I Never Knew About This Hidden Danger To My Kids On The Lake

I've been on the water in Minnesota my whole life. I grew up in Northern Minnesota and was in a boat as soon as I could fit into a life jacket. Now, as a parent, I take my kids out tubing every weekend I can. I thought I knew of all the dangers.

You of course want to make sure they are strong swimmers. You make sure they have a proper life jacket on. You don't take them out if there's a lot of boat traffic. I don't consume any alcoholic beverages. We have a spotter keep track of them, while I keep my eyes on where we are going as the driver.

The danger that never even crossed my mind was open-air carbon monoxide poisoning. I honestly didn't even know it was a thing.

Andy's story

An Oklahoma mother shared the story of her son Andy who passed away at the age of 9. They were on the boat that day, and Andy said he wasn't feeling well. They headed back to shore, and that's when Adam passed out and fell into the water where he drowned. His mother now has made it her mission to warn as many other parents as she can.

Most of us know about carbon monoxide dangers in our homes, RV, or other enclosed spaces. But what about when you are outside?

It can happen in a boat if the motor is running and the conditions are right where the exhaust can come up and back into the boat. At a concentrated enough level it can cause poisoning. That's what happened in Andy's case. They were in a no-wake zone and slowly moving back to the dock.

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How can you protect your kids from open-air carbon monoxide?

Recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. They can be very similar to being just tired after a long day in the sun. Those symptoms include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Chest Pain
• Confusion

Immediately get the victim to clean fresh air and seek medical attention.

The rear of the boat is the most dangerous area.

The back of the boat, near the engine is where higher concentrations of carbon monoxide can backdraft into the boat. It can also linger for a while after the boat has been shut off.