[Senate Hearing 111-520]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 111-520
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING:
SOUNDING THE ALARM ON A SILENT KILLER
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, PRODUCT SAFETY, AND INSURANCE
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
DECEMBER 17, 2009
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
----------
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia, Chairman
DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas,
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts Ranking
BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
BARBARA BOXER, California JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada
BILL NELSON, Florida JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
MARK PRYOR, Arkansas GEORGE S. LeMIEUX, Florida
CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
TOM UDALL, New Mexico SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas
MARK WARNER, Virginia MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska
MARK BEGICH, Alaska
Ellen L. Doneski, Staff Director
James Reid, Deputy Staff Director
Bruce H. Andrews, General Counsel
Ann Begeman, Acting Republican Staff Director
Brian M. Hendricks, Republican Chief Counsel
------
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, PRODUCT SAFETY, AND INSURANCE
MARK PRYOR, Arkansas, Chairman ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi,
BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota Ranking
BARBARA BOXER, California OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
BILL NELSON, Florida JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
TOM UDALL, New Mexico DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Hearing held on December 17, 2009................................ 1
Statement of Senator Pryor....................................... 1
Statement of Senator Klobuchar................................... 2
Witnesses
Alan Korn, Executive Director, Safe Kids USA..................... 4
Prepared statement........................................... 6
Cheryl Burt of Rochester, Minnesota.............................. 9
Prepared statement........................................... 12
John Andres, Director of Engineering, Kidde Residential and
Commercial..................................................... 13
Prepared statement........................................... 15
Hon. Kelvin J. Cochran, Administrator, United States Fire
Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department
of Homeland Security........................................... 16
Prepared statement........................................... 18
Appendix
The Home Safety Council, prepared statement...................... 27
Letter, dated December 17, 2009 to Hon. Mark Pryor and Hon. Roger
Wicker from Evan R. Gaddis, President and CEO--National
Electrical Manufacturers Association; Richard W. Chace, Chief
Executive Officer--Security Industry Association; and Michael
A. Miller, President--Electronic Security Association.......... 28
Response to written questions submitted to Alan Korn by:
Hon. Mark Pryor.............................................. 29
Hon. Tom Udall............................................... 30
Response to written questions submitted to Cheryl Burt by:
Hon. Mark Pryor.............................................. 31
Response to written questions submitted to John Andres by:
Hon. Mark Pryor.............................................. 31
Response to written question submitted to Hon. Kelvin J. Cochran
by:
Hon. Mark Pryor.............................................. 32
Hon. Tom Udall............................................... 32
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING:
SOUNDING THE ALARM ON A SILENT KILLER
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2009
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product
Safety, and Insurance,
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:33 p.m. in
room SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Mark Pryor,
Chairman of the Subcommittee, presiding.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARK PRYOR,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS
Senator Pryor. I would like to call this hearing to order.
Today's subcommittee hearing will consider, the risk of
carbon monoxide poisoning and steps consumers can take to
protect themselves from exposure. As the Chairman of the
Consumer Protection Subcommittee, I believe this is an
important consumer protection issue that requires this
Committee's scrutiny and collaboration.
Where consumers are being harmed by safety risk or product
defects, my colleagues and I work hard to protect them. Senator
Klobuchar, who's been a leader in the area of carbon monoxide
poisoning prevention, has introduced S. 1216, the Residential
Carbon Monoxide Safety Act. Today we will consider her
legislation. And I commend her for her excellent efforts in
this area, and I look forward to this afternoon's discussion.
And I want the witnesses and the audience to know that we're
here because she requested this hearing and it's part of her
leadership on this issue.
We're joined by an expert panel of witnesses who have
agreed to testify before us. They will share with us their
insights regarding carbon monoxide poisoning prevention. I
welcome them, and I thank them for their presence and
contributions here today.
Our witnesses will present their remarks on one panel, and
they're already set up. And each of you will have 5 minutes to
deliver your oral statement, and then we will have an
opportunity to ask questions and follow up on some of your
opening statements. Your written statements will also be
included in the record, so if you want to abbreviate your
testimony, that's up to you.
Carbon monoxide is known as the ``silent killer,'' because
it is elusive. We can neither see it, nor taste it, nor smell
it. And each year in the United States, approximately 500
people die, and there are 4,000 hospitalizations that occur as
a result of it, and about 20,000 emergency department visits
from this every year.
I look forward to learning more about this issue, and I
look forward to the witnesses' testimony.
But, first, Senator Klobuchar.
STATEMENT OF HON. AMY KLOBUCHAR,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA
Senator Klobuchar. Well, thank you very much, Senator
Pryor. And thank you for your leadership for this Committee,
really. You have always been there on the front line. I
remember the pool safety bill, and there was a family--maybe
Ms. Burt remembers this--from Minnesota, that, tragically, lost
a little girl. Senator Pryor was right there, and got that bill
done. And I'm hopeful the same thing will happen with the
legislation that I've introduced here.
I first wanted to recognize Cheryl Burt. I was thinking, as
Senator Pryor said, asking to have this hearing, quite a day to
do it. Most people might have thought we'd be out of session,
but I just had hope we'd still be here. And I'm glad that it
all worked out for everyone.
But, when I think about what motivates me to get this thing
done and keep moving with this legislation, it would be someone
like Cheryl Burt. She's from Rochester, Minnesota, the home of
the Mayo Clinic, and she's been a leading and tireless advocate
for carbon monoxide awareness.
She, tragically, lost two of her sons to carbon monoxide
poisoning 14 years ago. Cheryl's here today to share with us
her important story and to help educate us on the importance of
carbon monoxide alarms in the home. So, I first wanted to
welcome her, and thank her for coming, along with the other
witnesses.
In my State of Minnesota and across large sections of this
country, winter temperatures arrived a few weeks ago. And
they'll likely stick around for a while. That means our home
furnaces, fireplaces, and chimneys will be getting a good
workout over the next several months. And with that comes a
danger: the potential for accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
Known as the ``silent killer,'' carbon monoxide is an
odorless, colorless, poisonous gas produced by burning fuel
like propane, kerosene, natural gas, gasoline, and charcoal.
These deadly fumes can leak from family furnaces, from water
heaters, or from stoves. They can be trapped inside by a
blocked chimney or a flue. Other sources include, running a car
engine in an attached garage, burning charcoal in the house, or
operating a gas-powered generator in a confined place.
When inhaled, carbon monoxide is quickly absorbed into the
blood, and it becomes deadly when it replaces the blood's
oxygen. Early symptoms of this kind of poisoning are sometimes
confused with the flu, with symptoms like headache, nausea,
fatigue, and dizziness.
About 500 people die every year in America due to
accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Another 150,000 people
end up in the emergency room--150,000 a year. Children are
especially vulnerable. According to the Centers for Disease
Control, 92 Minnesotans died of accidental carbon monoxide
poisoning between 2002 and 2006. This need not happen.
One of the simplest and most effective defenses against
this insidious killer is the installation of a carbon monoxide
alarm in the home. You don't just take my word for it, the
American Red Cross, the Mayo Clinic, and American Lung
Association all recommend the installation of carbon monoxide
alarms in the home.
In Minnesota, this isn't just good advice, it's the law.
Since 2008, all homes in our State are required to have working
carbon monoxide alarms. Nationally, however, it's estimated
that fewer than 30 percent of homes actually have them. And so,
we're here today to think about ways to get more families to
install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes.
We're also here today to talk about legislation that I've
introduced, along with Senator Bill Nelson, which would require
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to enforce stronger
standards to protect people against the deadly dangers of
carbon monoxide. It's called the ``Residential Carbon Monoxide
Poisoning Prevention Act.'' It includes three key provisions:
First, it would strengthen the safety standards for carbon
monoxide alarms. Currently the Consumer Product Safety
Commission has set voluntary safety standards for carbon
monoxide alarms which are underwritten--which are written by
Underwriter Laboratories. The legislation would make these
safety standards mandatory for all carbon monoxide alarms sold
in the United States. This is especially important in my State,
because substandard alarms tend to fail in low humidity areas,
like Minnesota's cold, dry winters.
Second, this legislation would require the Consumer Product
Safety Commission to determine whether portable generators sold
in the U.S. can be equipped with safety mechanisms that detect
the level of carbon monoxide in the surrounding area, and then
automatically turn off.
In recent years, carbon monoxide deaths caused by
generators have been on the increase. It typically happens
after natural disasters, like hurricanes--that's why Senator
Nelson is so interested in this legislation in Florida--or ice
storms, something I might be more interested in, when there's a
power outage and people are tempted to use generators in their
homes.
Last year, events tragically drove this point home. In
2008, two men and a boy died in a Minneapolis home from carbon
monoxide poisoning due to the use of a portable generator in
the home.
And finally, the bill authorizes the CPSC to provide grants
to States with laws on the books that promote the inclusion of
carbon monoxide detectors in apartment buildings and new homes.
You know, when someone dies from accidental carbon monoxide
poisoning, it's not just a private tragedy; it's a public
tragedy, too, because we know that so often we could have
prevented these deaths with the right safeguards.
When I was a prosecutor, I was always frustrated by--that
by the time a case got to our office, the damage had already
been done, the crime had already been committed. I knew that
the best way to protect public safety was to prevent the crime
in the first place.
And on this committee, we're in the position to protect
families and prevent unnecessary accidents from ever happening
at all. That's what we want to do with this carbon monoxide
legislation.
And so, we are here today to sound the alarm on a ``silent
killer.'' That is carbon monoxide poisoning.
I look forward to hearing from our witnesses.
Thank you, Senator Pryor.
Senator Pryor. Thank you.
And we're going to--what I'm going to do is just briefly
introduce all four witnesses on the panel, and then just let
you give your testimony. I'd love to do it--keep it to 5
minutes, if at all possible.
First, we have Alan Korn. He's the Executive Director and
General Counsel for Safe Kids USA. Then we have Cheryl Burt, of
Rochester, Minnesota. Then we have--is it John Andres?
Mr. Andres. Andres.
Senator Pryor. Yes. He is the Director of Engineering,
Kidde Residential and Commercial Division. And then we have
Kelvin Cochran, the U.S. Fire Administrator, U.S. Fire
Administration, Department of Homeland Security.
So, I want to welcome all of you all to the Subcommittee
today. Thank you for your time. I know it's late in December,
and you probably have a lot of other things you could be doing
today. But, thank you very much for your preparation and, for
those of you who traveled--those of you--we appreciate you very
much.
So, Mr. Korn, do you want to lead off?
STATEMENT OF ALAN KORN,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAFE KIDS USA
Mr. Korn. Chairman Pryor and Senator Klobuchar, thank you
for giving me the opportunity to testify here today on such an
important injury prevention topic--carbon monoxide poisoning--
one that, in our view, gets very little attention. So, we very
much appreciate the opportunity to increase the discourse here
today.
This subcommittee knows very well that Safe Kids USA spends
just about every waking moment working to protect children from
their number-one killer: unintentional injury. This
subcommittee, and, quite frankly, Senator Pryor and Senator
Klobuchar, have been very helpful in that effort throughout the
years. We know children and children's safety are in good hands
with these two Members of Congress. That help continues here
today.
The vast majority of Americans don't realize that the
number-one killer of children is injury. It's not cancer. It's
not obesity. It's not violence. It's not abduction. It's car
crashes, drownings, fire and burns, and yes, poisoning, like
carbon monoxide. So, as far as I know, this is the first time
Congress has ever had a fully dedicated hearing to CO
poisoning, and we think it's about time. So, thank you very
much, Senator Klobuchar and Senator Pryor.
