GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Severe winter weather can bring plenty of dangers along for the ride, and Corewell Health is giving a warning for one of those you may not associate with a snow storm:
Carbon monoxide.
"It's a very serious poisoning," says Dr. Drue Orwig, wound and hyperbaric section chief for Corewell Health. "We see it very commonly, particularly in the winter months."
Carbon monoxide is tasteless and odorless, so you won't even know it's there. It also comes from several places.
"Your furnace, generators, even running your car in an enclosed space or in an idle area where you're not getting a lot of ventilation," says Dr. Orwig.
Everything that's used during cold weather, like last week's ice storm.
"We saw a significant uptick in the amount of carbon monoxide poisonings in the local area," says Dr. Orwig.
While symptoms might make you think you have the flu, they can become more serious if left untreated.
"Some people have a headache, maybe nausea, vomiting, feeling really like tired and fatigued," says Dr. Orwig. "It can be fatal if you're in the environment long enough."
So how do you avoid it?
Dr. Orwig suggests leaving your generator outdoors.
"It happens a lot when people bring in generators inside, even in their garage, even if the doors are open," she says.
It's also important to make sure heavy snow isn't blocking any of the vents outside your home or your car's exhaust pipe.
"Be cautious in snowstorms like this that you have good ventilation through all these systems," she says.
Dr. Orwig also suggests installing a carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home.
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