Carbon Monoxide Awareness

If you know me a little bit about me then you know my personal feelings towards AirBnb and my automatic preference with hotels over them – if you don’t you about to fine out. 

Something happened earlier this month that shook the black travel community immensely. So much so that I feel like this needs its own post rather than a mention in a packing checklist. 

Airbnbs

Sadly, three black travelers went to Mexico for ‘Día de las Muertos’ (Day of the Dead). They all passed away in their Airbnb due to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. From the moment the news broke and stories were shared of them feeling ill before going to sleep – alarm bells went off in my head.

On AirBnb’s website only has a small paragraph in relation to Carbon Monoxide – which is hard to find unless you are looking for it.

I know I have my biases when it comes to AirBnb due to past experiences. However as someone who has worked in the property industry for the last 11 years here in London -they do not sit well with me. A company offering places to stay without ensuring the people listing their property without mandatory Carbon Monoxide detectors is not okay. There are a multitude of these stories over the years of people falling ill in AirBnbs with Carbon Monoxide poisonings.

Whether its vomiting, going to lie down to ‘sleep off’ the flu-like symptoms and either passing out or dying. This NOT ok. 

You might be thinking – what is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon Monoxide is an odourless and colourless gas that is produced when fuel is burned. Which mades it extremely difficult to detect without a detector.

Sometimes the only way to know if you have been exposed to Carbon Monoxide is by the symptoms it produces when you are exposed to it.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Actually knowing the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can help you respond quickly in case of an emergency. Here are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in the common order of onset:

• Fatigue or weakness
• General discomfort or feeling ill
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Light-headedness
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Chest pain
• Vomiting
• Blurry vision
• Disorientation or delirium
• Unconsciousness
• Death

Carbon Monoxide poisoning is treatable if it is caught in time but the worse thing to do is stay in the place when you are feeling like this. My suggestion for any traveller (whether you are in a hotel or not) is to buy a portable carbon monoxide detector.

I have two that I use – one that I got from Asda and the other from Amazon (you can click – the link will take you straight there).

As much as my checklist can seem extreme to some people – I share it because it helps keep us safe to be able to travel wherever and whenever we want. AirBnb says that our safety is up to us and so it I have taken it up on myself to help my community to be informed before it is too late.

All there is left for me to say now is RIP to the three friends; Kandace Florence, Jordan Marshall and Courtez Hall, may you rest in perfect peace.

Tillyah x