I have a portion in my testimony where I kind of talk about
how it happens, and what the results are. But, Senator
Klobuchar, I think you addressed that pretty clearly in your
testimony. I'll do it by way of making two analogies:
One is, this is not like smoke. Smoke, at least arguably,
you can see in the home. You can taste it. You can smell it.
There's at least an opportunity for you to react to it and get
out of the home. By the way, I'm not making a case for not
having smoke alarms; they're very, very important. But, carbon
monoxide, you cannot see, you cannot smell, so that makes
detection all the more important.
And I'm reminded of a story, along with the Burt's story,
of a family of four who died in Maryland. They found the father
dead in his bathroom on the floor, with shaving cream on his
face. That's how quickly it happened to him. Two children died,
and the mother, and, Senators, they found the dog dead on the
mat. There was no opportunity to detect that this was
happening, because there was no carbon monoxide detector in the
home. They had an attached garage, and they left a car running.
I'd be remiss if I didn't talk, just briefly, about a
couple prevention opportunities here and what--how we think
these things can be prevented. Then I'll talk more specifically
about your piece of legislation, Senator.
Number one, and the most important thing--in fact, the two
most important things--are, if you have a source of combustible
fuel in the home, you'd better darn well have a carbon monoxide
detector in your home. I do, on each level of my home, outside
my sleeping area, and in the living areas of my home. They're
not expensive. This is a safety device that's not used enough.
It's not like smoke alarms, which are in the vast majority of
homes. These are still highly underutilized. Your legislation,
Senator, is going to help get these into homes. I'll talk about
that in a second.
The second concept in prevention is to prevent it from
happening in the first place; that is, the CO entering the
home. So, check your gas appliances, get them installed by
professionals, per the manufacturer's instructions--quite
frankly, something I should do better--every year, getting your
gas appliances checked.
A couple other things, and then I'll talk briefly about
your legislation.
Never, ever, ever use your gas ranges or your ovens to heat
your home. That happens. That's a source of carbon monoxide.
And don't leave your cars running near the home or in an
attached garage. You talked about portable generators. It seems
that far too many people use their generators inside their
home, an opportunity for CO to build up in the home, and that's
when the deaths and injuries happen, to the tune of about 500 a
year across the entire injury risk area.
Of course, the Residential Carbon Monoxide Prevention Act,
if passed, is going to help us greatly in these prevention
efforts. And we very much appreciate your leadership on this.
The bill does much, but I'm going to talk about two things
on it:
One is the State Incentive Grant Program. If passed, it
would establish an Incentive Grant Program, as you said, to
encourage States to pass CO laws that require approved alarms
be installed in commercial dwellings and construction--new
construction. Congress has used incentive grants many, many
times before. We think the philosophy is a sound one for
booster seats, .08, pool safety legislation, which both of you
were supportive of. So, this is quite consistent with that
philosophy.
I would make one change to the bill, and I'll work with
your staff on that. Right now it applies to just rental
properties, new construction and it just applies to commercial
residential properties. Existing, older homes are just as
important; in fact, I believe, even more important, because
they've got the older gas appliances--I think you're going to
hear from the Burts on that matter, particularly--and they have
the tendency to be faulty and fall into disrepair. So, for the
existing homes, also, like we do for pools, like we do for
booster seats--we don't require booster seats in just new cars,
it's all cars--so, we would like you to consider that change.
And then, there's a second concept here, with--which is
your mandatory standard--I'm running out of time--we're quite
supportive of that. I'm happy to talk with you on why we think
a mandatory standard serves a better and more vibrant
prevention aspect than a voluntary standard.
I will say, I'm not worried about these carbon monoxide
detectors. This is a pretty good company, with a very good
reputation. But, a mandatory standard helps us police the
marketplace a little better, just in case we don't have the
good companies and products out there.
And one final point. When parents reply on this to serve a
safety purpose, we believe it better serve that safety purpose.
And it's nice to have a mandatory standard in place to make
sure that it meets that goal so that we, who have these up in
our homes--they behave and react the way their supposed to. We
rely on it too greatly.
So, thank you very much. Sorry to go over for just a few
seconds.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Korn follows:]
Prepared Statement of Alan Korn, Executive Director, Safe Kids USA
My name is Alan Korn, and I am the Executive Director of Safe Kids
USA, a member country of Safe Kids Worldwide. Safe Kids thanks the
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer
Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance, and in particular Senator
Pryor and Senator Klobuchar, for holding a hearing on carbon monoxide
(CO) poisoning prevention.
I. History of Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is the first and only international
organization dedicated solely to addressing an often under recognized
problem: More children ages 1-14 in the U.S. are being killed by what
people call ``accidents'' (motor vehicle crashes, fires, drownings and
other injuries) than by any other cause. Safe Kids Worldwide unites
more than 600 coalitions in 19 countries, bringing together health and
safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, policymakers and
volunteers to educate and protect families against the dangers of
accidental injuries. Our USA network includes coalitions in all 50
states and the District of Columbia.
Founded in 1987 by the Children's National Medical Center and with
support from Johnson & Johnson, Safe Kids Worldwide and its member
country, Safe Kids USA, rely on developing injury prevention strategies
that work in the real world--conducting public outreach and awareness
campaigns, organizing and implementing hands-on grassroots events, and
working to make injury prevention a public policy priority.
The ongoing work of Safe Kids coalitions reaching out to local
communities with injury prevention messages has contributed to a
decline in the childhood unintentional injury death rate by 45 percent
since 1987. However, with more children still dying from accidental
injury than from cancer, heart disease and birth defects, Safe Kids
Worldwide, Safe Kids USA and its fellow member countries remain
committed to reducing unintentional injury by implementing prevention
strategies and increasing public awareness of the problem and its
solutions.
II. The Problem: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is often called the ``silent killer'' since you
cannot see it, smell it or taste it. This colorless, odorless gas is
responsible for more than 500 unintentional deaths, approximately
20,000 emergency department visits and more than 4,000 hospitalizations
each year in the United States.
Significantly, however, because symptoms of CO poisoning are
similar to the flu, food poisonings and other common ailments, it is
possible that many deaths have not been classified as CO poisoning and
as a result, the number of fatalities, injuries and hospitalizations
could be much higher than reported. CO is produced when any fuel is
incompletely burned--potentially resulting in flu-like illnesses, such
as dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and irregular breathing.
Common fuel-burning appliances, like furnaces, stoves, fireplaces,
clothes dryers, water heaters, and space heaters can produce lethal
amounts of CO under certain conditions. Motor vehicles are another
common source.
Young children are especially vulnerable to the effects of CO. They
are more susceptible to carbon monoxide and may experience symptoms
sooner than a healthy adult. Due to their smaller bodies, children
process CO differently than adults and may be more severely affected by
carbon monoxide in their blood. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, from 1999-2004, 135 children ages 14 and under
died from unintentional, non-fire related CO poisoning. Every year,
more than 25 children ages 14 and under die from unintentional CO
poisoning.
Regardless of who is affected by CO, the treatment for CO is the
same--oxygen therapy to treat symptoms and to lower carbon monoxide
levels in the blood or the use of a full-body hyperbaric chamber that
applies air pressure to remove the carbon monoxide faster. For those
who survive a carbon monoxide poisoning, the long-term effects can be
severe. Victims have reported memory loss, impaired motor skills and
heart and lung problems. Often times, they deal with the CO injury for
the rest of their lives.
III. The Solution: Installation of Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Other
Prevention Tips
A. Installing Carbon Monoxide Alarms Is a Must in Many Types of Homes
The frustrating thing about CO poisonings is that many of these
incidents can be prevented. The single most effective safety device
available to reduce injuries and fatalities related to carbon monoxide
poisonings is a CO alarm. A CO alarm in the home can give families an
early warning when concentrations of carbon monoxide reach dangerous
levels. It is estimated that CO alarms may prevent half of such related
deaths from occurring. CO alarms are not only lifesaving devices, they
are also cost effective. A CO alarm costs as little as $20, about the
same as 2 movie tickets. Since many CO alarms should be replaced every
7 years, this cost equals less than a penny a day. A very small price
given the protection they provide.
An improperly installed or poorly maintained CO alarm is often an
ineffective alarm. Homeowners should always follow the manufacturer's
instructions for installation. Safe Kids, the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) and other injury prevention organizations recommend
that a CO alarm be installed in the hallway outside the bedrooms in
each separate sleeping area of the home. Safe Kids also recommends that
an alarm be installed on each level of the home to ensure proper
detection coverage. To avoid false alarms, however, do not place the
device in kitchens above fuel burning appliances. Hard-wired or plug in
alarms should always have battery-back up and/or separate additional
alarms that are battery operated just in case power is lost in the
home. Check your CO alarm each month and replace the batteries every
year when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.
B. Other Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Tips
Safe Kids USA and its network have long worked to educate parents
across the country on the need for rapid detection of carbon monoxide
and have distributed CO alarms to countless families in need. Safe Kids
knows, however, that installing CO alarms is not enough. All homeowners
who live in residences with a source of combustible fuel or an attached
garage, especially those homes with children, should always follow
these additional, basic, prevention tips:
1. Never, ever ignore a CO detector that is alarming. It is
warning you of the presence of a very dangerous poison. Do not
try and find the source of the CO. Immediately go outside to
fresh air and then call 9-1-1. Once outside, at your pre-
determined, designated meeting place, do a head count to check
if all persons are accounted for. Do not go back inside until
you are given the ``all clear'' from the professionals;
2. Never leave a running vehicle closely adjacent to a home or
in an attached garage even if the garage is open. Running cars
are a common source of CO poisoning;
3. Make sure appliances are installed and operated according to
manufacturer's instructions and have heating systems like gas
furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas or
kerosene space heaters and fireplaces professionally checked
and serviced annually to ensure proper operation. Make certain
that flues and chimneys are connected, in good condition and
not blocked;
4. Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent.
The same goes for portable generators that are often used when
there is a power loss (i.e., like during a hurricane).
Generators should be used outside and placed at a safe distance
from the home; and
5. Never use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes
dryers to heat your home.
IV. Support for State Carbon Monoxide Alarm Laws
Safe Kids knows that the installation of carbon monoxide alarms
will go a long way to protecting children and their families from the
dangers associated with CO. Safe Kids and our network of coalitions
have strongly advocated for the passage of these state laws requiring
residential CO alarms in order to properly protect entire families from
this silent killer.
Currently, 23 states and some local jurisdictions have passed
legislation requiring the use of CO alarms in some types of residences
(Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah,
Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin). These laws have
proven to be effective. One study shows a dramatic correlation between
CO alarm ordinances in cities and lower death rates from CO. In Los
Angeles, where CO alarms are not mandatory, 15 percent of CO exposures
were fatal. Compare this to Chicago, where CO alarms are required and
only 0.4 percent of people exposed to carbon monoxide died.
