Portable generators should be used safely | Seasonal | ktbs.com

Anchor / MMJ

Portable generator use

SHREVEPORT, La. -- November is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month, and to bolster the message of protecting yourself from CO dangers, a new safety campaign is being launched.

The public service announcement set to be broadcast stresses the importance of using portable generators responsibly. That is, while they are tools that can be critical when your power goes out or you're out in nature, it's important that you don't fire them up in a home, in a shed, in a basement, or anywhere that their exhaust fumes can enter into enclosed dwelling spaces.

Leaders from the Shreveport Fire Department say people should heed the warnings. “Carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas,” said SFD Administrative Assistant to the Chief Daniel McDonnell. He continued, “It’ll build up within your home and you’re not aware of it unless you have a working carbon monoxide detector.”

Symptoms of CO poisoning would be confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, vomiting, and cherry-red skin. If members of a household start experiencing these symptoms, they should exit the home immediately and call 911.

According to SFD and the Portable Generator Manufacturers Association (PGMA), the only safe place to use a portable generator is outside and 20 feet away from any occupied dwelling.

Anchor / MMJ