Firefighters execute dramatic rescue of children overcome by carbon monoxide

You’ve got to love and respect firefighters but occasionally they say some interesting things.

From Bay News 9 in Florida. Carbon monoxide sickened some children at a hockey rink in Clearwater. A malfunction of a machine that helps keep the ice cold was the cause. The fire department came and some children were treated at a hospital and released. Everyone is fine.

Here are quotes from two different fire officials. They occur one after the other in the article.

"This may be a mechanical failure. This is a rare occurrence," [Largo Fire Chief Mike] Wallace said. "There were lethal levels of carbon monoxide."

"Upon arrival, they found carbon monoxide levels at 96 parts per million. That's elevated -- nothing immediately dangerous to health and life -- but that we needed to evacuate the building," Largo Fire District Chief David Mixson said following an investigation.

Just for the record, the level of 96 ppm is a little short of “lethal.” Here’s a chart showing the symptoms usually seen at various levels of carbon monoxide exposure.