Parents win BIG Victory!
On Thursday, April 25, the Kent County Board of Commissioners approved funding for two staff positions to investigate homes that are lead-poisoning children. Landlords who fail to act to be held accountable.
In Case of Emergency
If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, get everyone out of the house as soon as possible and call your local fire department from either your cell phone or a neighbors house.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the United States.
What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is an odorless and tasteless gas that can be given off during the burning of fuel.
The Source
Sources of this deadly gas in the home include furnaces, gas stoves and ovens, kerosene heaters, generators, vehicles and any other items that burn fuel. When these items malfunction or are used inappropriately, such as without adequate ventilation, they become dangerous.
Malfunctioning home furnaces cause up to 18.5% of all accidental poisonings by carbon monoxide in the United States.
Who is at Risk?
Anyone is susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning, although studies have shown that children are more susceptible to low levels of exposure.
Symptoms
If you have an unexplained headache, fatigue, dizziness or nausea, or if your carbon monoxide detector is going off, immediately evacuate your home and contact the fire department. Low-level carbon monoxide poisoning is often confused with cold and flu symptoms.
Health Impacts
Carbon monoxide starves the body of oxygen and can cause death in people of any age. For children, small doses of carbon monoxide over extended periods can also cause long-lasting health and developmental problems.
Solutions
The best protection is to have fuel burning appliances inspected annually and to install a carbon monoxide detector on each level of the home.
The Healthy Homes Coalition works with families with children to connect them with resources that can help provide a carbon monoxide detector for their home free of charge. Resources to provide these free CO detectors are often limited. Eligible families must have a resident child 14 years of age or younger and must live in the cities of Grand Rapids, Wyoming, or Kentwood Michigan. To see about getting a free detector for your home, contact the Healthy Homes Coalition.
Did You Know...
Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning death in the U.S.
Resources
Carbon Monoxide Kills: More Than Half of Carbon Monoxide Poisonings Occur During the Winter Months(828 KB)
February 12, 2015 - Media alert on carbon monoxide poisoning in the winter months.
MEDIA ALERT: Exercise Caution When Using Generators During Power Outage(820 KB)
November 18, 2013 media alert regarding use of generators and risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
2013 Carbon Monoxide Report for the State of Michigan(617 KB)
2013 data on carbon monoxide deaths, hospitalizations, and poisonings for the state of Michigan provided by the Michigan Deaprtment of Health and Human Services (published March 2015).
Carbon Monoxide Fact Sheet(1.5 MB)
Fact sheet jointly authored by the Healthy Homes Coalition and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Injury Prevention Coalition (formerly the Safe Kids Coaltiion).
Let's Double-Down for Children with Asthma Like Louian
Little Louian's recently renovated home was in good condition, yet there were still things about the home environment that triggered Louian's asthma. Things had gotten so out of control that Louian ended up in the emergency room four times in a year. Healthy Homes provided Louian's mom with the knowledge, skills, and tools she needed to take action.
But this is just one of many families in need of support. Asthma attacks are the leading reason kids are going to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital’s emergency room. We need to do more to keep children like Louian from hurting, and we can with your help.
Healthy Housing Goes Global
In November of 2018, the World Health Organization stepped firmly into the healthy housing world when it released its WHO Housing and Health Guidelines. While local conditions are different all over the world, the strategies WHO suggests are universal and certainly apply to Grand Rapids.