SMETHPORT — A local man recently succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning, and law enforcement is reaching out to remind the public to be cautious.

District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer said, every year, law enforcement officers are called to deaths that have been caused by the silent killer.

In recent years, other deaths and hospitalizations have been attributed to the gas, including an Eldred couple and a family in Mount Jewett.

Bradford City Fire Chief Eric Taylor suggested tips from the National Fire Protection Association to keep families safe.

Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. Heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.

Taylor said CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height. Choose a CO alarm that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory.

Call your local fire department’s non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds, the chief explained.

Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.

If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel declare that it is safe to re-enter the home.

A few tips for safety:

For any other questions, call your local fire department.