Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options
CDC Home

This page is a historical archive and is no longer maintained.

For current information, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/media/

Press Release

For Immediate Release: January 1996
Contact: CDC Media Relations (404) 639-3286

Carbon Monixide Poisoning Risk Following the Blizzard of 1996

CDC is issuing a warning of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning risk to the residents in the Northeast affected by the blizzard of 1996.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received reports that dozens of children and elderly people in the Northeast have been poisoned by CO while taking refuge from the cold in an idling vehicle. These poisonings are a result of exhaust seeping into the vehicle cabin because the exhaust pipe was filled with or obstructed by snow.

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that is produced during any combustion process. The symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to early signs of the flu and include: fatigue, chest pain in people with heart disease, headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and impaired vision and coordination. CO poisoning can be fatal at high concentrations.

Reminders to residents:

  1. Make sure your exhaust pipe is free from snow before starting your vehicle. This includes making sure no snow is packed inside the exhaust pipe.
  2. Do not sit in a parked vehicle with the engine running, unless a window is open.
  3. Do not leave anyone, especially children or elderly persons, in a parked vehicle with the engine running while shoveling snow.
  4. If you have any of the symptoms of CO poisoning (headache, dizziness, nausea, etc.), immediately leave your vehicle and seek fresh air.
  5. If you see someone in an idling vehicle who appears to be unconscious, immediately remove the victim from the vehicle into fresh air and call for emergency medical assistance (911).

For more information regarding CO poisoning prevention, call your local health departments.

###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 
CDC 24/7 – Saving Lives. Protecting People. Saving Money Through Prevention. Learn More About How CDC Works For You…
Contact Us:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    1600 Clifton Rd
    Atlanta, GA 30333
  • 800-CDC-INFO
    (800-232-4636)
    TTY: (888) 232-6348
  • Contact CDC-INFO
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30329-4027, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC–INFO
A-Z Index
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z
  27. #