The Portage Fire Department, Manitoba Hydro and Emergency Medical Services responded to a carbon monoxide alarm at a residence on 6th Avenue this past Sunday evening.

Upon arrival, crews found high levels of carbon monoxide in the residence, which Manitoba Hydro was later able to confirm emanated from the furnace. The family was treated and released on scene by paramedics.

This incident highlights the importance of having a working carbon monoxide alarm. Deputy Fire Chief Dave Holmes says a carbon monoxide detector should be placed on each level of your home, especially outside of sleeping areas. He says it's important to ensure the detectors are working properly and have good backup batteries.

"It's a good idea to check it monthly. It will have a test button on it, most likely," says Holmes. "When you're changing your batteries in your smoke alarms, which we recommend you do at least twice a year, it doesn't hurt to go ahead and do a check of the battery on the car carbon monoxide detector as well."

He notes it's also important to have your furnace and chimney cleaned every year, and ensure they're in proper working order, to reduce the risk of a carbon monoxide incident.

The colourless, odourless gas can quickly overcome people in high enough concentrations. It can cause flu-like symptoms including headaches, nausea and dizziness, sometimes confusion and drowsiness and, in severe instances, loss of consciousness and even death.

Holmes says if someone in your household is experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, it's important to get everyone out of the house and call the fire department or 9-1-1 from outside your home. He says they attend a fair amount of calls where carbon monoxide alarms are going off. While most of the time it is simply a case of an expired or faulty detector, given this most recent incident, it's better to be safe.