Hasan Noori, Deputy of the National Emergency Organization, referring to the concerning statistics of poisonings in the country, reported that 830 Iranians died from carbon monoxide poisoning last year. This bitter statistic indicates a critical safety situation in homes and the dangers posed by toxic gases.
Social Responsibilities and Accident Prevention
Noori emphasized that in many cases, especially poisonings, management and treatment can be improved by following a few simple guidelines. On average, about 10,000 victims of drug and chemical poisonings visit the emergency services each month. Although this number may not be significant compared to the total volume of emergency operations, it is considered a preventable and important statistic.
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The Deputy of the National Emergency Organization also referred to seasonal poisonings and said: "In April and May, we face an increase in poisonings from toxic mushrooms, mainly due to citizens' ignorance in picking and consuming wild mushrooms."
Risks of Carbon Monoxide
Noori, pointing to the onset of the cold season and the increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, highlighted the characteristics of this gas and said: "Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, and no one will notice its presence when exposed to it." He also mentioned the similarity of the symptoms of this poisoning with cold symptoms and added: "Fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness are initial signs of carbon monoxide poisoning that are often not taken seriously."
Noori, citing a real example from emergency calls, pointed to the importance of quick diagnosis of poisonings and said: "Recently, someone called 115 and calmly reported that his son had fallen off the couch and was bleeding. However, in reality, the entire family was severely poisoned by carbon monoxide." Thanks to the alertness of the emergency expert, this family was saved, but had action been delayed, a disaster could have occurred.
In conclusion, Noori urged citizens to take warnings seriously to prevent bitter and irreparable accidents at the beginning of the cold season. Using unvented heaters, returning early to contaminated environments, and relying solely on opening windows are among the common mistakes in this regard. The binding power of carbon monoxide with hemoglobin in the blood is much greater than that of oxygen, and until safety experts declare the environment safe, one should not return to the accident site.
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