Safe Kids notes that the existing 23 laws mentioned above are a
patchwork of requirements. Some states only require a CO alarm in newly
constructed homes (Florida, Connecticut and Georgia). Others require a
CO alarm installation when the home is sold or otherwise transferred or
remodeled (New Jersey, Maine and Vermont). Some just apply to rental
properties or hotels (North Carolina, Montana, Maine) or day care
centers (Tennessee and Texas). Only six approach the safety coverage
that we think is appropriate given the insidious nature of the poison
(Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island and
Wisconsin). Clearly, there are safety gaps in coverage around the
country that need to be closed. Specifically, all dwellings, no matter
what the type, should have a CO alarm if the dwelling relies on the
combustion of fossil fuels for heat, power or if the home has an
attached garage. Safe Kids hopes that the incentive grant program
contained in the pending law as discussed and improved below, would
motivate that comprehensive coverage around the country (See Section
V(A) below).
V. Support for the Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act
(S. 1216 and H.R. 1296)
Safe Kids USA strongly supports the Residential Carbon Monoxide
Poisoning Prevention Act. (S. 1216 and H.R. 1296). We applaud the
leadership of the legislation's sponsors, Senator Amy Klobuchar,
Senator Ben Nelson and Representative Jim Matheson in the House of
Representatives, for the introduction of this critical safety measure
which will help prevent the potentially deadly effects of CO poisoning.
A. State Incentive Grant Program for CO Alarms
If passed, the Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act
would establish an incentive grant program to encourage states to pass
CO alarm laws that require approved CO alarms be installed in all
commercial dwelling units and all new dwelling unit construction. We
know that congressional incentive grants to encourage states to pass
safety legislation are not a new concept and have worked in the past.
Congress has used this mechanism to promote state transportation safety
laws as well as pool safety laws. The passage of the Residential Carbon
Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act could do for CO prevention what
incentive grants have done for booster seat child occupant protection
laws, primary enforcement safety belt laws, .08 drunk driving laws and
open container prohibition laws. In each of these cases, incentive
grants motivated states to do the right thing. Today, for instance, all
but three states (South Dakota, Florida and Arizona) have some form of
a booster seat law and many of these states were motivated by the
Federal attention.
Safe Kids does note, however, that the legislation as drafted and
as mentioned above only applies to commercial dwellings and new
construction dwellings. The law does not promote, through the incentive
grant program, states to require alarms in single family, existing
dwellings. Safe Kids believes that CO alarms obviously serve a very
important role in these structures also. In fact, it is more important
that these dwellings have these safety devices given that most CO
poisonings happen in older, existing homes that have older gas
appliances that are more likely to malfunction or fall in disrepair.
This Subcommittee and the bill's sponsors should consider adding a
requirement that conditions the awarded grant on not only installing CO
alarms in commercial dwellings and new construction, but also existing,
single family homes. Safety will be well served by this addition.
B. Mandatory Safety Standard for Carbon Monoxide Alarms
The legislation would also ensure the quality of CO alarms
available for sale in the marketplace by requiring a mandatory safety
standard for these devices. Presently, CO alarms sold are only subject
to a voluntary standard. There is no requirement that they meet basic
safety characteristics. We believe they should. Parents (and all
homeowners for that matter) rely on these devices to serve a critical
safety purpose--to alarm before CO amounts reach dangerous levels.
Given this special reliance, consumers should be completely confident
that they work as purported. A mandatory standard, with its
accompanying and heightened government policing, will supply that
confidence.
Congress, the Senate Commerce Committee and Federal agencies of
jurisdiction have agreed with and implemented this philosophy on many
occasions. Products of special characteristics or that serve a safety
purpose that, in the past, have only been subject to a voluntary
standard are now (or soon will be) subject to a mandatory standard.
Those products include, bike helmets (pursuant to the Consumer Product
Safety Act), pool and spa drain covers (pursuant to the Virginia Graeme
Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act), and toys, ATVs, cribs, baby bath seats,
play yards, and bassinets (pursuant to the Consumer Product Safety
Improvement Act). Carbon monoxide alarms share these special
characteristics and, therefore, should be subject to a mandatory
standard.
Significantly, Congress has recently addressed and supported this
very concept. In the recently passed CPSC Reauthorization legislation,
the Conferees on that law stated:
The Conferees support carbon monoxide devices being installed
in all residential dwelling units and support the efforts of
individual states that have enacted legislation requiring the
installation of carbon monoxide devices in homes and other
dwelling places. The Conferees believe the CPSC should consider
the adoption of the American national Standards Institute/
Underwriters Laboratories standards ANSI/UL 2034 . . . for
carbon monoxide devices sold in the United States. . . .
(Emphasis added.)
The pending Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act is
completely consistent with that past Congressional directive. Passage
of the law will accomplish it.
VI. Conclusion
As carbon monoxide-related injuries and deaths can easily be
prevented, parents, caregivers, state and Federal policymakers, and
communities must make this issue a priority. Safe Kids commends Senator
Klobuchar and Senator Nelson, along with the other members of this
subcommittee, for promoting awareness of this hidden hazard to the
public. We look forward to working with you on any efforts designed to
protect children from poisoning-related injury and death.
Senator Pryor. Thank you.
Ms. Burt.
STATEMENT OF CHERYL BURT OF ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA
Ms. Burt. Good afternoon. My name is Cheryl Burt, and I'm
from Rochester, Minnesota. And thank you, Chairman Pryor and
members of the Committee, for giving me the opportunity to talk
about carbon monoxide poisoning. And I'd like to thank Senator
Klobuchar for inviting me to tell my story. I commend her and
Senator Nelson for their commitment to take the issue of CO
awareness to a national level.
When you have a fire in your home, you know it. You can see
the smoke, you can smell the fumes, feel the heat. And since
smoke alarms have been required in homes for many years,
chances are you will also hear that smoke alarm sound.
When you have carbon monoxide in your home, you cannot see
it. You cannot taste it. You cannot smell it. You will feel its
effects--a headache, nausea, dizziness--but you don't realize
that you're being poisoned. You don't comprehend the danger,
and, if you do, you are completely helpless to take action to
save yourself or your family. I know. Fourteen years ago this
January, carbon monoxide poisoned my family and killed two of
my three children.
Let me start by saying that I lived by life's safety rules.
I had smoke alarms in my home. I used safety gates, child
locks, and I thought my home was safe. And I was wrong.
On this particular evening, I progressively got sicker and
sicker with what I thought was a family-sized case of the flu.
In fact, I had brought my sons to the doctor each week for
about 2 months, with different symptoms, and I knew something
was wrong. But, everyone, including the doctors, thought I was
overreacting.
I now know that by the time we reached the doctors, my sons
had received enough fresh air that--the CO was causing them to
be sick, and it had dissipated. But, back then I never thought
that we were being poisoned. By the time I realized something
was terribly wrong, I didn't have any idea just how terribly
wrong it really was. I didn't realize that my babies were
dying, just rooms away from me. And I couldn't help them, or
even help myself.
A carbon monoxide alarm would have saved my children's
lives, but I didn't have one in my home. And that night, my two
youngest children died in their sleep from carbon monoxide
poisoning due to a malfunctioning furnace. The rest of my
family, while we were severely injured, we managed to survive
this horrible experience, only to wake up the next afternoon in
the hospital with our lives tragically changed forever.
I was asked to give testimony today, to give reasons why I
support S. 1216, which would give States that passed CO alarm
laws incentives to raise awareness, and would require a
mandatory standard for all CO alarms in the U.S. I can give you
three very good, very precious reasons for my support: Nicholas
Todd Burt, Zachary Todd Burt, and Ryan Todd Burt.
Excuse me.
My little Nick turned 4 years old just 8 days before he
died. In fact, we had been too sick to have his birthday party.
I now know that our illness was really the beginning of carbon
monoxide poisoning. But, at that time, we had decided to wait
to celebrate, once we all got better. And that day never came.
He's my reason number one.
Reason number two is Zach. Zach was just shy of 16 months
old when he died. I had woken up with Zach many, many times
during that horrible night. And looking back, I should have
realized that something was very, very wrong in my home. But, I
was too sick, I was too poisoned to know. Instead it was Zach
who I could not pick up to rock back to sleep. It was Zach who
had trouble breathing. And the carbon monoxide just made me too
weak to lift him up or to soothe him. Instead, I hung onto his
crib rails, I was trying to keep myself standing, trying to
keep from passing out, and I prayed he would just go back to
sleep. I wanted to go to bed, myself. I listened to his labored
breathing, and I was unable to comprehend the danger that my
baby was in. I was unable to realize that he was dying. And now
I listen to Zach's labored breathing every night in my sleep,
and I would give anything to have that night back, to have been
able to think clearly and save my baby.
Reason number three is Ryan. Ryan was 5-and-a-half when we
were poisoned. He barely survived. He's lived the past 14 years
with the knowledge that, while he lived, his two brothers died
right next to him. And that weighs on a 19-year-old's mind,
believe me.
What haunts me is that I could have prevented their deaths.
As a mother, I felt I should have prevented it. I knew a little
about carbon monoxide poisoning, and I knew about alarms. But,
I didn't realize their lifesaving value. In fact, just a few
weeks before this incident happened, I was shopping for the
holidays, like we are now, with a friend, and we talked about
buying alarms. And I opted to buy my son Nick another toy
truck, instead, for his birthday. And now I have that truck,
but I do not have my son.
In the years since my children died, I have made it my
mission to tell anyone who will listen about the need for CO
alarms in our home. I've heard from families who have bought an
alarm because of my story, and who later had that alarm sound,
saving their lives or lives of their loved ones. These stories
are why I continue to do my part to raise awareness.
Knowledge is power. We warn about all sorts of health and
safety issues--the flu, H1N1, proper seatbelt usage, other
dangers--but, there is no national awareness about CO
poisoning. And I won't rest until every family has a CO alarm
in their home.
This bill would help provide funding to educate people
about carbon monoxide dangers and the need for those alarms.
Thank you.
This December 28 would have been Nick's 18th birthday. He
would be graduating from high school. Zach would be 15,
probably just getting his driver's permit. And I often think of
how different my life would be today if I had a CO alarm in my
home.
I wish, with all my heart, that my State would have had a
law in 1996, like the one that we have now, requiring all homes
to have a CO alarm. I know, without a doubt, that I would have
had one in my home. Had there been more public education at
that time, I would've bought that alarm that day, instead of
that toy truck, and I would not be speaking before you today.
There would be no need.
Instead of extreme sadness during this holiday time of
year, I would be home, baking, enjoying the holiday season, and
probably stressing about what to get my three active children
for Christmas.
I couldn't save my sons, but you have an opportunity to
save someone else's family. I urge each of you to consider the
safety of the citizens of your State, and help protect them by
supporting S. 1216.
Again, thanks for allowing me to speak before you. And
thanks for all you do to protect the citizens of the United
States.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Burt follows:]
Prepared Statement of Cheryl Burt of Rochester, Minnesota
Good afternoon. My name is Cheryl Burt, and I am from Rochester,
Minnesota. Thank you, Chairman Pryor and Members of the Committee for
giving me the opportunity to talk to you about carbon monoxide
poisoning. I'd also like to thank Senator Klobuchar for inviting me to
tell my story. I commend her and Senator Nelson for their commitment to
take the issue of C-O awareness to a national level.
When you have a fire in your home, you know it. You can see smoke.
Smell the fumes. Feel the heat. And since smoke alarms have been
required in homes for many years, chances are you will also hear your
smoke alarm sound.
When you have carbon monoxide in your home, you cannot see it. You
cannot taste it. You cannot smell it. You will feel its effects--a
headache, nausea, dizziness--but you don't realize that you're being
poisoned. You don't comprehend the danger, and if you do, you are
completely helpless to take action to save yourself or your family.
