Use Generators With Caution Urge Officials

News reports say a man died last week from carbon monoxide caused by incorrect ventilation of a generator. The death has prompted federal officials to caution generator users to run their machines in open areas.

Ken Giles, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman, says people should "Use generators outdoors, away from attached garages and basements," and "Install a carbon monoxide alarm. Opening a door or window is not sufficient."

The man who died in Ohio was Clarence J. Ray, 76. He went to retrieve firewood from a detached garage which housed a generator, which the Rays were using to power their home. The man's wife told emergency personnel the generator had been running several hours.

According to the safety commission:

*36 people died in 2003 from carbon monoxide fumes produced by portable generators

*Forty people died in 2002

*From 1990 through 2003, 228 carbon monoxide deaths due to carbon monoxide produced from portable generators were reported to the safety commission.

The following generator use suggestions were made by the commission:

*Do not use a generator in an enclosed or partially enclosed space.
*An open window or door is not enough to vent fumes from a generator. *Generators can quickly produce high levels of carbon monoxide.
*If you start to feel dizzy, sick, or weak while using a generator, get fresh air right away. Carbon monoxide produced by generators can quickly lead to incapacitation and death.
*Install battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors in your home, and test them often.