Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon Monoxide Detectors - Are they necessary?

Everything you read these days talks about carbon monoxide and the dangers associated with it. How serious can it be? And what should I look out for? Hopefully, the following article will help answer some of those questions.

Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, highly toxic gas that is produced by incomplete combustion. It is important to know that carbon monoxide is deadly from the toxicity standpoint long before it reaches the combustible range. Carbon Monoxide comes from appliances that consume coal, oil, wood, propane gas, natural gas, and other hydrocarbon based fuels. It is absorbed by the hemoglobin of the blood cells and replaced the oxygen of the red blood cells that you body needs. When carbon monoxide replaces enough oxygen, your body begins to suffocate from the inside - out and may cause brain damage, coma and/or death.

The carbon monoxide concentrations and the effects from the concentrations vary from different levels of carbon monoxide and the exposure time. If you feel you have carbon monoxide in your building, you can call your local plumber or the city to test your home for carbon monoxide.

Gas Leak Information

Good Information about Gas Leaks

Natural Gas is an odorless and colorless gas. The City Gas Department adds odorant into the system so that leaks can be detected. Here are a few natural gas safety tips:

• Always operate gas appliances in accordance with manufacturers recommendations.
• If you suspect a leak, call the Gas Department immediately.
• If you smell gas, avoid flame and operation of electric switches or appliances.
• If odor is extremely strong, evacuate the building and call for help from another location.
• Insure that only a qualified person turns gas back on and relights appliances.
• Be aware of symptoms or illness from inadequate air supply. They include: headaches, ringing in the ears, vomiting, fluttering or throbbing heart. These symptoms could mean a problem with chimney exhaust, also.
• If you suspect an exhaust problem, get fresh air, shut off the gas, and have the problem checked by an expert.
• If you have a gas smell at your residence, contact the City offices and they will send the gas department to check out the problem, free of charge. From 7:30a - 4:30p, you can call 551-2565 and after hours, you can call Brent Hamilton, Gas Dept. foreman at 551-1357 or Brian Warner, Gas Dept. Asst. at 551-2179. In an emergency, you can call the Hawarden Hospital at 551-1121 and they will contact the city personnel for you.

Library News

Library News

Start planning for Children’s Book Week at the Hawarden Public Library. We are beginning a busy week with a book sale from November 13 -15 in the library meeting room. On Friday and Saturday, you may bring your own bag and fill it with sale items at the cost of $4.00.

Monday, November 17 is our “After School at the Library” program. This is geared to children in the 2nd and 3rd grades. Call to register your child at 551-2244. The program runs from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. On the 18th, we are inviting all teachers to a coffee beginning at 3:30 p.m. National Education Week coincides with Children’s Book Week. This is the library’s way of saying thank you to our educators.

Teachers will also be able to view the many new books that we have added to our collection. Finally, children from kindergarten on up are invited to a open house on Wednesday, November 19 to check out the new books and have refreshments. There will also be an opportunity to register for prizes that the library will be giving away during “Children’s Book Week”.