COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nationwide, November is recognized as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month. Columbia Gas wishes to take this opportunity to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide in the community to help keep everyone safe.
"Despite the fact that natural gas does not contain CO, it can be generated when there is insufficient oxygen for fuels to burn correctly," said a spokesperson from Columbia Gas.
The gas company emphasizes the importance of having fully functional CO detectors in your home on every level and in every room where someone sleeps. "Remember to test and replace your detector batteries on a regular basis," they added.
"With CO poisoning, you may experience flu-like symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, irregular breathing or feeling ill," the spokesperson warned. "Don’t ignore the warning signs. Carbon monoxide can be fatal within five minutes at high concentrations."
Columbia Gas recommends annual servicing of natural gas appliances by a qualified professional as one of the best ways to prevent carbon monoxide emergencies. For those in need of qualified plumbers or contractors, they can visit ColumbiaGasOhio.com/contractors.
"If you think carbon monoxide is present or your CO detector sounds, leave the area to get fresh air, immediately call 911, and DO NOT GO BACK until it is safe to reenter," cautioned the spokesperson.
To learn more about how to stay safe from Carbon Monoxide, Columbia Gas encourages individuals to visit ColumbiaGasOhio.com/co.
Columbia Gas of Ohio delivers clean, dependable, and efficient natural gas to approximately 1.5 million customers across the state. With headquarters in Columbus, it is the largest natural gas utility in Ohio. Columbia Gas of Ohio is one of six regulated utility companies of NiSource (NYSE: NI), one of the largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States.
NiSource aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2040. More information about Columbia Gas of Ohio and NiSource is available at www.ColumbiaGasOhio.com and www.NiSource.com.