CO poisoning concern for ice fishermen

Ice fishing is a great winter sport, typically associated with spending the day outsmarting illusive fish swimming under the ice, hanging out, braving the cold and, often seeking protection and warmth inside some sort of shack.

Unfortunately, these shacks, when heated, can poise a dangerous situation.

Rimbey Fire Chief John Weisgerber said ice fishermen need to be careful their shacks are properly ventilated.

“They also need to be sure they are not using a fuel burning device that is specifically designed for use in an outdoor area,” he said.

Weisgerber said a couple of Gull Lake fishermen experienced the effects of CO poisoning last weekend, adding the fire department was called to the lake along with Rimbey Emergency Services.

A spokesperson from Associated Ambulance in Rimbey refused comment on the incident.

While Weisgerber did not know the condition of the fishermen, he said they were probably suffering from symptoms of CO poisoning.

“Usually it causes dizziness and headaches and it can be deadly,” he said. “No doubt it happens more than we hear about.”

According to statistics from Health Canada each year numerous people die, are hospitalized or become ill as a result of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic colorless and odorless gas that can interfere with the delivery of oxygen by the blood to the body.

Exposure to low levels of CO can cause nausea, dizziness, headaches, confusion, fatigue and shortness of breath.

High level exposure can cause impaired vision, convulsions, coma and possibly death.

Ice shack tips on the Internet suggests positioning an ice fishing shack so that the door can be opened occasionally without the wind blasting in. Small windows or vents should be strategically placed in larger shacks and need to be open when the heater is running. Heaters should be vented to the outside and maintained routinely to reduce the possibility of harmful fumes building up.

For added security, a carbon monoxide detector can be installed in the ice shack.