By Naeisha Rose
Two Fire Department emergency technicians from Station 54 in Springfield Gardens swooped in to save four residents on 192nd Street in Jamaica after receiving a sick call Saturday, according to the FDNY.
Once at the two-family home, EMTs Zache Cox and Frantzi Honore noticed the residents’ carbon monoxide meter read 600 parts CO over a million, according to the FDNY.
Such a high concentration of carbon monoxide can cause symptoms like throbbing headaches, difficulty breathing, confusion, loss of consciousness and heart problems, according to the department.
There are no acceptable levels of carbon monoxide at a house, according to the FDNY.
Cox and Honore brought the four individuals outside and administered medical care to them, according to the FDNY.
“A tragedy and potential disaster was avoided by the quick reactions of these EMS technicians,” said Oren Barzilay, president of Local 2507, the EMS Union.
Both technicians cited the safety equipment and training they received in responding to the situation, according to Oren Barzilay, the president of EMS Union Local 2507.
Authorities determined that a defective boiler was responsible for the almost deadly leak.
Carbon monoxide has been dubbed “the silent killer,” because it is undetectable to the human senses, according to the FDNY. Carbon monoxide is colorless, tasteless, and odorless.
The gas can enter your blood system when you breathe, and it will displace the oxygen in your blood, which is enough to suffocate people, according to the FDNY Smart website.
The website says individuals should monitor equipment like home furnaces, water heaters, generators, ranges/ovens, clothes dryers, grills, fireplaces, power tools, lawn mowers and motor vehicles for carbon monoxide.
Seniors, infants, young children, people with heart problems and pregnant women are the most susceptible to the dangers of a carbon monoxide leak, according to FDNY Smart.
A general rule for detecting carbon monoxide is if more than one person or animal becomes ill, but recover after being away from home, then you might have the gas at your residence, according to the website.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning do not idle motor vehicles inside a garage, have heating systems and fuel-burning appliances inspected and tuned up annually, clear vents after snowstorms, and do not use ranges/ovens to heat your home. It is also illegal in New York City to use kerosene or propane space heaters to heat homes.
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose
