2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Caution: Mind your sensor
Carbon monoxide detectors expire despite operative power source
Tara Bannow
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Money/Health
The party wound down around midnight May 27, 2007 at Sawbill Canoe Outfitters in northern Minnesota. Bonfires were put out. Camp counselors moseyed back to their cabins. Little did they know, it was the last time they would see their co-worker, David Bodeau.
The next morning, the 19-year-old college freshman was still in bed. His alarm clock was going off, but he was dead.
Bodeau died from carbon monoxide poisoning when the propane heater in his cabin malfunctioned - despite the carbon monoxide detector next to his bed.
Two days before, David told his parents he tested the detector and changed the batteries.
"He pushed the button; it made a noise; the light flashed; he thought he was safe," said David's father, Don Bodeau.
In the wake of the tradgedy, David's mother, Kim Bodeau, said she checked the batteries from David's detector - they worked.
"We began to wonder 'what's going on here?'" she said.
As it turns out, testing the batteries does not test the sensor within the machine that measures carbon monoxide in the air, she said.
In some cases, including David's, even the tester button on a carbon monoxide detector will show it to be working properly even if it is not, said Don Bodeau.
Carbon monoxide detectors need to be replaced every five to seven years, said Heather Caldwell, spokesperson for Kidde, a company that produces carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms and other safety appliances.
David's carbon monoxide detector was made in 1996, Kim Bodeau said, and although its battery power was fine, its sensor was not. Therefore, the detector did not alert him of the high carbon monoxide level in his cabin.
In 2001, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., a nonprofit product safety certification organization that tests products and sets standards, declared all carbon monoxide detectors must have end-of-life warnings and notifications of the detector's expiration, in order to receive UL certification, said John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager for Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
The next morning, the 19-year-old college freshman was still in bed. His alarm clock was going off, but he was dead.
Bodeau died from carbon monoxide poisoning when the propane heater in his cabin malfunctioned - despite the carbon monoxide detector next to his bed.
Two days before, David told his parents he tested the detector and changed the batteries.
"He pushed the button; it made a noise; the light flashed; he thought he was safe," said David's father, Don Bodeau.
In the wake of the tradgedy, David's mother, Kim Bodeau, said she checked the batteries from David's detector - they worked.
"We began to wonder 'what's going on here?'" she said.
As it turns out, testing the batteries does not test the sensor within the machine that measures carbon monoxide in the air, she said.
In some cases, including David's, even the tester button on a carbon monoxide detector will show it to be working properly even if it is not, said Don Bodeau.
Carbon monoxide detectors need to be replaced every five to seven years, said Heather Caldwell, spokesperson for Kidde, a company that produces carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms and other safety appliances.
David's carbon monoxide detector was made in 1996, Kim Bodeau said, and although its battery power was fine, its sensor was not. Therefore, the detector did not alert him of the high carbon monoxide level in his cabin.
In 2001, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., a nonprofit product safety certification organization that tests products and sets standards, declared all carbon monoxide detectors must have end-of-life warnings and notifications of the detector's expiration, in order to receive UL certification, said John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager for Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
CO Informer
posted 4/08/08 @ 11:07 AM CST
My condolences to the entire Bodeau family. This type of awful events can so easily be avoided by following the instructions in this article. Everyone get the word out!
I am fortunate to work at a company that makes CO alarms, and so I was able to test my home CO detector at work. (Continued…)
Rocco Mastrolonardo
posted 5/02/08 @ 4:45 AM CST
As stated by your earlier contributor, we too would like to extend our condolences to the Bodeau family. Sadly tragic events such as these seem to become all too common. (Continued…)
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