I know. Fourteen years ago, this January, carbon monoxide poisoned
my family, and killed two of my three children.
Let me start by saying that I lived by life's safety rules. I had
smoke alarms in my home. I used safety gates and child locks, and I
thought my home was safe. I was wrong.
On this particular evening, I progressively got sicker and sicker,
with what I thought was a family-sized case of the flu. In fact, I had
brought my sons to the doctor each week for about 2 months because they
kept having flu-like symptoms. My instinct told me something was wrong,
but by the time we reached the doctor's office, my sons were better.
Many, including the doctors, thought I was overreacting. I now know
that they would feel better whenever I took them out of our CO-filled
house and into fresh air. But back then, I never thought that we were
being poisoned. By the time I did realize something was terribly wrong,
I had no idea just how terribly wrong it was. I didn't realize that my
babies were dying, just rooms away from me. I couldn't help them, or
even help myself.
A carbon monoxide alarm would have saved my children's lives. But I
didn't have one in my home. So that night, my two youngest children
died in their sleep from CO poisoning due to a malfunctioning furnace
that was venting dangerous levels of CO throughout our home. The rest
of my family, while severely injured, managed to survive this horrific
experience. . . . only to wake up the next afternoon in the hospital,
with our lives tragically changed forever.
I was asked to give testimony today . . . to give reasons why I
support S. 1216, which would give states that pass CO alarm laws
incentives to raise awareness, and would require a mandatory standard
for all CO alarms sold in the U.S.
I can give you three very good, very precious reasons for my
support: Nicholas Todd Burt, Zachary Todd Burt, and Ryan Todd Burt.
My little Nick turned 4 years old just 8 days before his death. In
fact, we had been too sick to have his birthday party. I now know that
our illness was really the beginning of CO poisoning. But at the time,
we decided to wait to celebrate once we all ``got better.'' That day
never came. He is reason number one.
Reason number two is Zach. Zach was just shy of 16 months old when
he died. I was up with Zach many, many times during that horrible
night. Looking back, I should have realized that something was very,
very wrong in my home, but I was too sick, too poisoned to know.
Instead, it was Zach who I could not pick up to rock back to sleep. It
was Zach who was having trouble breathing. But, the carbon monoxide
made me too weak to lift him or soothe him. Instead, I hung onto his
crib rails, trying to keep myself standing, trying to keep from passing
out, and I prayed that he would go back to sleep. I listened to his
labored breath, but was unable to comprehend the danger my baby was in,
unable to realize he that was dying.
Now, I listen to Zach's labored breathing every night in my sleep.
I would give anything to have that night back, to have been able to
think clearly and save my baby.
Reason number three is Ryan. He was five and a half when we were
poisoned. He barely survived. He has lived the past 14 years with the
knowledge that while he lived, his two brothers died right next to him.
What haunts me is that I could have prevented their deaths. As a
mother, I feel I should have prevented it. I knew a little about carbon
monoxide alarms, but didn't realize their life-saving value. In fact,
just a few weeks before this incident happened, I was shopping for the
holidays with a friend, and we talked about buying alarms. I opted to
buy my son another toy truck instead. Now I have the truck, but I don't
have my son.
In the years since my children died, I have made it my mission to
tell anyone who will listen about the need for CO alarms in our homes.
I've heard from families who bought an alarm because of my story, and
who later had the alarm sound, saving their lives or their loved ones.
These stories are why I continue to do my part to raise awareness.
Knowledge is power. We warn about all sorts of health and safety
issues: the flu, H1N1, proper seatbelt usage, and other dangers. But
there is no national awareness about CO poisoning. I won't rest until
every family has a CO alarm in their home. This bill would help provide
funding to educate people about carbon monoxide dangers and the need
for alarms.
This December 28 would have been Nick's 18th birthday. He would be
graduating from high school. Zach would be 15 and probably just getting
his driver's permit. I often think of how different my life would be
today had I had a CO alarm in my home. I wish with all my heart that my
state would have had a law in 1996, like the one we have now, requiring
all homes to have a CO alarm. I know without a doubt that I would have
had one in my home. Had there been more public education at that time,
I would have bought the alarm instead of that toy truck, and I would
not be speaking before you today. Instead of extreme sadness during
this time of year, I would be home baking, enjoying the holiday season,
and probably stressing about what to get my three active boys for
Christmas.
I couldn't save my sons. But you have an opportunity to save
someone else's family. I urge each of you to consider the safety of the
citizens of your state and help protect them by supporting S. 1216.
Again, thank you for allowing me to speak before you, and thank you for
all you do to protect the citizens of the United States.
Senator Klobuchar. Well, thank you very much, Cheryl. And
we're just glad you're here. And I can't imagine--I don't think
any of us can--what you went through, in having--have the
memories of that night. But, you have the courage to share them
with us, to make sure it doesn't happen to other children. So,
thank you very much.
Ms. Burt. Thank you.
Senator Pryor. Yes, thank you for being here, and your
courage and dedication.
Mr. Andres.
STATEMENT OF JOHN ANDRES, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, KIDDE
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DIVISION
Mr. Andres. Good afternoon. My name is John Andres. I'm the
Director of Engineering for Kidde Residential and Commercial,
located in Mebane, North Carolina.
Thank you, Chairman Pryor and members of the Committee, for
the opportunity to contribute to the discussion on the
prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States.
Kidde Residential and Commercial is part of UTC Fire &
Security, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation.
We are a proud leader in manufacturing life safety
residential carbon monoxide alarms, and other life safety
devices. We are committed to leading the industry in product
safety and strict compliance to industry standards.
Kidde supports enactment of S. 1216, the Residential Carbon
Monoxide Safety Act. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention reports, each year unintentional CO poisoning kills
more than 400 Americans, requires 20,000 more to seek emergency
medical attention, and causes more than 4,000 hospitalizations.
S. 1216 is a strong first step toward preventing these
tragedies. I commend Senators Klobuchar and Nelson for their
continued leadership in alleviating this critical public health
and safety issue.
S. 1216 would focus much-needed Federal attention and
resources toward ending accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
The bill's provisions to grant--to create a grant program
supporting residential CO alarm laws are especially important.
However, for the purposes of today's meetings, my comments will
focus on describing the carbon monoxide hazard and how CO
alarms operate to provide warning. I will also explain why it
is necessary to establish mandatory Federal product safety
standards, as laid out in S. 1216.
Known as the ``silent killer,'' carbon monoxide is a
byproduct of incomplete combustion. Potential sources are gas
burning appliances, such as a furnace, water heater, stove, or
grills, as well as other fuel burning devices, like fireplaces
and engines. If such devices are improperly installed or
malfunction, carbon monoxide can quickly build up inside a
home. It easily mixes with the air and can quickly reach
dangerous levels.
Because one cannot see, taste, or smell carbon monoxide,
the only safe way to detect the gas is to install working
carbon monoxide alarms. Kidde and fire safety experts, such as
the National Fire Protection Association, recommend placing CO
alarms outside each bedroom and on every level of an occupied
dwelling.
When inhaled, carbon monoxide bonds with the blood's
hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, which then deprives cells
of oxygen. A CO alarm works by measuring CO concentrations over
time to ensure that an alarm will sound before a person's blood
level reaches 10 percent carboxyhemoglobin. Below this level, a
normally healthy adult will not experience symptoms of CO
poisoning.
Consumers must have confidence that a properly installed
and maintained CO alarm will warn them about the presence of
dangerous CO levels and avoid nuisance alarms. This need for
accuracy and reliability is the cornerstone of Underwriters
Laboratories Standard 2034. The UL 2034, is an American
National Standards Institute, or ANSI, accredited standard,
that combines input from medical experts, approval bodies like
UL, government agencies such as the CPSC, the National Fire
Protection Association, users, and manufacturers in order to
create a robust standard of performance.
First published in 1992, UL 2034, has gone through several
revisions, each of which is based on years of field test data
intended to progressively strengthen the standard. Kidde
supports the standard, because it specifically tests the
product design for electrical safety, mechanical robustness,
and the accuracy of CO detection over time and in different
environmental conditions.
UL 2034 is continually reviewed by a standards technical
panel in order to keep pace with technological advances and
past lessons learned. This revision process has led to the
creation of CO sensing technology that is more advanced,
stable, and reliable than past generations.
To date, 23 States have enacted laws requiring CO alarms in
residential dwellings, and, while most mandate that CO alarms
meet UL 2034, there is no uniform requirement. More States will
likely adopt similar legislation. In order to avoid confusion
among regulators, consumers, and the industry, State lawmakers
need a consistent standard to define what constitutes an
approved alarm. Without such a reference, conflicting
regulations arise that counter one of the CPSC's main
objectives, which is to develop uniform safety standards for
consumer products and to minimize conflicting State and local
regulations.
Again, I thank Committee members for their consideration of
S. 1216 and for raising awareness about CO dangers. Senator
Klobuchar, Senator Pryor, we look forward to working with you
to pass this important legislation expeditiously.
Thank you again for the opportunity to contribute to the
discussion. I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Andres follows:]
Prepared Statement of John Andres, Director of Engineering,
Kidde Residential and Commercial
Good afternoon, I am John Andres, Director of Engineering for
Kidde's Residential and Commercial Division located in Mebane, North
Carolina. Thank you, Chairman Pryor and members of the Committee, for
the opportunity to contribute to the discussion on the prevention of
carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the United States. Kidde Residential
and Commercial Division is part of UTC Fire & Security, a subsidiary of
United Technologies Corporation. We are a proud leader in manufacturing
life-saving residential carbon monoxide alarms and other fire safety
devices. We are committed to continuing to lead the industry in product
safety and strict compliance to industry standards. We work closely
with industry professionals, health, safety and fire experts, as well
as nonprofit partners, to educate consumers on residential fire and
carbon monoxide safety.
Kidde supports enactment of S. 1216, ``The Residential Carbon
Monoxide Safety Act.'' The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
reports that each year, unintentional CO poisoning kills more than 400
Americans, requires 20,000 more to seek emergency medical attention,
and causes more than 4,000 hospitalizations. S. 1216 is a strong first
step toward preventing these tragedies. I commend Senators Klobuchar
and Nelson for their continued leadership in elevating this critical
public health and safety issue and for their willingness to explore
increased consumer protections in the form of mandatory Federal product
safety standards.
S. 1216 would focus much-needed Federal attention and resources
toward ending accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. The bill's
provisions to create a grant program supporting residential CO alarm
laws are especially important. However, for the purposes of today's
hearing, my comments will focus on describing the carbon monoxide
hazard and how CO alarms operate to provide warning, and on explaining
why it is necessary to establish mandatory Federal product safety
standards, as laid out in S. 1216.
Known as the ``silent killer,'' carbon monoxide is a by-product of
combustion from common household sources, including appliances such as
a furnace, water heater, gas stove, or grill, as well as other fuel-
burning devices like a fireplace or engine. If such sources are
improperly installed or malfunction, carbon monoxide can buildup inside
a home. Carbon monoxide follows the air current through a home and,
based on the source and the residence's ventilation system, can buildup
either rapidly or slowly. Either can be deadly. Because one cannot see,
taste or smell carbon monoxide, the only safe way to know that the gas
has reached toxic levels is to install a sufficient number of working
CO alarms. Kidde and fire safety experts such as the National Fire
Protection Association recommend placing CO alarms outside each bedroom
and on every level of an occupied dwelling.
