Hi, I am Patsieann Misiti with the Alexandria Fire Department in Alexandria, Virginia. We have been talking about home heating safety. Now, I would like to talk about carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas. It kills nearly 300 people each year in the United States because you can t hear, see, taste or smell it, it's known as the silent killer.

In your home, sources of carbon monoxide would be your oven, furnace, water heater or fireplace with a blocked flue. Also, outdoor cooking equipments such as charcoal grills would be a source of carbon monoxide.

For your indoor fuel burning appliances you should have them serviced at least once a year by an insuranced, licensed and bounded technician and for outdoor cooking devices, never bring them inside the house.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home you should install carbon monoxide alarm. They look and sound similar to a smoke alarm but have a specific purpose. They should be installed outside all sleeping areas and near fuel burning appliances. They are battery operated just like a smoke alarm. Batteries should be tested and replaced once a year. The carbon monoxide alarm should be replaced every five years.

Next, we are going to talk about smoke alarms.