Firefighters fighting a fire

Firefighting and Carbon Monoxide Awareness

When fuels such as wood, composites, and furniture burn incompletely, carbon monoxide (CO) is dispersed into the surrounding atmosphere, posing significant risks to firefighters attempting to extinguish fires in a dwelling or structure. Firefighters are taught that heat, oxygen deprivation, and carbon monoxide are the primary threats to life in residential structure fires, but the highest levels of CO are found at floor levels — where firefighters are typically located during firefighting — and at the ceiling.

In fact, a study conducted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine showed that 76% of the readings taken in a series of house fires exceeded the permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm, with the highest reading being 1,424 ppm, well above the "immediately dangerous to life and health" level of 1,200 ppm.

Simply put, the danger of exposure to CO in a structure on fire is significant.

Firefighting and Carbon Monoxide — The Basics

During the first phase of firefighting — knockdown — firefighters attempt to control and extinguish the blaze. This phase produces the most smoke — and the highest levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Smoke released during a fire is a mixture of particles and chemicals produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-containing material.

About 90% of structural fires (opens in new window) are controlled within the first 5-10 minutes or they are abandoned and managed from the outside.

This means that firefighters are exposed to an average of ten minutes of heavy physical activity during the knockdown phase — during which time they are also potentially exposed to the highest levels of CO.

Overhaul is the second stage of firefighting, during which any small fires remaining are extinguished. While not as smoky as the knockdown environment, overhaul still exposes firefighters to products of combustion from smoldering materials

Firefighter fighting fire on roof wearing Sensorcon Inspector

Overhaul is the second stage of firefighting, during which any small fires remaining are extinguished. While not as smoky as the knockdown environment, overhaul still exposes firefighters to products of combustion from smoldering materials

The Causes of Carbon Monoxide Exposure During Firefighting

As mentioned, carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when a structure, or materials contained within it, are incompletely burned. This can include:

  • Construction materials
  • Furnishings and personal belongings
  • Automobiles and other vehicles
  • Heated fuels

All these items, as well as many others, have the potential to release unhealthy amounts of CO, even after the fire is extinguished.

Special CO Considerations for Firefighting Teams

All smoke is a sign of incomplete combustion (opens in new window). Darker smoke indicates that the combustion present is more incomplete and could signify higher CO levels. Any smoke at the scene, even if the fire is extinguished, denotes a CO hazard. In fact, care should be taken to protect firefighters from CO exposure throughout the overhaul process.

The on-duty deaths that occur each year due to CO exposure can be minimized if proper safety measures are taken, such as ensuring all personnel wear a CO monitoring device with their personal protective equipment (PPE) and a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) when necessary and required for duties. All firefighters should follow firefighting best practices such as wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) when necessary and required for duties. In addition, fire and rescue personnel should consider supplementing their equipment with a CO monitoring device for further protection against CO exposure.

To learn more about the effects of CO poisoning, please review Understanding the Effects of Carbon Monoxide.

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Using Carbon Monoxide Meters to Detect and Monitor Carbon Monoxide Levels

The Sensorcon Inspector is a trusted tool used by firefighters and emergency medical technicians in detecting and identifying the source of carbon monoxide (CO) during fire and rescue activities.

The Sensorcon CO Inspector is a portable and reliable carbon monoxide meter (CO meter) that was designed in the USA and assembled in our manufacturing facility located in Buffalo, NY. The CO meter provides you with real-time readings all the way from 0 to 2000 PPM and is used by professionals to monitor or inspect for carbon monoxide.

Trusted by fire fighters, police, emergency medical services (EMS), home inspectors, plumbers, and HVAC technicians, the Sensorcon CO Inspector is a great tool for monitoring for and diagnosing the presence of CO in the home, workplace, or environment.