IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1521 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Carbon Monoxide Awareness 

Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 15, 2010 

Ms. SHEA-PORTER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Carbon Monoxide 

Awareness Day. 

Whereas carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that 

can cause sudden illness and death; 

Whereas carbon monoxide is found in combustion fumes, 

such as those produced by cars and trucks, small gasoline 

engines, stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and wood, and 

gas ranges and heating systems; 

Whereas 20,000 people visit the emergency room each year 

due to carbon monoxide poisoning; 

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, 4,000 people are hospitalized due to carbon 

monoxide poisoning each year; 


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Whereas 8.2 percent of those who visited the emergency room 

were either hospitalized or transferred to other hospitals 

for specialized care; 

Whereas 400 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning; 

Whereas fatality is highest among Americans 65 years and 

older; 

Whereas up to 40 percent of those who survive carbon monoxide poisoning experience symptoms such as apathy, 

mutism, amnesia, loss of bladder control, headache, irritability, personality changes, confusion, memory loss, 

motor impairment, and vision changes; 

Whereas some side effects of carbon monoxide poisoning may 

be permanent; 

Whereas all people and animals are at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning; 

Whereas unborn babies, infants, and people with chronic 

heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems are most 

susceptible to carbon monoxide effects; 

Whereas females had a higher estimated rate of carbon monoxide-related emergency room visits (7.2 cases per 

100,000 population), compared with males (6.7 cases per 

100,000 population); 

Whereas carbon monoxide poisoning is a leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths in the United States; 

Whereas approximately 72.8 percent of exposures occurred in 

homes and approximately 13.4 percent occurred at workplaces; 

Whereas the primary source of carbon monoxide exposure 

was home heating systems (16.4 percent), which included 


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furnaces, boilers, and unspecified heaters. Motor vehicles 

were reported as the second most common source of carbon monoxide exposure (8.1 percent); 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are 

actively engaged in strengthening State and local capacity to respond to carbon monoxide-related issues, responding to State requests for technical assistance, working with State, local, and private sector partners to shape 

and target outreach and education efforts, and jointly developing its surveillance, research, and education agenda; 

Whereas one can prevent carbon monoxide exposure by— 

(1) having a heating system, water heater and any 

other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a 

qualified technician every year; 

(2) installing a battery-operated carbon monoxide 

detector in homes and checking or replacing the battery 

when changing the time on clocks each spring and fall; 

(3) seeking prompt medical attention if one suspects 

carbon monoxide poisoning and is feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseous; 

(4) avoiding use of a generator, charcoal grill, camp 

stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside 

homes, basements, or garages, or near a window; 

(5) avoiding running cars or trucks inside a garage 

attached to a house, even if the garage door is left open; 

(6) avoiding burning anything in a stove or fireplace 

that is not vented; 

(7) avoiding heating a house with a gas oven, 

ranges, or clothes dryers; 

(8) ensuring appliances are installed and operated 

according to the manufacturer’s instructions and local 

building codes; 


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(9) ensuring annual professional inspection and servicing of a heating system to check proper operation; 

(10) ensuring an inspector checks chimneys and 

flues for blockages, corrosion, partial and complete disconnections, and loose connections; 

(11) avoiding portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent unless it is 

specifically designed for use in an enclosed space and 

provides instructions for safe use in an enclosed area; 

(12) avoiding burning charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent; 

(13) avoiding operating unvented fuel-burning appliances in any room where people are sleeping; 

(14) avoiding covering the bottom of natural gas or 

propane ovens with aluminum foil because doing so 

blocks the combustion air flow through the appliance and 

can produce carbon monoxide; 

(15) during home renovations, ensuring that appliance vents and chimneys are not blocked by tarps or debris; and 

(16) making sure appliances are in proper working 

order when renovations are complete. 

Whereas one should never service fuel-burning appliances 

without proper knowledge, skill and tools, but always 

refer to the owners’ manual when performing minor adjustments or servicing fuel-burning equipment; 

Whereas one should install a carbon monoxide alarm that 

meets the requirements of the current UL 2034 or CSA 

6.19 safety standards; 

Whereas one should install a carbon monoxide alarm in a 

hallway near every separate sleeping area of the home; 


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Whereas if a person is experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and they do not have a carbon monoxide 

alarm, they should— 

(1) get outside to fresh air immediately; 

(2) leave the home and call the fire department to 

report symptoms from a neighbor’s home; 

(3) contact a doctor immediately for a proper diagnosis; 

(4) tell the doctor that you suspect carbon monoxide 

poisoning is causing problems; and 

(5) if the doctor confirms carbon monoxide poisoning, make sure a qualified service person checks the 

appliances for proper operation before reusing them. 

Whereas carbon monoxide alarms always have been and still 

are designed to alarm before potentially life-threatening 

levels of carbon monoxide are reached: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 

2 the goals and ideals of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day. 

Æ 


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