Oklahoma City, OK – Winter officially begins today as Oklahoma marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. While Oklahoma winters can fluctuate sharply, safety officials warn that the longest night of the year often brings heightened risks inside homes—particularly from carbon monoxide exposure during sudden temperature drops.
Cold snaps across Oklahoma frequently arrive with little warning, prompting residents to rely on furnaces, space heaters, fireplaces, and portable fuel heaters for warmth. During winter storms or high-wind events that cause power outages, generators may also be used. With windows closed and homes sealed to retain heat, ventilation is reduced, allowing 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 widely known 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 winter months posing the highest risk—even in Southern Plains states like Oklahoma.
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 winter fatigue, many people do not recognize the danger until exposure becomes severe.
Fire departments across Oklahoma consistently 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 walls or furniture, grills or fuel heaters used indoors or in enclosed spaces, generators operated too close to homes, and vehicles left running in garages. Even brief exposure in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas can be deadly.
Safety officials urge Oklahoma residents to ensure carbon monoxide detectors are installed on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, even in homes that do not regularly 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 guidelines for all 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 Oklahoma experiences the longest night of the year, safety officials say the Winter Solstice is more than a seasonal milestone. It is also a reminder that carbon monoxide—the invisible killer—poses a serious but preventable danger when cold weather catches residents unprepared.
