Arizona Game and Fish Department
2221 W. Greenway Road
Phoenix, AZ 85023
(602) 942-3000

Department of Health Services
1740 W. Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2670
(602) 542-1001

PRESS RELEASE (Also See AZOD's note at the bottom)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Nov. 29, 2000

Contact: Michael Murphy, ADHS Public Information: (602) 542-1001; pager 591-5581

Joe Janisch, Arizona Game & Fish Department: (602) 789-3215
Dr. Robert Baron, Medical Director for Park Medics at Glen
Canyon National Recreation Area: (602) 239-6968


"Silent Killer" Prompts Departments Of Health Services And Game & Fish To
Launch Boater Safety Awareness Campaign

The Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Game & Fish Department today launched a public awareness campaign to educate boaters about a silent killer -- carbon monoxide poisoning.

The effort stems from an investigation that revealed carbon monoxide poisoning has been responsible for nine deaths on Lake Powell over the last six years, including the August deaths of two brothers, ages 8 and 11, who perished in front of family and friends while swimming at the rear of a houseboat. There have been a total of 111 boat-related serious carbon monoxide poisonings reported since 1990 on Lake Powell alone.

"For boaters, being poisoned by a deadly gas is probably the furthest thing from their minds," said Arizona Department of Health Services Director Catherine Eden. "We want people to take steps to ensure they don't become part of these alarming statistics."

Arizona Game & Fish Director Duane Shroufe said his department, working in conjunction with ADHS, will make public education about the hazards of carbon monoxide the top priority of the state's boater safety program. A statewide effort is especially important because similar conditions to Lake Powell exist on lakes across Arizona.

"Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in any motorized water craft or when any fuel is used in a generator or heater," said Kelley Fowke, boating education coordinator for the Arizona Game & Fish Department. "It can even happen in a boat with an open console if the conditions are right. An idling water craft with a light breeze from the stern could create conditions that can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning."

Dr. Robert Baron, Medical Director for Medics at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, said the reports of carbon monoxide poisoning at Lake Powell may be just "the tip of the iceberg" of similar problems nationwide. Many people who suffer carbon monoxide poisoning may be wrongly diagnosed, he said. Even worse, some deaths attributed to drowning may actually have been the result of carbon monoxide poisoning. The ages of the people who died on Lake Powell ranged from 8 to 66 years. "My number one goal in going to the public with this information is to prevent another death on Lake Powell or on any other lake because of carbon monoxide poisoning," Baron said. "We want the public to be aware of this danger."

The incidents on Lake Powell illustrate the severity of the problem: There have been seven fatal and 67 non-fatal carbon monoxide poisonings on houseboats; five of the seven people that died entered the airspace beneath the rear deck of the houseboat and the remaining two were near or on the swim platform when they lost consciousness and sank. Of the 67 non-fatal poisonings, 36 of the people were inside the boat cabin when poisoned, and 30 were outdoors. Twenty-five of the people that were poisoned on houseboats experienced loss of consciousness; 12 of those were pulled from the water and revived. Another 30 of the 111 total poisonings were on pleasure craft; two of those were fatal. Records did not identify a boat type on the remaining seven incidents. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas produced when fuels such as gasoline are burned. It is created by houseboat generators and boat engines, and can prove lethal when inhaled. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over 2,500 people in the United States will die per year of carbon monoxide poisoning, and over 10,000 will be hospitalized, making it the most common cause of death from poisoning in the U.S.

An ongoing investigation requested by the National Park Service has found a specific design of houseboat with a rear swimming platform to be a common denominator in seven of the nine deaths on Lake Powell. In each case, the houseboat was equipped with a rear-mounted generator exhaust system that directed the exhaust fumes underneath the back deck and swim platform. In some designs, there is a cavity underneath the back deck created by the back step. The exhaust is trapped in this cavity, creating a "death zone" where concentrations of carbon monoxide were found to be up to 30,000 parts per million. Immediate death occurs within one to three minutes when individuals are exposed to carbon monoxide gas at levels of 12,800 parts per million and above.

The August tragedy involving two young brothers spurred an investigation by NPS, which administers the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area; the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; the Department of Interior and the U.S. Coast Guard. The Arizona Department of Health Services also is taking part in the probe. The investigation was led by Robert Baron, M.D., Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center's co-director of Emergency Services, who also serves through Page Hospital as Medical Director of the Glen Canyon Recreational Area. Good Samaritan and Page are part of Banner Health Arizona. Jane Brown McCammon of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health was Dr. Baron's partner in this investigation. The two boys died while swimming at the rear of a houseboat on Lake Powell. Within minutes of entering the cavity beneath the swim deck, one of the boys lost consciousness and the other began to have convulsions. They disappeared in front of friends and family. The cause of death for many of these carbon monoxide poisonings is reported as "drowning" and tests for carbon monoxide are not routinely performed by medical examiners unless specifically requested. In addition, the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning mirror those of heat stress, flu or even alcohol consumption. As a result, there may be a significant under-reporting of carbon monoxide-related drowning and poisonings.

In August, the National Park Service issued a public alert warning of the hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning, particularly on some houseboats. It said boaters should be aware that carbon monoxide collects in the area under the back deck while the generator or engine is running and remains present for at least an hour after the engine or generator has been turned off. The NPS also recommended that any vessel with a rear mounted exhaust port, especially one that vents under a swimming platform, be modified to direct exhaust fumes where they will not produce a hazardous condition. NPS also is distributing a safety alert to all boaters at Lake Powell. The Arizona Game & Fish Department, which is responsible for regulating boat safety in Arizona, also is urging Arizona boaters to take a "Know Before You Go" boating education class. Carbon monoxide poisoning, and many other safety and legal topics, are covered in the Game & Fish Department's boating education class. Schedules can be found on the Department's web site at www.azgfd.com.

In addition, the Arizona Department of Health Services is urging these preventive measures:

  • Be aware of a houseboat design that has a rear mounted swim platform that directs exhaust fumes underneath the back deck. The exhaust becomes trapped in the cavity underneath the deck, creating a "death zone."

    * DO NOT swim near the back deck of a houseboat.

    * NEVER swim under the back deck of a houseboat.

    * DON'T swim near exhaust ports.

    * Watch for indications of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, and drowsiness while boating.

    * If you own a houseboat with rear mounted exhaust port, especially one that vents under a swimming platform, modify it to direct exhaust fumes where they will not produce a hazardous condition.

    * Any enclosed compartment on a boat that may be occupied should have a working carbon monoxide detector.


The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes they have been discriminated against in any Game and Fish program or activity, including its employment practices, the individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly with the Game and Fish Deputy Director, 2221 W. Greenway Rd., Phx., AZ 85023, (602) 789-3290 or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr., Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact the Game and Fish Deputy Director as listed above or by calling TTY at 1-800 367-8939.

AZOD invites you to be proactive with this advice. Use the information to brief your passengers and share the information with other boaters.