Birmingham, AL – Winter officially begins today as Alabama observes the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. While Alabama is known for relatively mild winters, safety officials say the longest night of the year can still bring serious risks inside homes—particularly from carbon monoxide exposure during overnight temperature drops.
In Alabama, cold snaps often arrive suddenly, catching residents off guard. Space heaters, fireplaces, gas heaters, and portable fuel heaters are sometimes used to supplement central heating, especially overnight when temperatures dip the lowest. During winter storms or power outages, generators may also be used. With windows closed and limited ventilation, these conditions can allow carbon monoxide to build up indoors.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced when fuel-burning appliances do not burn completely or are not properly vented. Because it cannot be seen or smelled, it is commonly referred to as the “invisible killer.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbon monoxide poisoning sends tens of thousands of Americans to emergency rooms each year, with spikes often occurring during sudden cold weather events—even in Southern states.
Medical experts warn that carbon monoxide poisoning disables far more people than it kills, often leaving survivors with long-term neurological or cognitive damage. Early symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and confusion. As exposure continues, symptoms can escalate to chest pain, vomiting, impaired coordination, loss of consciousness, and death. Because these symptoms can resemble flu-like illness or general fatigue, many people do not realize the danger until exposure becomes severe.
Fire departments across Alabama caution that carbon monoxide incidents often increase during cold nights like those surrounding the Winter Solstice. Common causes include space heaters placed too close to furniture or walls, grills or fuel heaters used indoors or on enclosed porches, generators operated too close to homes, and vehicles left running in garages. Even brief exposure in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces can be deadly.
Safety officials urge Alabama residents to ensure carbon monoxide detectors are installed on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas—even in homes that rarely use heating systems. Alarms should be tested regularly, and batteries replaced as needed. Residents are also advised never to use grills, camp stoves, or fuel-powered heaters indoors, to operate generators outdoors and far from windows and doors, and to follow manufacturer safety instructions for heating equipment.
If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, officials say residents should leave the home immediately and call 911 or the local fire department from outside. Anyone experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure should seek emergency medical care without delay.
As Alabama experiences the longest night of the year, safety officials say the Winter Solstice is more than a calendar milestone. It is also a reminder that carbon monoxide—the invisible killer—can pose a serious but preventable threat when cold weather catches residents unprepared.
