Carbon monoxide is invisible gas that can kill in minutes. Here's what you should know

Every year, especially during hurricane season, the warnings go out: Don't use generators inside or near your house because of the risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.

And most people also know about the danger of keeping a car running inside a garage.

The deaths of three Marines — including one from Naples — show the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning are only too real.

Here's what you should know about the deadly gas around us every day.

What happened to the 3 Marines?

Three U.S. Marines were found dead inside a parked car at a gas station in a North Carolina community over the weekend, authorities said.

The Pender County Sheriff's Office said deputies were responding to a report of a missing person when they found the three Marines at about 9 a.m. July 23 at a Speedway convenience store in Hampstead, about 30 miles south of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Results from autopsies showed the three died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The U.S. Marines Corps announced the names of the three men as: Marine Corps Lance Corporal Ivan R. Garcia, 23, from Naples, Florida; Marine Corps Lance Corporal Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, from Madison, Wisconsin; and Marine Corps Lance Corporal Merax C. Dockery, 23, from Pottawatomie, Oklahoma.

'It can't be': 3 Marines found in car near Camp Lejeune died of carbon monoxide poisoning

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in the blood, according to the Mayo Clinic.

When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, the body replaces the oxygen in the red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This can lead to serious tissue damage or death.

It gas no odor, color or taste and is sometimes referred as the "invisible gas."

Where does carbon monoxide come from?

Carbon monoxide is found in fumes that are produced any time you burn fuel in cars or trucks, small engines — including generators— stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges or furnaces, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Carbon monoxide can build up indoors and poison anyone or anything that breathes it.

Appliances and engines that aren't well vented can cause the gas to build up to dangerous levels. A tightly enclosed space makes the buildup worse, according to the Mayo Clinic.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning according to the Centers for Disease Control, are:

• Headache.

• Dizziness.

• Weakness.

• Upset stomach.

• Vomiting.

• Chest pain.

• Confusion.

• Symptoms are often described as flu-like.

If you breathe in a lot of carbon monoxide, it can make you pass out or kill you, according to the Centers for Disease Control. People who are sleeping or drunk can die from carbon monoxide poisoning before they have symptoms.

How fast can carbon monoxide become deadly?

High concentrations of carbon monoxide kill in less than five minutes, according to Iowa State University's Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

At low concentrations, it takes longer to affect the body. Exceeding the EPA concentration of 9 ppm for more than eight hours is suspected to produce adverse health effects. The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety limit for healthy workers is 50 parts per million.

Carbon monoxide detectors are designed to measure the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air and sound an alarm if enough of the gas is around long enough to become a problem, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

If detected over the course of a few hours, carbon monoxide at 70 ppm will trigger an alarm. At the other end of the spectrum, dangerous concentrations above 400 ppm will do the same after just a few minutes.

What are the long-term effects of carbon monoxide exposure?

Continued exposure to carbon monoxide can cause permanent brain, nerve, or heart damage. Some people require years to recover while others never fully recover.

For those who survive, recovery is slow, according to Penn Medicine.

How well a person recovers depends on the amount and length of exposure to carbon monoxide. Permanent brain damage may occur.

If the person still has impaired mental ability after two weeks, the chance of a complete recovery is worse.

How is carbon monoxide poisoning treated?

If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, get into fresh air immediately and call 911.

Treatment at the hospital may include:

• Breathing pure oxygen to help organs and tissues.

• Getting treatment in an oxygen chamber. This helps replace carbon monoxide with oxygen in the blood to protect the heart and brain tissue from carbon monoxide damage.

Do you really turn bright red with carbon monoxide poisoning?

Cherry-red skin color is seen in only 2 percent to 3 percent of cases, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Where should you place carbon monoxide detectors in your home?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends every home have a carbon monoxide alarm.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends a carbon monoxide detector onevery floor of your home, including a basement.

A detector should be located within 10 feet of each bedroom door and there should be one near or over any attached garage.

Each detector should be replaced every five to six years.

Home monitors: Monitor your home's indoor air quality for these dangerous gases

When should you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning?

Some clues for a family include:

• Entire family is sick at the same time.

• Flu-like symptoms decrease while away from the house.

• Illness is present when gas appliances are in use.

• Excess moisture on the interior of windows.

Can carbon monoxide really get into your car?

Yes. There are several ways carbon monoxide can enter a vehicle, whether your vehicle is stationary or moving.

The most common method of carbon monoxide entering the car is via the heating and air conditioning system, according to Forensics Detectors.

Carbon monoxide also can enter a vehicle if there is an exhaust leak in the engine bay or under the vehicle. The gas also can enter the vehicle via the trunk.

Being exposed to carbon monoxide while driving can impair your motor skills, reflex time and hand-eye coordination.

Are there carbon monoxide detectors for your car?

There are meters that will detect any potential carbon monoxide buildup in your vehicle cabin, according to Forensics Detectors.

"We suggest using a portable CO detector designed for vehicles that can sound an alarm at 9 parts per million (ppm)," according to Forensics Detectors website.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Carbon monoxide poisoning: Symptoms, impact, monitors for home, auto