Safe Kids Eastern Quad Counties has partnered with the Wright City Fire Protection District (WCFPD), Lincoln County Ambulance District, and Pike County Ambulance District to secure a grant to provide Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms to families in our counties for a small donation.Families will be able to obtain CO Alarms for their home from one of these first responder agencies on a first come, first served basis.Homes with children younger than 19 years of age or where children frequently visit will qualify for a CO alarm on each living level of their home. Unfinished basements and attic spaces will not qualify as living space. A $5 donation is requested but no one will be refused if unable to donate. Renters and homeowners may both qualify but landlords do not qualify for this program, occupants only.What is carbon monoxide (CO)? CO is a colorless and odorless gas that is the byproduct of incomplete fuel burning. Any fuel, wood or natural gas will produce CO. An improperly vented gas water heater, furnace or fireplace are the typical causes of CO poisoning. Another common cause of CO poisoning is leaving a car running in an attached garage. Within minutes, CO can begin to accumulate in the residence.Common side effects of CO poisoning include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, and nausea and dizziness. Death often occurs when these symptoms are dismissed as flu or other minor illness. Sometimes CO can accumulate for days before becoming deadly. A common way to diagnose a possibility of CO is if several members of the family have similar symptoms.According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) between the years 1999 and 2010, there were 5,149 deaths from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States. The average is 430 deaths per year. Those deaths were highest among those 65 and older. In most of those cases, a working CO alarm would have prevented a death.To obtain a carbon monoxide alarm, residents must reside in the Wright City Fire Protection District and contact the district. A series of questions will be asked to determine if a resident qualifies. A crew will contact qualified residents to set up a time to install the alarm. At that time, they will have a survey for you to complete for statistical purposes and to satisfy the requirements for the grant.For more information, contact the fire district at 636-745-2262.Safe Kids Eastern Quad Counties provides services for children aged 19 years and younger in Montgomery, Pike, Lincoln, and Warren counties. Safe Kids Worldwide is a global organization dedicated to preventing accidental and childhood injury. Worldwide, a child dies or is seriously injured every 30 seconds. These injuries often occur in predictable ways and can be completely avoided with the right education, awareness and planning.Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 500 coalitions in the United States and partners with organizations in 25 countries around the world to reduce injuries from motor vehicles, sports, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.safekids.org/.Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarm