MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Mar 2004
Use of carbon monoxide alarms to prevent poisonings during a power outage--North Carolina, December 2002.
Each year in the United States, approximately 500 persons die from unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, often during electric power outages caused by severe storms. Use of residential CO alarms has been recommended to reduce the incidence of CO poisoning. In September 2000, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (2002 population: 722,367), adopted a public health ordinance requiring a CO alarm in the majority of residences; all-electric residences without attached garages (35.4% of all homes) were exempt. ⋯ This report summarizes the results of that investigation, which determined that 96.2% of the severe poisonings occurred in homes with no reported functioning CO alarm. As a result of these findings, on October 8, 2003, Mecklenburg County officials amended the ordinance to require alarms with battery back-ups in all residences. Officials in other communities should consider enacting such alarm ordinances to prevent CO poisonings.