Generator Dangers

Gustav Hurricane Katrina  Whether you plan to get a generator or dust off the old one safety should come first when putting together your plan.
by Diana Lucio
Published: Wed, August 27, 2008 - 9:22 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, August 28, 2008 - 1:39 pm CST
While many of you are in a hurry to get to the checkout line with your hurricane supplies. Some stores like Lowes are having to stock up themselves after running out of generators. Although Lowe's is completely sold out of generators, Store Manager Scott Lankford says they still have plenty of Carbon Monoxide alarms and you should never get one without the other. "Most people will try to park their generator underneath the porch or somewhere like that, the fumes off the generator could come back into their house and as you know Carbon Monoxide is a bad thing, this is gonna save them from that also,"Said Lankford.
Julio Garcia with Springhill Medical Center says while people are concerned about keeping cool, they should be just as much when it comes to preventing Carbon Monoxide poisoning. "When people are using these air conditioners they're using them at night to keep cool when everyone's asleep so here we have an odorless colorless gas that's not going to show any symptoms until you're overcome by it, "Said Garcia a registered nurse for Springhill Medical Center.
While it can be fatal if not treated right away, Garcia says, here are some symptoms to look out for, "disorientation, headache, nausea, vomiting dizziness..flu like symptoms, sometimes it's mistaken for the flu."
If you plan on using a generator, make sure you place it in a ventilated area and at least 20 feet from your house. You shouldn't place them next to an air conditioning unit because that could recycle Carbon Monoxide fumes back into your home. Another tip, make sure your generator is secured to the ground at all times.
Embed:
Email a Friend Email to a Friend   
Printer Friendly Printer Friendly
Download Video   
Translate: » Spanish | French | German | Italian | Japanese | Chinese | Russian | Hindi

Recently Commented On

Throng Shows Up In Birmingham…

2 Total Comments
Throng Shows Up In Birmingham For Palin Hundreds Have Lined Up At A Birmingha-area Book Store In… more »

Fairhope Standoff Situation…

49 Total Comments
Fairhope Standoff Situation Over at Ravenite Pizzeria Breaking News Standoff situation at the Ravenite Pizzeria… more »

Census Worker Hanged Self, Police…

1 Total Comments
Census Worker Hanged Self, Police Say Bill Sparkman, Who Was Found Dead with the "Fed" Etched… more »

Who’s Hiring Along the…

1 Total Comments
Who’s Hiring Along the Gulf Coast? With recent news of job losses, we wanted to know which… more »

Woman Steals Ambulance, Police…

2 Total Comments
Woman Steals Ambulance, Police Fire Shots The Mobile Police Department is conducting an internal investigation… more »