It’s time for a little quiz.

How many of you burn fuels such as:

⎕ Gasoline?

⎕ Wood?

⎕ Propane?

Did you check any one of the boxes? All of the boxes? If the answer is “yes”, you have the potential of being poisoned by a small amount of Carbon Monoxide, or CO. CO is an odorless, colorless gas. It can kill you.

CO is found in fumes produced any time you burn fuel in cars or trucks, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, or furnaces. CO can build up indoors and poison people and animals who breathe it.

According to the CDC, while everyone is at risk for CO poisoning, infants, the elderly, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems are more likely to get sick from CO. Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized.

How can you keep your family and friends safe?

• Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, and confusion. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, move quickly to a fresh air location, and then call 9-1-1.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms in central locations on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas (avoid corners where air does not circulate). Test the alarm every month.
• Treat the alarm signal as a real emergency each time. If the alarm sounds and you are not experiencing any symptoms described above, press the reset button. If the alarm continues to sound, call the fire department.
• Do not use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens or clothes dryers to heat your home.
• Never use a generator, grill or camp stove inside a home, garage or basement.
• Have heating systems (including chimneys and vents) inspected and serviced annually, checking for blockages, corrosion, and partial and complete disconnections.
• Never run your car or truck inside a garage that is attached to a house even with the garage door open. Always open the door to a detached garage to let in fresh air when you run a car or truck inside.

Learn more about how you and your family can stay safe this winter. Visit www.redcross.org/prepare for helpful tips, tricks and information.

There are a vast number ways that the Red Cross partners with organizations, both regionally and nationally.

Take for instance, the relationship between the Red Cross and Asurint, a developer and designer of an integrated system of background screening products, which is headquartered in Cleveland.

Asurint runs the background checks for each and every registered Red Cross volunteer.

“Because so much of our work is done with the public, including children, it is vitally important that we know who our volunteers are,” said Gail Wernick, Regional Volunteer Services Officer for the Northeast Ohio Region. “We are sending volunteers to work with people during, what has to be, the worst period of their lives, and, sometimes, in the most intimate of settings, such as a shelter. We have to be sure that the volunteers don’t have something on their record that would exclude them from such work.”

Recently, Asurint gave back in a different way –  with a $10,000 donation for those affected by disasters.

Thank you, for being such a valued partner!

Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 5 and the Red Cross reminds everyone to ‘turn’ their clocks back an hour and ‘test’ the batteries in their smoke alarms. The Red Cross recommends that all residents in Northeast Ohio have working smoke alarms on every level of their home, including inside and outside bedrooms.

“Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half,” said Tim O’Toole, Regional Disaster Officer. “Turn and test is a reminder to set your clocks back and take a few minutes to push the test button to make sure all alarms are working.”

 It’s also an opportunity to make sure all households are prepared for home fires and other emergencies:

• Create and practice a fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes. Select a location outside for everyone to meet.
• Keep disaster supplies in an easy-to-carry bag to use at home or carry in case ordered to evacuate. A variety of emergency preparedness kits and supplies are available at redcrossstore.org
• Download the Red Cross Emergency App which includes content on how to prevent home fires and what to do if one occurs. The Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies App is a game designed for kids. Both apps are available to download for free in app stores or at redcross.org/apps.

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN The Red Cross responds to about 64,000 disasters across the country every year and most of these are home fires. Tragically, some people lose their lives in these fires and countless others are injured. The Red Cross has launched the Home Fire Campaign to reduce the number of deaths and injuries due to home fires by 25 percent over the next five years.

Since October of 2014, the Red Cross and partners have saved more than 110 lives as part of the Home Fire Campaign. The Red Cross is committing to install 2.5 million free smoke alarms in neighborhoods at high risk for fires, and to educate those residents about fire prevention and preparedness during the multi-year campaign.

Since the Home Fire campaign began, more than 530,000 smoke alarms have been installed in all 50 states and four territories, and it has reached more than 597,000 children through campaign youth preparedness education programs, such as The Pillowcase Project.

Its the time of year when children take to the streets for some Halloween fun!

If you or your family members are enjoying the festivities over the next couple of days, here are some safety tips to help stay safe.

DECORATION FIRE SAFETY*

1. Use battery operated candles or glow sticks in jack-o-lanterns.
2. Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper catch fire easily. Keep all decorations away from open flames and other heat sources like light bulbs and heaters.
3. Teach children to stay away from open flames including jack-o-lanterns with candles in them.
4. Remember to keep exits clear of decorations so nothing blocks escape routes. Make sure all smoke alarms in the home are working.

SAFETY TIPS FOR TRICK-or-TREATERS

1. Use only flame-resistant costumes.
2. Plan the trick-or-treat route – make sure adults know where children are going.
3. Have a parent or responsible adult accompany young children as they make their way around the neighborhood.
4. Make sure trick-or-treaters can see and be seen. If going out in the evening, give them a flashlight to light their way. Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags. Have everyone wear light-colored clothing to help be seen.
5. Instead of masks which can cover the eyes and make it hard to see, use face paint instead.
6. Be cautious around animals.
7. Only visit homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door – never go inside.
8. Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic. Look both ways before crossing the street, and cross only at the corner. Don’t cut across yards or use alleys. Don’t cross between parked cars.
9. Make sure a grown-up checks the goodies before eating. Remove loose candy, open packages and choking hazards. Discard any items with brand names that you are not familiar with.
10. Drivers – use extra caution. The youngsters are excited and may forget to look both ways before crossing.

TIPS FOR WELCOMING CHILDREN ON HALLOWEEN

People, who are planning on welcoming trick-or-treaters to their home, should follow these safety steps:

• Sweep leaves from sidewalks and steps.
• Clear the porch or front yard of obstacles someone could trip over.
• Restrain pets.
• Light the area well so the young visitors can see where they are going.

DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS People can download the free Red Cross First Aid App for instant access to expert advice for everyday emergencies. They can use the Red Cross Emergency App for weather alerts and to let others know you are safe if severe weather occurs. The apps are available in app stores or by going to redcross.org/apps.

*Information provided by National Fire Protection Association