A CO alarm functions by calculating CO concentration over time to
determine when an alarm will sound. This time-weighted ratio ensures
that the higher the level of CO and the steeper the rate of increase,
the earlier the alarm will sound. This equation takes into account the
effect of CO on the human body. When inhaled, carbon monoxide bonds
with hemoglobin in a person's bloodstream, and displaces the oxygen
that cells need to function. By operating off the principle of the
calculated percentage of carboxyhemoglobin, or CoHb, in the blood, the
alarm sounds earlier in the presence of higher CO levels.
CO alarms continuously monitor the home's environment. They are
designed to sound before a healthy adult would feel the effects of CO
poisoning. Consumers should have confidence that a properly installed
and maintained CO alarm will warn them about the presence of dangerous
CO levels, and avoid unwanted nuisance alarms that may cause them to
doubt the alarm's accuracy. This need for accuracy and reliability is
the cornerstone of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034, the
independent, third-party CO alarm standard to which U.S. carbon
monoxide alarms are voluntarily tested and listed.
UL 2034 is an American National Standards Institute--or ANSI-
recognized standard that combines input from medical experts, approval
bodies like UL, government agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),
users and manufacturers in order to create a uniform requirement.
First published in 1992, UL 2034 has gone through several
revisions, each of which is based on years of field test data and is
intended to strengthen the standard. Kidde supports this standard
because it specifically addresses electrical safety, mechanical
robustness and the accuracy of detection across different humidity
levels and temperatures over a long period of time. It also verifies
performance. UL 2034 is continually reviewed by a standards technical
panel in order to keep pace with technological advances and past
lessons learned. In accordance with ANSI rules, any member can
recommend a revision in order to improve product performance or
reliability. This revision process has led to the creation of CO
sensing technology that is more advanced, stable, and reliable than
prior generations.
Currently, a manufacturer may voluntarily test and certify its CO
alarms to the UL 2034 standard. While most states with laws requiring
residential CO alarms mandate that they meet UL 2034, there is no
uniform requirement. To date, 23 states have enacted laws requiring CO
alarms in residential dwellings, and more states are likely to adopt
similar legislation in the coming years. In order to avoid confusion
among regulators, consumers, and the industry, state lawmakers need a
consistent standard to define what constitutes an ``approved'' alarm.
Without such a reference, conflicting regulations may arise, which
would run directly counter to one of the CPSC's guiding objectives ``to
develop uniform safety standards for consumer products and to minimize
conflicting state and local regulations.'' By setting a mandatory
Consumer Product Safety Standard, the Federal Government would provide
an umbrella of protection for all consumers in the U.S.
In closing, each week we hear of families whose lives have been
saved through the use of CO alarms. Having a CO alarm does make the
difference between life and death. Consumers must have confidence that
their CO alarm will work reliably and accurately. A Federal standard
would give consumers that peace of mind
Again, I thank Committee members for their thoughtful consideration
of S. 1216, and for raising awareness about CO dangers in the home.
Senator Klobuchar and Senator Nelson, we look forward to working with
you to pass this important legislation expeditiously. Thank you again
for the opportunity to contribute to this discussion, and I will be
glad to answer any questions.
Senator Pryor. Thank you.
Mr. Cochran.
STATEMENT OF HON. KELVIN J. COCHRAN, ADMINISTRATOR, UNITED
STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION, FEDERAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Mr. Cochran. Mr. Chairman, Senator Klobuchar, other members
of the Committee, again, I'm Kelvin Cochran, Associate
Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
United States Fire Administrator of the Department of Homeland
Security.
I appreciate the opportunity to participate today in this
discussion. And since this is my first hearing following my
confirmation, it's a great opportunity to participate in this
important issue. And I look forward to working with you on many
other life safety and fire prevention initiatives over the next
3 years.
Each year, carbon monoxide poisoning kills or sickens
thousands of Americans. This colorless, odorless gas adheres to
red blood cells considerably faster than oxygen, which
interrupts the exchange of oxygen. Consequently, the loss of
oxygen in the body leads to tissue damage, and in some cases,
death.
From 1999 to 2004, approximately 450 Americans died from
unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning. On an annual basis,
approximately 20,000 people visit emergency rooms, and more
than 4,000 are hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Approximately 73 percent of those exposures occur in homes, 41
percent occur during the winter months, between December and
February. Carbon monoxide poisoning is most fatal for citizens
above the age of 65.
Common causes or sources of carbon monoxide poisoning
include house fires, faulty furnaces, heaters, wood burning
stoves, internal combustion vehicle exhaust, electrical
generators, propane-fueled equipment, such as portable stoves,
and gasoline powered equipment, such as lawn mowers.
The fire and emergency services of the United States of
America have been aware of this ``silent killer'' for many,
many years, and have been trained on how to respond to and
mitigate suspected cases of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Municipal fire departments across the country respond to an
estimated 60,000 nonfire carbon-monoxide incidents on an annual
basis.
Individuals and families can take proactive steps to reduce
the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by installing home carbon
monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors provide a crucial
early warning of elevated levels of carbon monoxide. The United
States Fire Administration believes citizens will be best
prepared for an emergency in their homes if they install both
smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors during this critical
period of the year.
We have produced fact sheets and other information, in
conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban
Development and the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, entitled ``Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms for
Manufactured Homes.'' This fact sheet and other materials
referenced here today can be accessed on the United States Fire
Administration's website at www.usfa.dhs.gov.
Americans can also do more to reduce the risk of carbon
monoxide poisoning. Homeowners should regularly check and vent
their homes' heating systems, regularly clean their chimneys,
and never leave vehicles running in a closed garage. These are
other simple steps that can assure that carbon monoxide levels
do not rise to dangerous levels within our homes.
In recent years, the emergency management community has
experienced--or expressed concerns regarding post-disaster
deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning. Data has shown that, on
average, 170 people die every year as a result of carbon
monoxide poisoning associated with portable gas generators.
Such post-disaster deaths are also caused by charcoal grills
used inside of homes or enclosed garages during power outages.
Research from the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine at the
Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, shows the
number of carbon monoxide poisoning deaths or--in emergency
rooms spike 2 to 3 days following power outages, as survivors
begin to recover.
The United States Fire Administration has developed many
brochures with guidance on the proper use of generators
following disasters, so survivors who operate these machines
can do so safely. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's
Administrator has directed the United States Fire
Administration to look at how we can better prepare and respond
to power outages in order to educate survivors and prevent
these tragedies from occurring.
Finally, the United States Fire Administration will be
working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to distribute multilanguage brochures and develop
public service announcements to better prepare citizens prior
to disasters. We're also highlighting carbon monoxide poisoning
in our monthly public education series. For January 2010, the
``Focus of the Month'' will be ``Alternative Heating Sources,''
which focuses on the dangers of carbon monoxide.
I appreciate the opportunity to present before you today,
and look forward to working with you on this and other critical
life safety and fire prevention initiatives.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Cochran follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Kelvin J. Cochran, Administrator, United
States Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency,
Department of Homeland Security
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Wicker, and members of
the Committee. My name is Kelvin J. Cochran and I am an Associate
Administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in
charge of the United States Fire Administration (USFA) at the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). I appreciate the opportunity to
appear before you today to discuss the dangers of carbon monoxide
poisoning.
Each year carbon monoxide poisoning kills or sickens thousands of
Americans. This colorless, odorless gas adheres to red blood cells
considerably faster than oxygen, which interrupts oxygen exchange. The
loss of oxygen in the body leads to tissue damage and, in some cases,
death. Each year from 1999 to 2004, approximately 450 Americans died
from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning. Annually more than 20,000
people visit emergency rooms and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due
to carbon monoxide. Approximately 73 percent of these exposures occur
in homes, and 41 percent occurred during winter months (December to
February). Carbon monoxide poisoning is most fatal to those 65 or
older.
Sources of carbon monoxide include house fires, faulty furnaces,
heaters, wood-burning stoves, internal combustion vehicle exhaust,
electrical generators, propane-fueled equipment such as portable
stoves, and gasoline-powered tools such as lawn mowers. The fire and
emergency services in the United States have been aware of this silent
killer for many years and have been trained on how to respond to
suspected cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. Municipal fire
departments respond to an estimated 60,000 non-fire carbon monoxide
incidents annually.
Individuals and families can take proactive steps to reduce the
risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by installing home carbon monoxide
detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors provide a crucial early warning of
elevated levels of carbon monoxide.
The USFA believes citizens will be best prepared for an emergency
in their homes if they install both smoke and carbon monoxide
detectors. We have produced a fact sheet in conjunction with the
Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National Institute
of Standards and Technology entitled, ``Smoke and Carbon Monoxide
Alarms for Manufactured Homes.'' This fact sheet and other materials
referenced here today can be accessed via the USFA website at
www.usfa.dhs.gov.
Americans can also do more to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide
poisoning. Homeowners should regularly check and vent their home
heating systems, regularly clean their chimneys, and never leave
vehicles running in a closed garage. These and other simple steps can
ensure that carbon monoxide levels do not rise to dangerous levels
within their homes.
In recent years the emergency management community has expressed
concerns regarding post disaster deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Data has shown that on average 170 people die every year as a result of
carbon monoxide poisoning associated with portable gas generators. Such
post-disaster deaths are also caused by charcoal grills used inside the
home or enclosed garages after power outages. Research by the Center
for Hyperbaric Medicine at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in
Seattle, Washington, shows the number of carbon monoxide poisoning
deaths or emergency room admissions 2-3 days following a power outage
spike as survivors begin to recover.
The USFA has developed brochures with guidance on the proper use of
generators following disasters so survivors who operate these machines
do so safely. The FEMA Administrator has asked USFA to look at how we
can better prepare and respond to power outages in order to educate
disaster survivors and prevent these tragedies from occurring. USFA
will be working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to distribute multi-language brochures and to develop public
service announcements to better prepare citizens prior to a disaster.
We are also highlighting carbon monoxide poisoning in our January
2010 ``Focus of the Month'' on alternative heating. Educating the
public on the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning has been a part of
our ``Winter Fire Safety'' focus for many years and we will continue to
warn the public of its danger.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Committee on
this important issue, and I would be happy to answer any questions at
this time.
Senator Pryor. Thank you, Mr. Cochran.
And I want to thank the entire panel for your testimony
today. It's very helpful to the Subcommittee.
Mr. Korn, let me start with you, if I may. And that is--you
have a stack of carbon monoxide alarms there--detectors there.
How can we do a better job--whether it's through the CPSC or
some other outlet--how can we do a better job of getting the
word out to people like Ms. Burt and her family on the
importance of having carbon monoxide detecting in every home?
Mr. Korn. Well, there are lots of different ways, two of
which I'll mention. I think the Incentive Grant Program
contained in Senator Klobuchar's bill will go a long way. One
of the best motivators for families to behave properly--we see
it in booster seats, we see it in pools, we see it in .08, open
primary seat belt laws--is to pass the State law that requires
them in the homes--and, I would suggest, Senator, all homes
that have combustible fuel. So that's one. It seems like it
gets the imprimatur of the government saying, ``Hey, I need to
have this done,'' so there's compliance on the other side.
And as to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, maybe
it's time that they address this issue the same way they do
fireworks or the same way they do toy safety, where there is
one time a year, every year, maybe the start of home heating
season, where they do the same type of education and
partnership, with Safe Kids and other groups, about the
importance of getting these detectors up in the homes, kind of
address it in the same--with the same magnitude they do those
couple of other areas. I would suggest they also do that for
pool safety, and I think they're on their way to that.
