Fire officials warn its the season for carbon monoxide incidents

It was just an hour after Countryside Fire Protection District officials had finished serving pancakes at a safety event Sunday when the department received a 911 call from a home with five family members feeling ill.

According to fire officials, it is the season for carbon monoxide incidents, in which the odorless and tasteless gas can sneak up on residents when they crank up the gas furnace for the first time in months. The gas can also leak into a home if a furnace or gas-fired hot water heater is in need of repairs.

Were getting into that time of year, Fire Marshall Michael McNally said. A lot of people dont realize it is the law.

Sundays call came in at 1 p.m. from a home in the 300 block of Sutcliffe Circle in Vernon Hills. The caller told emergency dispatch that everyone woke up feeling sick.

They exited the building to call 911. They did the right thing rather than remaining in the building to make the call, McNally said.

When the first ambulance arrived, found everyone was safe outside. A second ambulance was called to take the family to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

High levels of the gas were found inside, and the gas company responded to cut off the gas to the homes furnace and hot water heater. They indicated the gas source was in the area of the furnace and hot water heater, McNally said.

Illinois residents and property owners have been required to have carbon monoxide detectors within 15 feet of all rooms used for sleeping since January 2007.

McNally didnt say whether the Vernon Hills family had detectors. He did say they are essential.

You never know when its going to happen and you wont know unless you have a detector, he said, reiterating that carbon monoxide has no odor or taste and cannot be seen.

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Fire officials warn its the season for carbon monoxide incidents