Carbon Monoxide alarm credited with saving Saskatoon family from potential tragedy

With cold weather moving in, fire officials in Saskatoon are asking everyone to make sure they have a carbon monoxide detector in their home, and if they do have one, to make sure it is working.

The fire department issuedthe alert after a potentially deadly incident last night.

In a home on the city's west side, the CO detector did its job, and saved lives.

The call came in from a home in the 2100 block of 20th Street West around 9:20 a.m. CST Monday night. When they arrived, firefighters found the familywaiting outside. They were all checked for high carbon monoxide levels, and everyone is okay.

But this routine call with a happy ending could have easily ended in tragedy.

That's because inside the home,firefighters found carbon monoxidereadings of 100 ppm, four times higher than the safe level.

While the CO was pouring into the home, the family was getting ready for bed, setting up a potentially deadly scenario. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas that can build up in a house from a furnace or vehicle exhaust. The gas can quickly spread in the body choking off its ability to circulate oxygen.

In this case though, the CO alarm sounded, sending everyone outside to safety, and prompting the fire department to call the working detector a life-saver.

Things to keep in mind.

1. This province does not have a law mandating CO detectors in the home. Always check to see if there is one there. If there is no detector, the fire department suggests you get one right away. Given the climate here, the fire department suggested it would like to see that change.
2. If you suspect a CO problem in your home, get everyone out and call 9-11. The fire department will check your home and ventilate if your CO alarm sounds. They'll do it free of charge, so there is no reason to hesitate.