A novel method for continuous environmental surveillance for carbon monoxide exposure to protect emergency medical service providers and patients.

Background: Carbon monoxide exposure is an important, but frequently undiagnosed, cause for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response. Its elusive characteristics and non-specific symptoms make detection difficult without monitoring devices. Consequently, both patients and EMS providers are at increased risk of harm from such exposures.

Case Series: We report a series of five cases of carbon monoxide encounters, in which carbon monoxide exposure was not suspected, whereby portable (pager-sized) environmental carbon monoxide detectors, that provide continuous surveillance of the ambient air, were utilized. These devices were carried within, or attached to, the first-in medical jump bags, alerting EMS crews to potentially harmful levels of carbon monoxide.

Conclusion: This case series highlights the importance of environmental surveillance for carbon monoxide by EMS providers, particularly in such cases where its presence is not suspected. This was, in fact, the case in all the encounters presented herein.