Keeping Your Community Safe with Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Carbon monoxide (CO) is called the invisible killer because you cannot see it or smell it. This poisonous gas is created when fossil fuels, such as kerosene, gasoline, coal, natural gas, propane, methane or wood, do not burn completely. The only way to detect CO is with a working CO alarm. Use the following resources from NFPA and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to conduct a CO alarm awareness campaign in your community.

ATTENTION CANADA - Get Carbon Monoxide resources specifically for you.

Resources for families

• Safety tips on CO alarms 
• Safety tips on CO alarms in Spanish 
• Easy-to-read handouts
  • English (PDF) 
  • Spanish (PDF) 
  • Portuguese (PDF)
  • Brazilian Portuguese (PDF)
  • S'gaw Karen (PDF)

Talking About Carbon Monoxide Safety

• Carbon Monoxide alarm talking points (PDF)
  Whether you’re talking to residents or the media, here are some talking points to help you stay on point.
• Carbon Monoxide alarm community outreach ideas (PDF)
  Spread the word on carbon monoxide safety through a variety of approaches.
• Fast facts about Carbon Monoxide alarms (PDF)
  Statistics and information about this important topic.
• Carbon Monoxide safety 10-minute mini-lesson (PDF)
  In a brief presentation, hook your audience, help them learn new information, and wrap up in a concise manner.
  • Powerpoint slides (pptx)  Canary sound (wav)

Public Service Announcement (1/4 page)

• Install and maintain CO alarms Black & White (PDF) Color (PDF)

Social media 

• Fill-in-the-blank blog (DOC) - Fire department plans open house on CO safety
• Help spread the CO safety message through Twitter and Facebook (DOCX)

Local media can keep your community safe and sound

Fill-in-the blank news releases

• (Town/City) Fire Department Reminds Residents about CO Alarm Requirements and Recommendations (DOC)
• (Town/City) Fire Department Reminds Residents about Testing CO Alarms (DOC)
• Open house (DOC)

Fill-in-the blank Op/Ed

• CO dangers (DOCX)
• Use portable generators safely (DOCX)

Fill-in-the-blank letter to the editor

• Response to local Carbon Monoxide incident (DOC)

Resources for Canada

• Safety tips on carbon monoxide alarms (PDF)
• Carbon monoxide alarm talking points (PDF)
• Fast Facts about carbon monoxide alarms (PDF)
• Carbon monoxide community outreach ideas (PDF)
• Mastering the mini-lesson (PDF)
• Carbon monoxide safety 10-minute mini-lesson (PDF)
  • Powerpoint slides (pptx)  Canary sound (wav)
• Carbon monoxide social media messages (DOCX)
• Carbon monoxide fill-in-the-blank press release (DOCX)
• Carbon monoxide fill-in-the-blank letter to the editor (DOCX)

NFPA reports

• Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide incidents
• Deaths and Injuries Due to Non-Fire Exposure to Gases

NFPA’s Ben Evarts discusses key points from NFPA’s “Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Incidents” report and explains why CO is dangerous.

Featured product

Carbon Monoxide Alarms Brochures

Carbon monoxide (CO) dangers come across loud and clear in NFPA®'s new public safety brochures.

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