk Aschenbrenner.
'CO makes KO' initiative
Dirk Aschenbrenner adds, “The cause of the accidents was mainly gas boilers for producing hot water. At the same time, he referred to an educational campaign by the 'CO makes KO' initiative, the aim of which is to educate the population about the health risks of carbon monoxide (CO).
“On hot summer days like now, the exhaust gases from the water heaters are not hot enough compared to the outside air and cannot be adequately removed,” explains the organization's press spokeswoman, Claudia Groetschel.
risks of carbon monoxide (CO)
Claudia Groetschel adds, “Because of the heat-related backlog of exhaust gases, the toxic carbon monoxide gets back into the apartment and can lead to serious poisoning and even death."
She continues, "But an extractor hood or an air conditioner can also become dangerous if the oxygen-rich air is released outside and the carbon monoxide-rich air is drawn from the exhaust pipe back into the bathroom and apartment."
CO detectors
vdfb and the 'CO makes KO' initiative, therefore, advise not to activate the extractor hood and air conditioning units at the same time when operating the thermal baths to prevent accidents.
In addition, sufficient ventilation must be ensured. Ventilation slots, for example in the door, must not be covered. It is also recommended to install CO detectors in rooms with fuel-burning appliances at home.
