Dear Editor:

You can’t see it, smell it or taste it. You may be unaware that it is affecting you. Nobody is immune to it.

I found out first-hand last Saturday night when around midnight I was awakened to the sound of my alarm. It warned me of a carbon monoxide detection. My daughter and 18-month-old granddaughter were also in the apartment. I turned off the furnace, opened the doors and immediately made sure they were OK. I then called the gas company. It was decided they would send someone out to investigate the next morning, so we spent the remainder of the night at my son’s home. It turned out to be that the ventilation to my furnace was almost completely clogged. My daughter and granddaughter are fine because they were only there for a short time. I, however, had been in the apartment using the furnace for several weeks. I went to the emergency room, where they detected a low level of carbon monoxide in my bloodstream, and I was treated.

I was lucky this time! The problem with the furnace was fixed, and it’s now working fine. I’m personally asking everyone to please make sure your appliances and heating are in safe working order. Please install a smoke-carbon monoxide detector in several rooms of your home and make sure you test the batteries often. NEVER assume they are charged.

When I moved into this apartment, there was a smoke detector installed, but I was just as concerned about carbon monoxide, so I replaced it with the dual detector. It saved our lives ,I’m sure. I’m also asking you landlords who rent your dwellings to please have them installed and make sure all appliances and heating systems are safe. We cannot assume it will never happen to us. Please don’t let this happen to you or your loved ones.

Carolyn Hervol

Pima