Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas produced whenever fuels like gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal are burned.
Also known as: CO, the silent killer
Why carbon monoxide is called the silent killer
Carbon monoxide has earned its grim nickname because you cannot see it, smell it, or taste it, and its symptoms can be mistaken for ordinary illness until it is too late. Often people are overcome before anyone realizes anything is wrong, which is exactly what makes it so dangerous and so important to understand.
The danger is greatest in the very situations preppers plan for. When fuel-burning appliances, generators, heaters, stoves, or grills are used in a poorly ventilated space, CO builds up quickly, and during a grid-down event, when people turn to alternative heat and power, carbon monoxide poisoning becomes one of the leading hidden killers. The tragic irony is that it often strikes people who are actively trying to keep their families warm and fed through a crisis, using exactly the backup equipment their preparedness depends on. Understanding CO is therefore not a side issue but a core safety skill, because the same outage that makes you reach for a generator or indoor heat is the one most likely to expose you.
The value of understanding carbon monoxide is that it is almost entirely preventable once you know the rules: never burn fuel indoors without proper ventilation, use detectors, and treat every combustion appliance with respect. That knowledge lets you use the backup heat and power that survival may require without turning your shelter into a death trap.
Symptoms of CO poisoning
- Headache, dizziness, and weakness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Confusion and blurred vision
- Trouble breathing and drowsiness
- Loss of muscle control or consciousness
Preventing CO poisoning
- Install carbon monoxide detectors, including battery-powered ones for outages
- Never run generators, grills, or fuel heaters indoors or in an attached garage
- Keep fuel-burning appliances vented and maintained
- Do not use an oven or open flame for indoor heating
