We think about it a little less as the weather warms up, but a recent incident in Harrison County underscores the importance of properly ventilating for alternative heat sources and having working carbon monoxide detectors.

Bowerstown Volunteer Fire Department responders and those from other Harrison County departments arrived at a Bowerstown home Tuesday to find four members of the same family in urgent need of help.

“All four were severely ill with carbon monoxide poisoning,” Bowerston VFD Capt. Adam Reardon told The Times Leader. “They had utilized a propane stove with improper ventilation and there were high levels of carbon monoxide in the home.”

While Reardon said he believed all four people would recover, they will have to undergo “a lot of treatment.” Carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in cells and requires special treatment to be pushed back out again.

Whether for heating or cooking, using alternatives that require certain fuels can be incredibly dangerous.

“If you are using fuel products such as propane for heat, hot water or cooking, make sure you have working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors,” Reardon said. “If (the family) had a carbon monoxide detector, it would have alerted them earlier and they could have evacuated.”

In this case, those first on scene did not have the necessary equipment. The family is fortunate Urichsville, Scio and Tappan Lake fire departments were also able to respond. Urichsville was able to transport two of the patients.

Many factors conspired to bring this “small mass casualty incident” to the brink of utter tragedy. While Reardon, his department and the other first responders are to be commended for their quick action in saving this family, he is right to hope the incident will serve as a lesson to others.

Take the necessary steps to ensure a similar incident doesn’t unfold — perhaps with deadly consequences — in your own home.