By Juan C. Ayllon With the winter holidays, COVID-19, and the myriad of distractions of living in our 21st Century post modern world, it's easy to disregard seemingly inconsequential warnings that, left unheeded, could prove more costly or disastrous than we'd ever imagine. It's 5:45 AM Wednesday and it's dark outside. Achy and sweating, I am sipping coffee on a weight bench in our basement storage room gym, regrouping between sets of heavy squats. Getting back in shape is hard work, and with remote teaching lessons, an SIP meeting afterwards, diet and review considerations ahead, I am psyching myself up for the next set. My reverie is broken by sharp chirps from a carbon monoxide detector in our basement family room. It's not constant, but intermittent, prompting me to dismiss it as merely the batteries being low. Just unplug it and get on with your workout, I think, but something inside nudges me to mention it to my wife, Belle, who's upstairs getting ready for work. We discuss it and with some trepidation, just to be safe, I dial the police non emergency number. Minutes later, a fireman advises us to close the windows and doors and exit our home. That may have saved our lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. at least 430 people die and roughly 50,000 go to the emergency room annually from carbon monoxide poisoning. Red blood cells absorb CO quicker than oxygen, which replaces it in our blood cells. Moreover, people who've been sleeping or drinking alcohol may die before manifesting symptoms. (https://www.cdc.gov) Belle drives to work and clad in a coat, baseball cap, sweats and gym shoes, I stand waiting in our darkened driveway with our Goldendoodle, Liam -- whose frustration over not being walked turns to wonder as we are greeted with a rumbling diesel engine and a battery of floodlights as a firetruck pulls up on the street, then backs up to our home. Several firemen emerge, greet us, then enter the house. Minutes later, a large fan is placed outside our front door to ventilate it. Turns out that our heater has been pushing out carbon monoxide throughout our air ducts, so the firemen red tag it, turn it off and advise me to have an HV service come out and inspect it. It may simply be that the heater is not burning properly and needs tuning or, worst case, is too old and we need a new one. I also need to replace some batteries in my detectors, one of the firemen advises me before heading out.
Sitting here in my home office, I feel both stunned and grateful. It's a little chilly in here, but I can always throw on a blanket while I wait for a service tech to arrive. I have a gnawing sense that, but for a chirping CO detector and a small, inaudible voice that told me not to unplug it, I -- maybe we -- might have passed this winter holiday season. Thanks, God. Just a thought: If you don't have fully-charged and working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, it would be a good idea to rectify that situation now rather than later. And, if they beep or chirp at you, take heed. The hassle and inconvenience might just save you and your loved ones unspeakable pain and tragedy.
1 Comment
Rocellie Mendoza
12/3/2020 08:06:42 am
Having carbon monoxide detectors saves lives, and should be checked every 6 month.
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Juan C. AyllonA writer, artist, educator and owner of Prairie Audio Man Cave, he lives with his wife, Isabel (AKA Belle), and their Goldendoodle, Liam, enjoys listening to high fidelity music and all things hi-fi at their home in the greater Chicagoland area.. Archives
March 2024
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