Don’t endanger your life

To the Editor:

About two weeks ago I came home from work to find my carbon monoxide detector going off and the house smelling very smoky. I wasn’t sure what to do first so I called 911 and was advised to get outdoors immediately and wait in the car for help to arrive.

Within a few minutes there were several emergency vehicles in my driveway from the fire department, fire volunteers and PACE. People were streaming up my driveway, including Fire Chief Dennis Yates, his son Tim, a volunteer and first to arrive, Chris Yates, other fire volunteers and volunteers from PACE. A crowd of neighbors, men and women responding on a frigid night, expressing concern and caring about my healthy and safety.

What was rather a traumatic incident was softened by the sense of being well cared for by concerned people who behaved in the most friendly professional manner, each and every one. When they left after ventilating my house and checking my stoves and alarm equipment, I fully realized that not only was I very grateful to live in a community with such services, but was actually fortunate to be alive.

Two years ago the folks who weatherized my house installed a carbon monoxide detector and were adamant about my keeping it up-to-date and plugged in.

I had never owned one before. Without it I would have smelled the wood smoke but not known there was deadly carbon monoxide in the house by which I could be overcome in a few minutes.

The problem was that I was trying to burn wood that wasn’t dry, had turned the damper down before leaving and the combination of smoke and CM were leaking out of the stove while I was gone.

I am saying this publicly for two reasons: 1. to express my sincere thanks to those who came to help and 2. to warn those who, like me, may be struggling to stay warm this winter. Please do not endanger your lives by trying to do so with unsafe methods.

Pat Chandler

Norway