TULSA, Okla. — "The dangers of a vehicle is how small it is," warns Kayla Stack, a Paramedic Supervisor with EMSA.
While Stack said you should never run a car indoors, she adds that even running a car outdoors isn't free of danger.
This danger became real in July, when three Marines, one hailing from Oklahoma, were found dead in a vehicle at a North Carolina gas station. The culprit? Lethal amounts of carbon monoxide.
- Related story >>> 3 Marines found dead in car near Camp Lejeune
In a separate incident on Sunday, two Rogers High School teens died in a car parked at a Tulsa donut shop.
In both cases, investigators believe the deaths were accidental, though what caused the fumes to enter the car is still unclear.
"They call it the silent killer," says Josh Cook, owner of Hypnotic Customs. With over 20 years under his belt in the custom and mechanic business, Cook is no stranger to the dangers posed by carbon monoxide.
As he works on a catalytic converter for a client, he explains, "You have this stuff inside called catalyst. This is what takes the carbon monoxide and pushes it out of the vehicle."
Cook prides his shop on utilizing specialized tools that monitor key indicators of gases, emphasizing safety.
Both Stack and Cook advise keeping a carbon monoxide detector in the car.
Cook says the older the car, the stronger his recommendation is. "If you’re running an older vehicle, say 2011 and down, I would have one. Or if you have a custom exhaust, of course."
EMSA also wants the public to be aware of what carbon dioxide looks and feels like. "It starts very slightly with a headache, weakness, dizziness. The symptoms will begin to get worse. You will start to get nauseous, and in and out of consciousness, until you do become unconscious, and then death."
If someone suspects they are being affected, Stack's advice is clear: "Immediately leave the location. Roll the windows down, leave the house, exit the areas. Because air, oxygen, is what’s going to fix that. We want you in fresh air. Call 911 immediately."
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