*******Carbon monoxide poisoning should NOT be a concern to parents when they drop their kids off at state-licensed daycares and educational facilities!*******

Did you know there's a good chance the daycare or school you send your child to in the State of Missouri (and Kansas!) isn't required to have a carbon monoxide detector installed on the premises? I didn’t until a local Kansas City preschool in my neighborhood made national news for sending several students and teachers to the hospital sick with carbon monoxide poisoning.

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Signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are extremely serious and may include:

• Dull headache
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Loss of consciousness

Carbon monoxide poisoning can be particularly dangerous for people who are sleeping or intoxicated. People may have irreversible brain damage or even die before anyone realizes there's a problem.

At risk for carbon monoxide poisoning are children in particular, as young children take breaths more frequently than adults do, which may make them more susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.

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• This petition asks for legislation in the State of Missouri that would make carbon monoxide detectors (and more frequent regular servicing/inspection of them) a REQUIREMENT for all state licensed daycare + educational facilities, regardless of year built.

• In addition this petition asks that childcare workers, educators and administrative staff in these facilities be better trained/certified on how to spot symptoms + create clear emergency plans around carbon monoxide in addition to their CPR/First Aid training + fire/tornado/intruder emergency drills.

• This petition also asks for immediate, transparent documentation in the form of an accessible link or database of which Missouri Schools (daycare, public, private, charter) ARE or ARE NOT actively protected from carbon monoxide.

A quick Google search of carbon monoxide scares at schools will show you what a national issue this is – and unfortunately is being experienced locally here in Missouri.

For the health and safety of our children and educators, please sign!

-Chelsea Tedlock