Report Number: 09-0000913
Report Date: 10/08/2009
Event Description
Our department was sent to a residence about two months ago for a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm sounding. Our combination department, consisting of a paid chief and everyone else a volunteer responding from home, sent two engines, a battalion captain, the fire chief and an EMS unit. Upon arrival, the CO alarm was sounding. The home was checked with our CO detector and high levels were found in the first floor bedrooms. All members were packed out and two-in/ two-out was followed. The home was vented using an electric PPV fan. Crews were sent post ventilation and checked the house again, with the detector showing acceptable levels in the residence. The residence was again checked prior to leaving showing acceptable levels. The gas company was called and no source was identified.
We responded to the same residence on a dispatch of an alarm sounding. Two of our department captains were out running errands and responded non emergency to the address. Upon arrival, the home owners CO alarm was sounding. The captains, with over 30 years of combined experience, entered the residence without SCBA's or any PPE. The department’s detector again was reading high CO levels of 49 to 58 PPM. One of the captains on scene, while inside the residence with the home owners, called by phone to the battalion captain asking him what to do in the given situation. The order was given to evacuate the residence immediately and don appropriate PPE and SCBA before re-entering the residence. An order was also given to have a response from the department in order to meet two-in/two-out for the IDLH, being such high levels of CO. Upon arrival of the engine company, an electric PPV fan again was used to ventilate the residence, dropping the CO to acceptable levels. The gas company again was called and the source remains unknown at this time. The residence is monitored by an alarm company including heat, smoke, burglar, and CO.
Lesson Learned
Our department at this time does not have a SOP for responding to CO alarms.
I also believe that complacency played a role, due to the fact that nothing was able to be seen by the captain so there wasn't a visible hazard, even though the detectors and alarms were sounding. I believe that this could have resulted in an injury or worse due to both officers entering the house and not understanding what they were dealing with. Fortunately the levels weren't high enough to cause any medical problems.
The department will be adding a CO alarm response to the SOPs, and educating its members on the nature of CO, and what to do during CO alarm or investigations.
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