And then, finally, there's nothing for, at least me, more
motivating than hearing stories. So, anytime a parent is
willing to share their story about a child dying, and their
experiences, it's--that's one of the best.
And let me say this, I deal a lot with parents that lose
children. And it is, in my view, the most selfless act for a
parent like the--like Cheryl to share their story. There may be
15 minutes in a day where she doesn't think about her two
children, but when she volunteers herself to express and
educate others, she's allowing all of us to intrude on that 15
minutes, including this hearing. And I think that's a pretty
special gift, and very selfless. So, as long as parents are
willing to tell their stories, that's the best motivator.
I have a 9-year-old. It's an unthinkable thought to lose a
child. So, I'm going home tonight and checking my smoke alarms
and carbon monoxide detectors, because of the story.
Senator Pryor. I agree. Thank you, very much.
Mr. Andres, let me ask you a question about Kidde and what,
in your view and the company's view--what makes a--for a good
carbon monoxide alarm, and, you know, what makes one better
than others?
Mr. Andres. Well, I'd start with what makes a good alarm. I
mean, what you really want with an alarm is, you want
selectivity to carbon monoxide gas only. You don't want an
alarm that's going to react or sense other gases that are
commonly found in a home, and you don't want that to be viewed
by the alarm as carbon monoxide. So, selectivity just to carbon
monoxide is an important attribute.
Also, long-term stability. You know, if we think about what
we're doing with a carbon monoxide alarm and the technology,
we're trying to detect parts per million of a molecule that
cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. So, you know, long-term
accuracy of the technology so that, over time, it's just as
good on day one as it is, you know, on--in year 7, is an
important attribute.
I'd say, those are two aspects that I would look for in
carbon monoxide alarming. And to help support that, there's a
standard out there the UL ANSI-accredited standard, UL 2034,
which really looks at these attributes, in addition to a whole
bunch more, to make certain that those products that carry the
UL mark meet these requirements.
Senator Pryor. Yes. Thank you for mentioning the UL 2034,
because in your opening statement you mentioned that it gets
updated from time to time. Is the current status of UL 2034
current with technology today? And basically--I mean, is it
ready to be followed for a long time, or does it need to--some
improvement, as well?
Mr. Andres. Yes, it has--I mean, since it was first
published in 1992, it's gone through a number of revisions. A
lot of those revisions made good sense. Revisions, for example,
to incorporate tests to avoid nuisance alarms. Revisions to the
standard to prove long-term reliability and stability.
Basically, any problems that the Standards Technical Panel
came across, of which CPSC is a member of, those were addressed
and the standard was modified to ensure that future designs
didn't have similar issues. So, progressively getting better
and better with time. And it's a very good standard at this
point.
Senator Pryor. And so, you think the standard, as it exists
today, is right where it needs to be?
Mr. Andres. Yes. Yes, I do.
Senator Pryor. Senator Klobuchar.
Senator Klobuchar. Well, thank you very much, Senator
Pryor. I was looking at these and remembering that I go home by
myself a lot on weekends, and I came in once and I think mine--
there was something wrong. It was just going off all the time,
and I unplugged it. So, maybe I'll buy one of these from you. I
can't take it, Mr. Andres so----
Mr. Andres. OK.
Senator Klobuchar.--you have to put a price on it.
Mr. Andres. Yes.
Senator Klobuchar. Or----
Mr. Andres. Right.
Senator Klobuchar.--we'll have had a public violation of
the ethics law.
[Laughter.]
Senator Klobuchar. OK, very good.
Well, I wanted to thank, again, all of you. And I--just to
follow up on a few of Senator Pryor's questions about the
standard and how it's improved over time. Is it difficult for
manufacturers to meet the standard? And why do you think it's
important to have a mandatory one instead of a voluntary one?
Mr. Andres. Well, to answer the question, it is difficult
to meet the standard. I mean, the UL standard incorporates over
50 different performance tests. It's--it takes time. It's not
inexpensive. But, at the end of the day, what we end up with,
as an industry, is, you know, a product that's been designed to
comply with the performance standard.
And if we just think about not doing that for a moment,
what we open ourselves up to is the risk of putting products
into the marketplace, ultimately exposing ourselves, in the
entire carbon monoxide alarm category, to consumers not having
a belief in the way they would work, or should work. We don't
want to do that. And we have an opportunity now, with S. 1216,
to prevent that from happening, reduce the risk, build the
consumers' confidence, and maintain the reputation of carbon
monoxide alarms, in total.
Senator Klobuchar. And then, did the smoke alarms have a
similar mandatory standard that this bill would ask for, for
carbon monoxide?
Mr. Andres. Smoke alarms--there's a UL standard for smoke
alarms. It's UL 217. I don't believe it's mandatory, but I
believe most States do require smoke alarms be listed to the UL
217 standard. It's a little bit different. You know, smoke
alarms have been around for quite some time. And if you look at
the history of smoke alarms, there were actually businesses
that had put smoke alarms into the marketplace without a UL
mark. Those businesses aren't around anymore. And I think what
we have here is the opportunity to prevent that from
reoccurring.
Senator Klobuchar. And how much does one of these typically
cost, a carbon monoxide alarm?
Mr. Andres. I'd say the range is anywhere from $18 to $40,
depending upon, you know, the feature set----
Senator Klobuchar. And then you just----
Mr. Andres.--that comes----
Senator Klobuchar.--install it----
Mr. Andres.--with it.
Senator Klobuchar.--by plugging it in, is that right?
Mr. Andres. Yes. They're--well, you see some of the
examples that Mr. Korn has.
Senator Klobuchar. Yes.
Mr. Andres. Some are simple----
Senator Klobuchar. Oh, that's who can I buy it from.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Andres.--installing batteries, just like in a remote
control; and others, just directly plugging into a wall outlet.
That's how simple it is.
Senator Klobuchar. Mr. Korn, we talked about the fact that,
I think its 23 states, including Minnesota, have laws on the
books that require carbon monoxide alarms in the home. Can you
talk about the effectiveness of these State laws? Is there any
evidence of them reducing the carbon monoxide--or the number of
times that they've effectively warned people of this ``silent
killer''?
Mr. Korn. Yes. There are 23 states that have carbon
monoxide detector laws. But, you know, frankly, there's a
patchwork of requirements. Some require--like Minnesota, Rhode
Island, a few others--a very good carbon monoxide law that
covers all dwellings. Others--I believe it's Maine; I'm doing
it off the top my head, but I have the information--just
hotels. Some just require a carbon monoxide alarm, only when
there's a transfer of a home, during a sale or otherwise
changing hands.
In our view, a more comprehensive law is important. I think
the laws of chemistry are--exist the same in a rental unit,
with a combustible source of fuel, as they do in a home that's
been around for 30 years. Carbon monoxide isn't any less
poisonous just because it's in existing home or because it's in
a new home or just because it's in a rental property.
So, we would hope that your incentive grant, and also the
State legislatures, would kind of pick up on this,--I think
it's a fairly new risk area; people don't know about it--and
pass the laws to require them in the homes.
And I'll just mention, casually, that Arkansas does not
have a carbon monoxide detection law, so maybe we can move
toward that end.
Senator Klobuchar. You know, Ms. Burt's tragic story really
brought home the fact that kids are more vulnerable to this
than adults, even. And adults obviously are, as well. But,
could you talk about that, the body weight and the reasons
that----
Mr. Korn. Yes.
Senator Klobuchar.--children are more vulnerable?
Mr. Korn. Well, there are three or four different reasons,
but one is, first, children are smaller. So, something that's
particularly toxic getting into their bodies affects them
negatively faster than it does for an adult, although, rest
assured, at enough--or higher levels, it's going to affect even
a large adult, also.
And second, children don't have the ability to react like a
parent would or an adult would. It is at least possible that a
adult would recognize that something's wrong and maybe, maybe
make a connection to carbon monoxide. A child won't. A child
will fall asleep or go unconscious, and that's the end of it.
So, I think children are a particularly vulnerable
population, requiring that early detection just as much as, or
if not more, than others. I think seniors, also, are the same
case. In fact, many carbon monoxide poisoning and deaths happen
to seniors, because they can't react to it as a healthy adult
would.
Senator Klobuchar. I think it was your testimony, Mr.
Cochran, talking about when this--who's vulnerable, when this
spikes. You noted that the number of emergency room admissions
associated with carbon monoxide spike around 2 to 3 days after
a power outage, meaning that people are using the portable gas
generators and charcoal grills inside their homes after a
hurricane or a storm. What's the best way, if you could just
use your expertise here, to prevent injury and death associated
with these generators?
Mr. Cochran. Well, assuring that proper venting is taking
place in homes and when garages are used to store heat from
appliances that generate carbon monoxide, even making sure that
venting is appropriate in those areas, as well, and just
monitoring, having CO detectors available, so that, even if the
venting is not adequate enough, that the carbon monoxide
detector will sound, to alarm, to let them know that dangerous
levels are present.
Senator Klobuchar. And I noticed also you talked about how
many of these are--OK, this may be a selfish question here, but
everyone should know the answer--some of the State laws differ,
as Mr. Korn discussed, but what is recommended? I think our
law, in Minnesota, says the alarm should be installed within 10
feet of every bedroom, and then some just say every floor. It--
I would assume it's recommended there be on--one on every
floor, or--is that correct, or not?
Mr. Cochran. One on every floor is pretty consistent.
Beyond that, it's--usually boils down to different standards or
family preferences. But, one on every floor is a consistent
standard that we stand by.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Ms. Burt, I know that you have spent
a lot of time reaching out to families about the dangers of
carbon monoxide poisoning. Have you seen some change in
people's knowledge, with these State laws passing over the last
15 years, since the tragedy?
Ms. Burt. I have, actually. When I first started doing
this, and I was telling my story, or just telling friends and
family or people I meet, a lot of people were just like,
``Carbon monoxide, boy,'' you know, ``don't really know
anything about that,'' or along those lines.
And as the years went on, the more people I would talk to,
they'd be like, ``Oh, yes, yes, yes. We know all about that. My
Mom and Dad got us one for Christmas,'' or, you know, they knew
a lot more. And it has been--over the years, it's prevalent
that people do know about it.
But, even after hearing my story, they still don't actually
go out and purchase one and put it in and use it. And that's
the part that gets me, is that--you know, it's great to know
about it, but not everybody's taking the steps needed to
protect themselves. And that's the part where this can come in
handy.
Senator Klobuchar. And another part of your story, that was
just so--had just--sitting, as a mother, thinking about this--
is, you kept going back to the doctors and, you know, trying to
figure out why you were all sick at the same time. Has there
been some increase in that kind of training or education for
doctors, EMTs, firefighters, emergency-room workers, people
that would be asking the right questions to identify how this
happened?
Ms. Burt. There has been. I know that it--at the Mayo
Clinic, I've talked with a panel of people on it. And it is
more prevalent. It's something that--doctors do think about it.
But--now, that's in my State, in one place. I don't know that
all doctors would think ``carbon monoxide poisoning,'' at this
point, when someone would present the way we were. Certainly
more public awareness and--on it would address that and get it
further promoted. I would like to see doctors think faster--
when someone's coming in constantly with the same type of
symptoms, and they're just saying, ``Mmm. She's a kook,
hypochondriac,'' you know, it's not--I'm not blaming the
medical community, by any means, but I would want more
knowledge out there so that that is foremost in their thought--
--
Senator Klobuchar. Mr.----
Ms. Burt.--or at least----
Senator Klobuchar.--Cochran----
Ms. Burt.--considered.
