As people seal their windows to keep out the winter cold, the Tainan Fire Bureau on Wednesday cautioned the public against “silent killer” carbon monoxide, which can build up in spaces that lack proper ventilation.
From 2015 to last year, 188 people experienced carbon monoxide poisoning, including 31 who died, while 12 people have been reported poisoned so far this year, Ministry of the Interior data showed.
Elementary-school students and older people from Sinshih District (新市) staged a play at the bureau’s event to impart the importance of preventing carbon monoxide poisoning, which can cause dizziness, nausea, drowsiness and other physical discomfort.
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) shared principles to keep in mind when setting up gas-burning appliances such as water heaters.
Maintaining ample ventilation is critical, Huang said.
People should only buy safe products that suitable for their living arrangements, he said.
Water heaters and other gas burners should be properly installed and regularly maintained, he added.
Bureau Commissioner Lee Ming-feng (李明?) said that people must not neglect the latent danger of carbon monoxide poisoning over the winter months.
Fires burning in spaces with insufficient oxygen produce carbon monoxide and carbon, rather than carbon dioxide — a process called incomplete combustion, he said.
People who use gas stoves or interior water heaters should remain especially vigilant, he added.
From Friday to April 30, the Tainan City Government would be offering NT$240,000 in subsidies for at-risk homes to move or replace dangerous water heaters, Lee said.
Each household would be eligible to receive up to NT$3,000, while low-income households can receive up to NT$12,000, he said.
The funding is limited, Lee said, urging those interested to call the 119 hotline or visit their local fire station to apply.
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