The first ambulance run, where I was in charge and the patient was dead before we arrived, was a case where he had used a coleman stove to heat with. Use an open flame at your own peril. I include in this any non vented appliance.
What happens is that as the weather turns cold people close up their accommodations tighter and tighter. A radiant heater, yes the ones that aren't supposed to produce CO, stoves of any kind, anything that uses combustion and is not vented is what I'm talking about. These things require oxygen to function. As long as they have adequate ventilation you are fine. If the place is too tight then the appliance reduces the O2 levels to the point where incomplete combustion occurs and CO is produced. Neither CO nor a reduced O2 content is a healthy situation.
I found a body in full rigor mortis and a room covered in soot from incomplete combustion. If you choose to heat with a flame then make sure there is adequate air exchange because the flame will not share the available oxygen with you.
What happens is that as the weather turns cold people close up their accommodations tighter and tighter. A radiant heater, yes the ones that aren't supposed to produce CO, stoves of any kind, anything that uses combustion and is not vented is what I'm talking about. These things require oxygen to function. As long as they have adequate ventilation you are fine. If the place is too tight then the appliance reduces the O2 levels to the point where incomplete combustion occurs and CO is produced. Neither CO nor a reduced O2 content is a healthy situation.
I found a body in full rigor mortis and a room covered in soot from incomplete combustion. If you choose to heat with a flame then make sure there is adequate air exchange because the flame will not share the available oxygen with you.
