Carbon monoxide is an odorless, invisible, and deadly gas heavy on the minds of paramedics and other medical responders this time of year as homeowners fire up furnaces and space heaters to stay warm.

Common devices in the home, from lanterns and fireplaces to clothes dryers and stoves, can produce the dangerous gas, and homeowners won’t know they are in peril unless they have something in their home that detects the gas.

That’s why the Alpena Fire Department is encouraging residents to get a carbon monoxide detector, which, like a smoke detector, can sound an alarm if levels of the gas become dangerous in your home.

We join the Fire Department in encouraging every resident to pick one up.

The Fire Department has some to hand out. Call 989-354-1850 to ask if any are still available.

If they’re not, they can be picked up at most hardware stores and at big box stores for about $20.

It’s a small investment to make sure you stay safe.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)