Senator Klobuchar.--do you want to add to that at all?
Mr. Cochran. Yes, ma'am. I can speak to the issue of
training and preparedness for firefighters--especially those
who are emergency medical technicians are extremely well aware
and trained, this particular time of year, to focus on signs
and symptoms, that may be presented by patients, that could
result in carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition to that, this
time of year, municipal fire departments, and volunteer
agencies who have the resources, commonly partner with
businesses and the media in their area to increase awareness of
the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning, this time of year.
There are departments, currently entering into campaigns
across the nation, where carbon monoxide detectors are being
purchased and donated by faith-based groups and businesses, and
delivered to fire departments, who actually receive calls from
citizens for requests for carbon monoxide detectors. And the
firefighters themselves install the carbon monoxide detectors
in the homes of citizens. That is a historical trend that's
been occurring for approximately 10 to 15 years, and it's
gaining momentum in communities all across the country.
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you.
I guess my last question, Ms. Burt, is--I would assume you
would suggest people put a carbon monoxide alarm in their
stockings this holiday season, and that this would be a good
gift for people to give their family members.
Ms. Burt. You are absolutely correct.
Senator Klobuchar. All right. Thank you very much. And
thank you for your courage in being here.
And thank you, all of you. It was very informative.
Senator Pryor. Yes, thank you all for being here.
I have some written questions that we may submit. I think
that Senator Klobuchar and I, we get it, and we're going to try
to do something about this as quickly as we can.
I didn't mention this before, Ms. Burt, but I had a
circumstance in my house a few years ago, it didn't end in
tragedy, like yours did, but it could have, because--I was just
out of law school, and I had two roommates, and we lived in an
older house--as Mr. Korn said, can be a problem--and one of my
roommates, he--his bedroom was right--just a few feet down the
hall from a bathroom, and it had a hot water heater in the
bathroom. And the carbon monoxide was just leaking out of the
hot water heater. We had no idea. You know, it had come with
the house, and we didn't really think to check it or anything.
But, sure enough, he's getting these flu-like symptoms,
headaches, you know, the whole thing. And he figured it out.
I'm not quite sure how he figured it out, but he knew something
was wrong, and he figured it out. And, you know, we replaced
the water heater, and installed it properly, with the right
venting and everything.
So, this can sneak up on you without anybody knowing. And
it was a near miss in our case. And we need to do more, in
terms of law, but also to bring awareness to this.
So, I really thank you all for being here. We'll work with
all of you, trying to get something passed next year. And we're
out of time this year, as Amy knows, to try to----
Senator Klobuchar. Oh----
Senator Pryor.--get anything----
Senator Klobuchar.--there's still another week left.
[Laughter.]
Senator Pryor. So, realistically, we're not going to be
able to get it done in the next week.
But, anyway, thank you all for being here. And I really
appreciate all of you and your contributions that you're making
into this. And we'll do our best. And we look forward to
working with all of you.
Thank you.
And with that----
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you.
Senator Pryor.--the hearing is concluded.
[Whereupon, at 3:28 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Prepared Statement of The Home Safety Council
Chairman Pryor, Ranking Member Wicker, and other members of the
Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on the
dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
I am Patricia Adkins, Chief Operating Officer and Director of
Public Policy for the Home Safety Council which is located in
Washington, D.C.
About the Home Safety Council
The mission of the Home Safety Council (HSC) is to help prevent and
reduce nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year
from such hazards as falls, poisonings, fires and burns, suffocation,
and drowning. Through national programs, partnerships and support of
volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to help keep them safer in
and around their homes. Our vision for our Nation is safer homes that
provide the opportunity for all individuals to lead healthy, active,
and fulfilling lives.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Is A Home Safety Issue
Carbon monoxide poisoning is extremely serious. Carbon monoxide
(CO) is known as ``the silent killer.'' You cannot see it, smell it or
taste it. CO is a deadly gas that is produced by fuel-burning heating
equipment, such as furnaces, wood stoves, fireplaces, and kerosene
heaters.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
each year CO claims the lives of nearly 500 people in America and an
additional 15,000 seek medical attention for accidental CO exposure.
Seniors and young children are more at risk for CO poisonings because
they spend most of their time at home. In addition, children metabolize
the gas more quickly than adults and older adults do not excrete the
gas as rapidly as young and middle-aged adults.
The Home Safety Council's State of Home Safety in
AmericaTM revealed 67 percent of American households use
fuel-burning appliances and equipment, such as gas, wood or kerosene
that can emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide if not functioning
properly. Earlier this year, HSC and Kelton Research conducted a ``Home
Safety for the Entire Family Survey.'' The survey polled 800 parents to
better determine their level of awareness for the leading causes of
home injury and also to gauge actions they had taken to reduce the risk
of home injuries. Our survey showed that nearly half (49 percent) of
all caregivers polled have not installed a carbon monoxide alarm in
their homes.
Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning In Your Home
CO poisonings are largely preventable and each year, HSC and other
dedicated organizations conduct education campaigns to reach Americans
to teach them ways to prevent CO poisonings in their homes. HSC
believes that there are some simple steps each family can take to help
reduce the risk of CO poisoning in their homes. They are:
Install at least one CO alarm near sleeping areas;
Have a trained professional inspect, clean and tune-up your
home's central heating system and repair leaks or other
problems. Fireplaces and woodstoves should also be inspected
each year and cleaned or repaired as needed;
Keep gas appliances properly adjusted and serviced;
Never use an oven or range to heat your home;
Never use a gas or charcoal grill inside your home or in a
closed garage; and
Portable electric generators must be used outside only.
Never use them indoors, in a garage or in any confined area
that can allow CO to collect. Follow usage directions closely.
HSC believes that legislation like S. 1216: the Residential Carbon
Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act provides important mandatory
standards for residential homes and other dwellings. It is important
that Americans can trust in an alarm's ability to detect carbon
monoxide in their homes. Also, this legislation authorizes the Consumer
Product Safety Commission to establish a grant program for eligible
states to carry out a carbon monoxide safety program. We are delighted
that national non-profit organizations such as the Home Safety Council
and others would be eligible to participate in multi-state programs
that work with first responders to educate and provide families with
carbon monoxide materials and alarms.
Carbon Monoxide Prevention
Each year, at the beginning of home heating season, the HSC works
with businesses, first responders and other organizations in an effort
to remind all families of the dangers of CO poisoning. HSC's online
virtual home safety tour, MySafeHome.org provides graphic illustrations
of CO sources and how to minimize the poisoning risk.
On behalf of the Home Safety Council, thank you for the opportunity
to share our findings and support for meaningful standards and programs
that resonate with all Americans to reduce the number of unintentional
carbon monoxide poisonings and deaths in the United States.
______
December 17, 2009
Hon. Mark Pryor,
Chairman,
Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance,
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Roger Wicker,
Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance,
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Pryor and Ranking Member Wicker:
As representatives of manufacturers, service providers, and
installers of carbon monoxide alarm and detection devices, we want to
commend you for holding today's hearing on ``Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:
Sounding the Alarm on a Silent Killer.''
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the leading cause of accidental
poisoning death in the United States. High concentrations of carbon
monoxide--a colorless, odorless gas that is produced when fossil fuel
is incompletely burned--can cause cognitive impairment, loss of
consciousness, coma and often death. In fact, the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention reports that every year, more than 400
people die in the U.S. from accidental CO poisoning and estimates that
approximately 20,000 Americans seek medical attention every year due to
carbon monoxide.
There are many things American families can do to protect
themselves from carbon monoxide poisoning, including properly
maintaining fuel-burning appliances, furnaces and chimneys and
correctly using portable generators. These actions can help prevent the
buildup of toxic carbon monoxide gas in people's homes. However, once
CO is present, timely detection is paramount to ensuring residents have
the time to evacuate from the home and contact emergency personnel.
Carbon monoxide detection and notification devices installed in
residential and other places where people sleep provide an effective
way to reduce the incidence of CO poisoning.
We support the goals of S. 1216, the Residential Carbon Monoxide
Poisoning Prevention Act, introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Bill
Nelson. S. 1216 acknowledges the value of carbon monoxide alarm and
detection devices by promoting their purchase and installation in
residential homes and dwellings nationwide. By requiring the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to adopt the American
National Standards Institute/Underwriters Laboratories (ANSI/UL)
Standard 2034, Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide
Alarms, as a mandatory consumer product safety rule, the bill places
importance on continued quality, effective devices that meet rigorous
safety standards.
We are also pleased that S. 1216 encourages states to require
residential CO detection devices and establishes a Federal grants
program to provide assistance to eligible states to carry out a CO
alarm program. Currently, over two dozen states and many local
jurisdictions have laws on the books requiring CO devices in homes,
commercial lodging, and other dwellings, and those laws are proving
successful in reducing the incidence of CO poisoning.
S. 1216 is a good bill that calls attention to an important life
safety issue and promotes the use of quality, effective CO detection
and notification devices. While we support the goals of S. 1216, there
are some technical corrections needed to ensure technological
consistency. We look forward to working with Senators Klobuchar and
Nelson and members of the Subcommittee to address these issues and
concerns as the bill advances.
Thankfully, there are ways to protect against the deadly assassin
known as carbon monoxide. We appreciate your Subcommittee's attention
to this life-and-death issue and to ``sounding the alarm on a silent
killer.'' We stand ready to work with you.
Sincerely yours,
Evan R. Gaddis, President and CEO,
National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
Richard W. Chace, Chief Executive Officer,
Security Industry Association.
Michael A. Miller, President,
Electronic Security Association.
cc: Hon. Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senate
Hon. Bill Nelson, U.S. Senate
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Mark Pryor to
Alan Korn
Question 1. If a consumer sustains a carbon monoxide poisoning,
does permanent injury result?
Answer. The treatment for a CO poisoning is oxygen therapy to treat
symptoms and to lower carbon monoxide levels in the blood or the use of
a full-body hyperbaric chamber that applies air pressure to remove the
carbon monoxide faster. For those who survive a carbon monoxide
poisoning, the long-term effects can be severe in some cases. Victims
have reported memory loss, impaired motor skills and heart and lung
problems. Often times, they deal with the CO injury for the rest of
their lives.
Question 2. Is the carbon monoxide poisoning data we have
comprehensive in your view? If not, why?
Answer. Safe Kids USA believes that the carbon monoxide poisoning
data is not truly comprehensive due to the nature of CO itself. CO, a
colorless and odorless gas, is responsible for more than 500
unintentional deaths, approximately 20,000 emergency department visits
and more than 4,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States.
However, because symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu, food
poisonings and other common ailments, it is possible that many deaths
have not been classified as CO poisoning and as a result, the number of
fatalities, injuries and hospitalizations could be much higher than
reported.
Although the situation is getting better, front line medical
professionals (emergency room doctors and nurses) and pediatricians
still misdiagnosis CO poisonings. The Burt family is a perfect example.
Instead of properly spotting the signs of CO poisoning, medical
professionals often discharge the patient right back into the toxic
environment that sickened them in the first place. Not only is this
dangerous but we lose these incidents as data points forever. Better
medical recognition will greatly assist to make data more
comprehensive.
