Carbon monoxide's deadly trail.

• Position: Your Life - Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide, the colorless, odorless gas that is produced when any fuel is not burned completely, kills 2,000 people annually, and deaths are on the rise as homes are made more airtight to help conserve energy. Homeowners also are at higher risk for poisoning when new high-efficiency gas and oil furnaces are hooked up to existing flues, or when soot or animal nests obstruct chimneys.

Families should be especially aware in the cold weather of symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, which often mimic winter ailments. These include flu-like complaints such as dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and irregular breathing, as well as seasonal depression.

Susanne Johnson, advanced practice registered nurse and pediatric trauma coordinator for the Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Children's Hospital, shares these safety tips:

* Check all fuel-burning appliances to ensure they are operating properly. Consumers should have their home-heating systems (including chimneys and flues) inspected each year for proper operations and leakage.

* Make certain all appliances have adequate ventilation. A supply of fresh air is important to help carry pollutants up the chimney, stovepipe, or flue, and is necessary for the complete combustion of any fuel.

* Never use charcoal grills in an enclosed space such as a home, garage, vehicle, of tent...