Illinois Marks Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month
Governor JB Pritzker proclaimed November 2026 as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month, urging residents to take CO safety precautions.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Safety
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Governor JB Pritzker proclaimed November 2026 as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month in Illinois. The Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Illinois Department of Public Health urged residents to take carbon monoxide safety precautions.
Why it matters
Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas that humans cannot detect with their senses, and exposure is especially dangerous for pregnant individuals, infants, older adults and people with certain health conditions. As temperatures drop, Illinois residents begin using furnaces, fireplaces and other heating equipment.
The figures come from national totals of more than 100,000 annual emergency room visits and more than 1,200 annual deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States. The source does not provide Illinois-specific case counts, so state-level comparison is not available.
The players
JB Pritzker
JB Pritzker is the Governor of Illinois who issued the proclamation designating November 2026 as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month.
Office of the State Fire Marshal
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is the Illinois state agency that, together with the Illinois Department of Public Health, urged residents to take carbon monoxide safety precautions.
Illinois Department of Public Health
The Illinois Department of Public Health is the state agency that, alongside the Office of the State Fire Marshal, issued carbon monoxide safety guidance to residents.
The details
This year's campaign theme is 'A Lifetime of Protection: Every Age. Every Stage. Protected from CO.' Officials advise that furnaces, fireplaces, chimneys and other fuel-burning appliances be inspected and serviced by qualified professionals each year, and that generators never be run inside a home, garage, basement or other enclosed space.
Timeline
November 2026: Governor Pritzker's proclamation establishes Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month in Illinois.
Seasonal Patterns
Carbon monoxide risk rises each fall and winter as Illinois households switch on furnaces and fireplaces, so the November designation ties the awareness campaign to the heating season when exposure from fuel-burning appliances is most likely.
Residents should never operate a generator inside a home, garage, basement or other enclosed space, and should never run a vehicle in an attached garage even with the door open. If a CO alarm sounds, everyone should move outdoors to fresh air and call 911.
The takeaway
Carbon monoxide cannot be detected by human senses, so a working CO alarm is the only reliable warning. Check that alarms are installed and functioning before the heating season peaks.
Further reading
For more on seasonal home safety, browse Safety coverage across Illinois.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Effingham Radio.
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Have you checked that your home's carbon monoxide alarms are working this winter?
