Device detects CO in blood

The department bought two monitors for $4,000 apiece.

By JEANNE STARMACK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

CANFIELD — Carbon monoxide kills by suffocation.

It gets into your blood and blocks the oxygen that all your body’s organs need after what’s basically a sneak attack — it’s odorless and colorless, so you don’t know it’s around until it’s too late.

All fire departments have monitors that can measure the level of the gas in a building, and they know what to look for as far as symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in people — headache, nausea and vomiting.

The Cardinal Joint Fire District now has even more monitors.

The Rad-57is an oximeter that measures the level of carbon monoxide and oxygen in blood, said Rob Tieche, EMS director for the fire district. Now, he said, it’s possible to say for sure whether someone has CO poisoning, and if so, how high the level is in the blood. That can be lifesaving, he said.

The district bought two of the CO pulse oximeters a month ago at $4,000 apiece, he said, and training should be complete by today. The department will keep one on each of its two trucks that are staffed by paramedics.

The district is the only fire department in Mahoning County to have the monitors, Tieche said. The monitors have been available for more than a year, he said. The company that sells them, Masimo Corp., has sold about 200 so far in Ohio, he said.

The monitor is less than a foot long and includes a finger probe for adults and one for children. The probe sends a beam through a fingernail to read the CO level, Tieche said. Any CO reading over 10 on the monitor is not good.

The district used one of its monitors for the first time Friday, Tieche said.

The patient was having the flulike symptoms that can mean CO poisoning, but the monitor showed he did not have it.

Tieche said all businesses should have carbon monoxide detectors, and they’re recommended for homes as well — they should be close to the bedrooms.

Tieche said carbon monoxide calls rise at this time of year when people begin to use their furnaces and fireplaces.

The gas comes from incomplete combustion, he said.

A fireplace that isn’t venting properly or a furnace or hot water tank that isn’t working right can produce it. Even a gas stove that isn’t functioning properly can cause problems, Tieche added.

starmack@vindy.com