Question 3. Could you explain to the Committee why children are
more vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning than adults
are?
Answer. Young children are especially vulnerable to the effects of
CO. Due to their smaller bodies, children process CO differently than
adults and may be more severely affected by carbon monoxide in their
blood. They are more susceptible to carbon monoxide and may experience
symptoms sooner than a healthy adult.
Additionally, younger children do not have the cognitive ability to
recognize the characteristics of CO poisoning, nor do they have the
advanced physical development to react properly to it. Accordingly,
their exposure to the poison can be prolonged and therefore the injury
can be more severe. Their enhanced vulnerability makes detection,
through a CO alarm, all the more important.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Tom Udall to
Alan Korn
Question 1. The New Mexico Department of Health reports that
minority populations are more likely to suffer carbon monoxide
poisonings than the general U.S. population. A Washington State study
found that Hispanic populations have a three times greater risk for
carbon monoxide poisoning. The study noted that indoor burning of
charcoal briquettes causes 67 percent of Hispanic carbon monoxide
poisonings. Why are minority and especially Hispanic populations at
greater risk?
Answer. Minority populations can be at greater risk for CO
poisoning due to economic factors. The use of CO alarms, which are
single-handedly the best safeguard against a poisoning, can be a
financial obstacle for certain groups. Safe Kids has seen this economic
barrier for other safety devices, such as child safety seats and bike
helmets. In addition, malfunctioning gas appliances are a major source
of a CO leak and maintenance of these products may also be a
contributing factor to a carbon monoxide poisoning. Minorities and at-
risk families may not simply have the economic resources to properly
maintain their gas appliances.
Question 1a. How can we reverse this alarming trend?
Answer. With minority populations being at a particular risk for
carbon monoxide poisoning, it is important for public education efforts
to be targeted to those in need. Safe Kids, as well other public health
organizations, can focus outreach initiatives--including distribution
of CO alarms--to minority and other at-risk groups to mitigate the risk
of CO poisoning in these communities. The Federal Government, and in
particular, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, could also conduct annual public
education campaigns to address this disparity in CO poisoning rates.
Question 2. In New Mexico, most carbon monoxide poisonings seem to
occur in the winter months. Tragic cases from Washington State,
Minnesota, and Florida also suggest that carbon monoxide poisonings
spike after hurricanes or severe storms when people are without power
or heating. In these cases, using portable generators or burning
charcoal briquette fires indoors creates a real danger. Given the often
seasonal nature of carbon monoxide poisoning, is there a more effective
way to conduct public awareness campaigns for times when people are
most vulnerable?
Answer. The seasonal nature of carbon monoxide poisoning may
necessitate that multiple public awareness campaigns are warranted--
before hurricane season as a preventive measure as well as when severe
storms strike. At the time when a storm hits, it is not too late to
remind the public about the dangers of CO poisoning and using portable
generators or burning charcoal briquettes. The Federal Government and
public education organizations may want to consider partnering with the
American Red Cross on including CO poisoning prevention messages, as
part of their disaster response protocol, when there are severe weather
incidents.
Question 2a. How could the ``National Carbon Monoxide Awareness
Week'' in October include more effective safety campaigns to get more
people to install carbon monoxide alarms in their homes?
Answer. The use of carbon monoxide alarms is the best way to detect
a CO poisoning in the home. Unfortunately we know that people still do
not have this important safety device. National Carbon Monoxide
Awareness Week as well as other public education initiatives throughout
the year could include increased CO alarm distribution as part of their
efforts. With today's economy, families have had to prioritize their
household budgets, and safety devices may not be seen as ``must
purchase'' items. Increased availability of no-cost CO alarms will help
families install these devices in their residences.
As we have seen with other safety efforts, the passage of state
laws can be helpful to ensuring that more people install CO alarms in
their homes. Currently, 23 states and some local jurisdictions have
passed legislation requiring the use of CO alarms in some types of
residences (Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island,
Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin). An advocacy
effort to encourage more states to pass laws as well as public
education activities to promote awareness of existing laws could
promote CO alarm use.
We note that significantly, New Mexico, to date, does not have a CO
alarm law. Passing a law in New Mexico would not only increase use
rates and lower deaths and injuries, but also could qualify the state
for an incentive grant under the Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Prevention Act, if enacted.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Mark Pryor to
Cheryl Burt
Question 1. What is your recommendation to the Congress to better
protect Americans from the risk of carbon monoxide exposure or
poisoning?
Answer. My recommendation is that Congress pass S. 1216, and work
to educate families on the risks of CO and the need for alarms in our
homes. Carbon Monoxide is all around us every day. We need to educate
the public regarding the dangers of CO and help them realize the need
for CO alarms much like this needed to be done when smoke alarms first
came out. They are as important, if not more so, because CO is a
colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas and can usually only be detected
by a CO Alarm. Knowledge is power. We warn about all sorts of health
and safety issues: the flu, H1N1, proper seatbelt usage, what to do if
you have a fire in your home, and other dangers. But there is no
national awareness about CO poisoning and yet it is the leading cause
of accidental poisoning in our homes.
Question 2. You mentioned in your written testimony that when you
were being exposed to carbon monoxide, you thought you simply had a
case of the flu. How do you suggest we make Americans more aware of the
possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning in the event that they
experienced flu-like symptoms in their homes?
Answer. I would like to see the grants incentive portion of this
bill include an education outreach program that addresses overall CO
awareness, and seasonal issues, such as heating risks. States that pass
laws requiring CO alarms also need to educate families on the symptoms,
the possible sources, etc. I wish with all my heart that my state would
have had a law in 1996 like the one we have now, requiring all homes to
have a CO alarm. I know without a doubt that I would have had one in my
home. Had there been more public education at that time, I would have
bought the alarm instead of that toy truck, and my sons would be alive
today.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Mark Pryor to
John Andres
Question 1. Do you think it will be important to update the UL 2034
standard over time?
Answer. Yes. UL 2034 is currently reviewed by a standards technical
panel in order to keep pace with technological advances and past
lessons learned. The process of revising and updating occurs with input
from users of the device, industry generals which often includes CPSC,
Underwriters laboratories and the industries technical community. The
process considering changes and new requirements is governed by the
protocol used for all American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
standards.
Question 2. Do you recommend a national standard for carbon
monoxide detection?
Answer. Yes. Consumers must have confidence that their CO alarm
will work reliably and accurately. A national standard of product
performance such as the ANSI UL2034 ensures all critical performance
attributes are independently evaluated by a third party. Furthermore, a
national standard ensures that all legislation and code for CO alarms
is easily administered by referencing this requirement. Conversely, the
lack of such a standard will result in fragmented performance
requirements that open the door to products that may not contain the
necessary features and safety requisites determined to be necessary by
the medical and technical community. The results of a fragmented
performance requirement increases the risk of diminished performance
which would no doubt have further ramifications such as the public
losing confidence in CO alarms. Designing to a national standard
substantially minimizes this risk.
Question 3. What are the benefits to consumers and businesses of
the CPSC endorsing or requiring a particular standard for carbon
monoxide alarms?
Answer. By endorsing or requiring a Federal standard for CO alarms,
the CPSC provides consumers with the benefit of knowing that the
product purchased is accurate and reliable, and that it has been tested
by an independent, third party. In addition, businesses and state
legislators involved with maintenance and ordinances, would benefit by
having a very clear definition of what constitutes an approved CO
alarm. This is consistent with the CPSC view of smoke alarms which is
closely related to CO alarms.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Mark Pryor to
Hon. Kelvin J. Cochran
Question. How effective have fire alarms been in protecting
Americans from death or injury associated with residential fires? Do
you support the deployment of carbon monoxide detectors and alarms
across the United States?
Answer. Home smoke alarms have been one of the most effective
safety innovations in recent history. While we have no hard data to
substantiate the number of lives saved or injuries prevented by home
smoke alarms, we know with certainty that the home fire death rate has
declined substantially as the number of homes with working smoke alarms
increases. For instance, in 1977, when 22 percent of homes had smoke
alarms, there were 5,865 home fire deaths. By the year 2003, 95+
percent of homes had smoke alarms, and the trend in the death toll
declined by 51 percent to 3,145.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) supports and
recommends the use of carbon monoxide alarms in any building where a
fuel is burned to provide heat for cooking or heating, lighting or any
other purpose, as well as in all buildings that have an attached garage
or shed.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Tom Udall to
Hon. Kelvin J. Cochran
Question 1. The New Mexico Department of Health reports that
minority populations are more likely to suffer carbon monoxide
poisonings than the general U.S. population. A Washington State study
found that Hispanic populations have a three times greater risk for
carbon monoxide poisoning. The study noted that indoor burning of
charcoal briquettes causes 67 percent of Hispanic carbon monoxide
poisonings. Why are minority and especially Hispanic populations at
greater risk? How can we reverse this alarming trend?
Answer. The USFA, in conjunction with the CDC, is looking into why
certain ethnic groups are more prone to accidental carbon monoxide
poisoning. Unfortunately not all cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are
reported to local fire departments. These cases are usually handled via
the victims taking themselves to hospitals, or being delivered to by
friends and family for reasons other than carbon monoxide poisoning
(i.e., flu-like symptoms).
Public information and education that goes directly to the ``at
risk'' population is always helpful in reducing specific safety
problems. The USFA partners with national organizations to reach
identified high risk audiences by making use of the partner
organization's established networks and thereby reaching out to
community groups that can deliver the message directly to the local
population.
Question 2. In New Mexico, most carbon monoxide poisonings seem to
occur in the winter months. Tragic cases from Washington State,
Minnesota, and Florida also suggest that carbon monoxide poisonings
spike after hurricanes or severe storms when people are without power
or heating. In these cases, using portable generators or burning
charcoal briquette fires indoors creates a real danger. Given the often
seasonal nature of carbon monoxide poisoning, is there a more effective
way to conduct public awareness campaigns for times when people are
most vulnerable? How could the ``National Carbon Monoxide Awareness
Week'' in October include more effective safety campaigns to get more
people to install carbon monoxide alarms in their homes?
Answer. FEMA/USFA has developed and made available a series of fact
sheets that are employed during seasons when hurricanes, flooding,
tornadoes, and winter storms, etc., usually peak. This includes two
fact sheets that provide safety information about carbon monoxide in
general and specifically about generators and carbon monoxide dangers.
The fact sheets can be accessed online at www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens.
These fact sheets discuss fire safety and prevention under adverse
conditions and are used to remind the public that fire safety and
prevention are especially important during times of severe conditions.
The January 2010 USFA ``Focus of the Month'' spotlights alternative
heating safety. The dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning are key to
this message and it provides basic safety information on how to avoid
it.
For the first time, in January 2009, the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA), Underwriters Laboratory and Kidde Fire Systems
sponsored a Carbon Monoxide Awareness week. There may be other events
sponsored by other agencies or organizations that focus on this
problem. Certainly the more educated the public becomes the greater the
chances are that some of the deaths and injuries can be prevented.
Ongoing messaging about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and
how to prevent it would begin to bring the issue to the forefront of
the public's mind. Since indoor cooking on grills, generators, and
heating appliances that use natural fuel and auto emissions are some of
the main causes of residential carbon monoxide poisoning, making use of
public service announcements (radio, TV, and print) as well as
editorials and articles in newspapers and magazines should gradually
alert the general public to safety precautions they need to employ to
prevent this problem.