The State Fire Marshall will require owners of single family homes that have a fossil-fuel burning appliance, fireplace, or attached garage to install CO alarms by July 1, 2011.

According to the American Medical Association, carbon monoxide  is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. The  federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that carbon  monoxide kills approximately 500 people each year and injures another  20,000 people nationwide.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a  person cannot see or smell carbon monoxide. At high levels carbon monoxide  can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide is produced whenever any  fuel, such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal, is burned.

The State Air Resources Board estimates that every year carbon  monoxide accounts for between 30 and 40 avoidable deaths, possibly  thousands of avoidable illnesses, and between 175 and 700 avoidable  emergency room and hospital visits.

There are well-documented chronic health effects of acute carbon  monoxide poisoning or prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide, including,  but not limited to, lethargy, headaches, concentration problems, amnesia,  psychosis, Parkinson’s disease, memory impairment, and personality  alterations.

Experts estimate that equipping every home with a carbon monoxide  device would cut accident-related costs by 93 percent. Eighteen states and  a number of large cities have laws mandating the use of carbon monoxide  devices.

Carbon monoxide devices provide a vital, highly effective, and  low-cost protection against carbon monoxide poisoning and these devices  should be made available to every home in California.

An owner of a dwelling unit intended for human occupancy  shall install a carbon monoxide device, approved and listed by the State  Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13263, in each existing dwelling unit  having a fossil fuel burning heater or appliance, fireplace, or an attached  garage, within the earliest applicable time period as follows:  (1) For all existing single-family dwelling units intended for human  occupancy on or before July 1, 2011.  (2) For all other existing dwelling units intended for human occupancy  on or before January 1, 2013.