As winter approaches, Tennesseans will utilize appliances and portable generators to heat their homes and cabins. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) urges Tennessee consumers to learn about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and take precautions in order to prevent tragedy.

CO is a gas you cannot see, taste, or smell and is often called “the invisible killer.” It is created when fossil fuels, such as kerosene, gasoline, coal, natural gas, propane, methane, or wood do not burn completely. CO poisoning can result from malfunctioning or improperly vented furnaces or other heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers, or cars left running in garages.

“The State Fire Marshal’s Office reminds Tennesseans to be aware of the potential risks from carbon monoxide and take safety seriously all year long,” said State Fire Marshal and Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak.

On September 18, 2011, five friends — Jon and Kathryn Watson Over, Jim Wall, Tim Stone and Allison Bagwell-Wyatt— lost their lives in Clarksville, Tenn. when CO fumes from a generator seeped into their rented RV. The RV’s carbon monoxide detector, which could have prevented the deaths, was later discovered to have no batteries. (Tennessee law now requires that rented RVs must have functioning carbon monoxide detectors before being leased for use.) The state’s first recognized Carbon Monoxide Awareness Day was commemorated earlier this year on Sept. 18, 2015 to raise awareness of the dangers from CO poisoning.

To help families become aware of CO poisoning, the SFMO offers the following safety tips:

• Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris.
• Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from the home.
• If you are using a portable generator, make sure you have battery-operated CO alarms or plug-in CO alarms with a battery backup in the home.
• Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Install and maintain CO alarms inside your home to provide early warning of carbon monoxide. Install and maintain CO alarms outside each separate sleeping area, on every level of the home, and in other locations as required by laws, codes, or standards.
• Have fuel-burning heating equipment (fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, wood stoves, coal stoves, space heaters, and portable heaters) and chimneys inspected by a professional every year. Open the damper for proper ventilation before using a fireplace.
• Never use an oven or stovetop to heat your home.
• Purchase heating and cooking equipment that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory from a reputable retailer.
• Vent the exhaust from fuel-burning equipment to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide CO poisoning. Keep the venting clear and unblocked.
• Remove vehicles from the garage right away after starting. Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor in a garage, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not blocked with snow, ice, or other materials.