100,000+ Americans Need Emergency Care for CO Poisoning Every Year
Carbon monoxide does not look dangerous. It has no color, no smell and no taste. A family can breathe it without realizing anything is wrong, especially while sleeping.
According to the CDC, more than 400 Americans die every year from accidental, non-fire-related carbon-monoxide poisoning. More than 100,000 people visit emergency departments, and over 14,000 are hospitalized annually. Infants, older adults and people with heart or breathing conditions are particularly vulnerable.
The danger can begin with ordinary fuel-burning equipment:
- Gas heaters and furnaces
- Fireplaces and stoves
Portable generators- RV appliances
- Charcoal grills
- Car and engine exhaust
In 2021 alone, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated 204 non-fire carbon-monoxide deaths associated with consumer products. Portable generators are responsible for approximately 100 American deaths in an average year.
By the Time You Notice the Symptoms, Your Family May Already Be in Danger
Early carbon-monoxide poisoning can feel like an ordinary illness:
Headache. Dizziness. Nausea. Weakness. Confusion. Unusual tiredness.
A child may not understand what is happening. A sleeping person may not wake up in time. Carbon monoxide can become deadly because the human body has no natural way to see or smell the warning.
You may trust the alarm in your home—but what about the detector inside an unfamiliar hotel, Airbnb, cabin, camper or RV?
Was it installed correctly?
Has it expired?
Was it ever tested?
Is there even one near the sleeping area?

Featured on
The Most Dangerous Gas Is the One You Never See Coming
Carbon monoxide has no color, no smell and no obvious warning. You may not realize it is present until someone develops a headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea or confusion—and heavy exposure can cause unconsciousness or death. People who are sleeping may be unable to recognize the danger in time.
When your family is sleeping in a hotel, RV, camper, rental home or unfamiliar apartment, you should not have to blindly trust that every alarm has been installed, maintained and tested properly.