Every year in the Cher, carbon monoxide poisoning occurs with the arrival of winter. The Cher firefighters provide some advice to limit the risks and know how to react in the event of poisoning.
Around ten people have already been poisoned by carbon monoxide in Cher since the start of the year and around a hundred regionally. Faced with this danger which can go so far as to lead to death, the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (Sdis) of Cher, through the voice of Captain Thomas Corbier, head of the communication, volunteering and citizenship group, calls, once again, to vigilance.
What is carbon monoxide and where does it come from?
Carbon monoxide is a gas which most of the time emanates from defective heating appliances (boiler, wood or pellet stove, braziers, oil stove, etc.). Carbon monoxide is a perverse and vicious gas because it is odorless, colorless and tasteless.
How can you detect carbon monoxide poisoning?
The first symptoms are headaches and vomiting. This can lead to loss of consciousness. And this is where it becomes dangerous, especially if the intoxicated person is alone at home. The quantity of gas will increase in his body, leading to death. Carbon monoxide takes the place of oxygen in the blood.
How are poisoned people treated?
People are transported to the hospital where the level of carbon monoxide in their blood will be checked. The body is then reoxygenated or treated more heavily depending on the degree of intoxication. If the amount of carbon monoxide is very high, treatment with hyperbaric oxygen will be necessary, but is only available in certain hospitals equipped with a hyperbaric chamber or chamber.
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How to react in the event of carbon monoxide poisoning before help arrives?
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Do not hesitate to do the 15th or 18th, even if in doubt. This can be very telling if several people have the same symptoms. People can then turn off their heating system and leave the house. When firefighters arrive on site, they will take carbon monoxide readings and ventilate the home.
How can we prevent the risk of poisoning in advance?
It is important to have your heating appliances checked and maintained. At a minimum, it must be done once before the winter season. At best, you can also do it once during the winter season. It is also advisable to have a carbon monoxide detector and place it, ideally, in the living room.
Marion Lapeyre
Monitoring device
Since the beginning of 2005, a carbon monoxide poisoning monitoring system has existed in the Centre-Val de Loire region. It mainly brings together the rescue and emergency services, the departmental delegations of the Centre-Val de Loire Regional Health Agency (ARS), the Angers anti-poison center and the municipal hygiene and health services. The monitoring system for cases of poisoning is based on a reporting system by hospital emergency services, hyperbaric oxygen therapy services, Sdis, medical analysis laboratories, general practitioners, etc. Any poisoning must be declared without delay to the Angers anti-poison center (02.41.48.21.21) which carries out a medical investigation and transmits the report to the regional emergency and health alert platform of the ARS. Environmental and medical investigations are then carried out to describe the cases and identify the origin of the poisoning.
