Lewes councilwoman survives carbon monoxide scare

A recipe for chicken and dumplings almost became a recipe for disaster for Trina Brown-Hicks.

Brown-Hicks, Lewes’ newest city councilwoman, was baking her signature dish in her brand-new oven Nov. 6 for a city hall potluck lunch the next day.

“They said the first time you use it there will be an oil smell, so I didn’t think much of it,” she said. “I was going to put the chicken in the oven, put it on a timer and go to sleep. But here’s the weird part: I heard a voice say that my CO detectors were going to go off that night.”

About 30 minutes later, two talking detectors began blaring, “Evacuate, evacuate.”

“I was in my pajamas; I grabbed my keys and my pocketbook. I called 911 and got in my car to keep warm,” she said.

She said the firefighters and paramedics arrived in minutes.

“The first thing we do is ask, ‘How are you feeling?’” said Deputy Fire Chief Bob Murray of the Lewes Fire Department. “A lot of times they’ll say, ‘I feel a little giddy and my head hurts.’ So, you’ve probably been exposed.”

Brown-Hicks said she felt fine and did not need medical attention, so firefighters went to work airing out the house and looking for the source of the carbon monoxide.

“They took readings and said it was definitely the oven,” Brown-Hicks said.

The firefighters said the stove had not been installed correctly, which caused a leak.

Murray said the Lewes Fire Department runs an average of three to five carbon monoxide alarms every month. He said paramedics have mini-detectors on their bags that alert them to high CO levels so they don’t get caught.

Murray said they only receive readings on their sensitive equipment 10% of the time. Most of the time it is a faulty detector.

But, he said, it could take only minutes for somebody to be overcome, so always err on the side of caution.

“Odorless, colorless, you might not know anything is going on until you’re there over the long haul. So, we would rather have people call and go outside,” he said.

He said he has experienced dangerous situations himself.

“We go to these calls, the family is outside, I take the meter, go to the door, it goes up to 400, 500, 600 parts per million, which is deadly. So I have to stop and wait for the guys with breathing apparatus to go in,” Murray said.

Murray said there is a safety checklist to follow:

• Make sure exhaust ducts are clear of blockages, like leaves and mulch, so carbon monoxide doesn’t back up into the house

• Learn how to use carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, especially in new homes and rentals

• Trust the alarm: chirping usually means a low battery or faulty sensor, but a repeated, steady alarm could mean danger.

Murray said carbon monoxide is a lower gas, so detectors should be mounted about 3 feet off the floor

“Some people have really nice units, but installing them on 15-foot cathedral ceilings is not the best,” he said. “There should be one near the heater, one near the kitchen and the sleeping areas.”

Murray said dual-function carbon monoxide-smoke detectors sold at retailers like Walmart, Lowes or Home Depot are reputable.

But, he said, detectors have a 10-year shelf life, so always check the date.

“Flip it over and look at the manufacture date, because they could be on the shelf for two or three years,” he said. “If I’m building new houses, and I’m buying 100 of them, they might all be 2023s. If one is bad, check the rest of them, because you might need to buy five.”

A link to a full list of carbon monoxide safety tips can be found at lewesfire.com.

Brown-Hicks thanked Lewes Fire Chief Robbie Stephens at the Nov. 10 mayor and city council meeting for the department’s quick response in helping her.

As for the chicken and dumplings, she was able to finish cooking them in her neighbor’s oven and take them to the potluck lunch as planned.

She said the incident should be a wake-up call for everyone.

“I’m so thankful I had the CO detectors, because it saved my life. It literally saved my life,” she said.