Manitowoc Woman Escapes Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Thanks To Paper Carrier

For Amanda Denault, delivering papers Nov. 1st gave her a chill down her spine. She approached one of the homes on her paper route and heard an alarm going off inside the residence. She sincerely felt that something was wrong inside the home. She decided to call 911 at about 3:30 a.m., and her actions may have been a literal lifesaver.

The Herald Times Reporter reported the story yesterday, which stated that several emergency vehicles pulled up to the residence after Amanda and her father F. Greg Denault called 911 early that morning. The alarm that Amanda had heard from within the residence, that sent chills down her spine, was a carbon monoxide alarm, indicating that there were elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the residence. The home was located on her usual route along West Crescent Drive in Manitowoc, WI.

Carbon monoxide has been called the “silent killer.” It’s colorless, odorless, tasteless, and its symptoms can mimic the flu. It can cause serious ongoing problems for people involved in the weeks after the actual carbon monoxide poisoning. Although the news story says that no permanent damage was caused, it’s possible that the toxins that are left in the brain after a poisoning can cause brain damage.

The source of the carbon monoxide is still in question. The story states that it could have possibly been caused by a gas leak. In addition to a CO alarm, one key line of defense against a carbon monoxide leak is regular maintenance of fuel-burning appliances in the home.

This was not the only carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred in the past few weeks in Manitowoc, WI. Seventeen people were sent to the hospital a few weeks ago in Manitowoc due to carbon monoxide poisoning in a building block that included apartments and a cafe. Wisconsin law requires a carbon monoxide detector in any residential building.

Manitowoc, WI Carbon Monoxide Leak Sends 17 To Hospital: https://carbonmonoxide-poisoning.com/2016/10/manitowoc-wi-carbon-monoxide-leak.html

Wisconsin Carbon Monoxide Law: https://carbonmonoxide-poisoning.com/2016/10/wisconsin-carbon-monoxide-law.html

In this current case, it was a twist of fate that saved the life of the Manitowoc woman. If Amanda hadn’t called 911, the problem could have been made much worse, possibly even fatal. She was in the right place at the right time. What a lifesaver. Yet just because the woman survived, doesn’t mean that carbon monoxide might not still leave her with permanent problems, including permanent brain damage.