NY Post – November 07, 2014
by Shawn Cohen
A bed-bound, 100-year-old woman complaining of dizziness and nausea had to be carried to safety after a faulty heating appliance spewed carbon monoxide into her Queens home – one of two such incidents in the city since Monday that sent a half dozen people to the hospital.
FDNY spokesman James Long said these cases surge this time of year as people activate heating units that aren’t properly maintained.
“It’s not surprising to see this because we just had a little bit of a cold spell, and most buildings are turning on their heating systems for the first time in six months,” Long said.
On Monday, three residents of an apartment building on E. 217th St. in the Bronx fell ill after carbon monoxide surged to more than 40 times safe levels. They were taken to Jacobi Hospital.
On Tuesday, a Haz-Tac team responded to Curtis Street in Queens after the centenarian and two other elderly women experienced symptoms including fatigue and headaches.
The crew, after detecting the carbon monoxide spike, rushed inside the single-family house.
“I arrived as the crew was loading them into the ambulance,” said Lt. Jonathan Negron, EMS supervisor. “It was pretty heroic. It could have been very serious and they got these people out of there as fast as they could.”
Since both cases involved faulty heating units, Long is hoping to get the word out that everyone needs to maintain and test their equipment, and also install carbon monoxide meters in their homes if they don’t have them.
“Our message is that carbon monoxide is deadly, odorless and colorless, and you’re not going to realize what’s happening to you until it’s too late,” Long said. “You should have your heating equipment checked out periodically to make sure they’re in good running shape.”
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