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Amanda's Law
Amanda’s Law
was named in honor of Buffalo resident Amanda Hansen, a teenage girl who
Lost her life to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from a defective boiler
when sleeping over at a Friend’s house in January 2009.
Beginning February 22, 2010, a new law went into effect in New York to
help protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.
The new law
requires the following:
CO alarms must be installed in all new and existing one and two-family
dwellings,
multifamily dwellings and rentals having a fuel-burning appliance,
system or attached garage.
The National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) recommends CO alarms be installed in a central
location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
CO alarms must be listed to comply with
UL (Underwriters Laboratories ) 2034 or CSA (Canadian Standards
Association) 6.19 and installed in accordance with manufacturer’s
instructions.
For more information on CO, visit
www.dos.state.ny.us/fire
What Are the Major
Sources of CO?
Carbon monoxide is produced as a result of incomplete
burning of carbon-containing fuels including coal, wood, charcoal,
natural gas, and fuel oil. It can be emitted by combustion sources such
as unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, furnaces, woodstoves, gas
stoves, fireplaces and water heaters, automobile exhaust from attached
garages, and tobacco smoke. Problems can arise as a result of improper
installation, maintenance, or inadequate ventilation.
What Are the Health Effects?
Carbon monoxide interferes with
the distribution of oxygen in the blood to the rest of the body.
Depending on the amount inhaled, this gas can impede coordination,
worsen cardiovascular conditions, and produce fatigue, headache,
weakness, confusion, disorientation, nausea, and dizziness. Very high
levels can cause death.
The symptoms are sometimes
confused with the flu or food poisoning. Fetuses, infants, elderly, and
people with heart and respiratory illnesses are particularly at high
risk for the adverse health effects of carbon monoxide.
An estimated 300 people die each year as a
result of carbon monoxide poisoning and thousands of others end up in
hospital emergency rooms.
Please if your
CO Alarms activates, get out immediately and call
911 |
Incase
of Emergency :
911
