Shakopee Snapshot: Winter 2025

PUBLIC SAFETY

Protect yourself and loved ones with carbon monoxide alarms

Are carbon monoxide (CO) alarms installed and maintained in your home? If not, then it’s time to install them, as CO poisoning can be deadly, and the risk increases during the winter months. According to the National Fire Incident Reporting System, in 2023, fire departments responded to an estimated 82,245 carbon monox ide incidents, not including unintentional alarms. Often called the invisible killer, CO is an odorless, colorless gas cre ated when fuels burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burns fuel can be sources of CO. With indoor heating being an absolute necessity for Minnesota winters, the risk of uninten tional CO poisoning is increased during the colder months. It’s crucial to be mindful that anything with an engine, including win ter equipment like a portable generator running in a garage or semi enclosed space, can produce dangerous levels of CO. Shakopee Fire offers the following tips for making sure the CO alarms in your home are maintained and working properly: ■ Install and maintain CO alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, and in other locations, as required by local laws ■ If you have combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, follow the directions for smoke alarm installation ■ Test CO alarms once a month and replace them if they fail to respond correctly when tested

Mark your calendars: 10th Annual Diaper Drive runs Jan. 26–Feb. 6 The Shakopee Police Department will host its 10th Annual Diaper Drive from Jan. 26 through Feb. 6 in honor of former Crime Preven tion Specialist Janna Wood, who passed away in 2017 along with her baby due to Deep Vein Thrombosis. Feb. 5 marks the ninth anniversary of Wood’s passing, and the depart ment would love to honor her memory by supporting other local families in need. All donations collected during the drive will be given to Shakopee families with verified need. Community members are encouraged to drop off any amount, size, or type of diapers, wipes, and creams at the Shakopee Police Department, 475 Gorman St., while the drive is in progress. Donations can be left in the building entryway if dropped off after hours. If you’re unable to stop by in person, you can have items delivered directly to the department at the same address. Know the warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning, and other illnesses. The dangers of CO exposure depend on several variables, including the victim’s health and activity level. Infants, pregnant women, and people with physical conditions that limit their body’s ability to use oxygen can be more severely affected by lower concentrations of CO than others. ■ Shortness of breath ■ Nausea ■ Dizziness ■ Light headedness ■ Headaches ■ Confusion ■ Feeling better after leaving the building ■ Everyone in the home feels sick at the same time ■ Indoor pets appear ill ■ Replace the CO alarm according to manufacturer’s instructions or when the end-of-life signal sounds ■ Know the difference between the sound of the CO alarm and the smoke alarm, and each alarm’s low-battery signals Shakopee residents with questions about CO alarm requirements or installation may contact the Shakopee Fire Department at 952-233-9570. If you ever suspect CO poisoning in your home, leave the house, and call 911 immediately.

12 Shakopee Snapshot