Today, Aug. 20, 2025, a number of individuals were at the Piikani Nation Hockey Arena in Brocket when a carbon monoxide leak occurred.

All individuals who were in attendance should seek immediate medical attention for further testing if they have not already done so. This includes any individuals who are experiencing symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion or drowsiness. Please present to an emergency department for testing, letting them know of the carbon monoxide exposure.

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when you breathe too much carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a gas produced by burning any type of fuel—gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal. What makes this gas so dangerous is that when you breathe it, it replaces the oxygen in your blood. Without oxygen, cells throughout the body die, and the organs stop working.

You can’t see, smell, or taste carbon monoxide. But if you breathe too much of it, it can become deadly within minutes. So be sure you know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, what to do if you have the symptoms, and how to keep it from happening.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• Headache.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea/vomiting .

As carbon monoxide builds up in your blood, symptoms get worse and may include:

• Confusion and drowsiness.
• Fast breathing, fast heartbeat, or chest pain.
• Vision problems.
• Seizures.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur suddenly or over a long period of time. Breathing low levels of carbon monoxide over a long period can cause severe heart problems and brain damage.

How is carbon monoxide poisoning treated?

The best treatment is oxygen therapy. Breathing pure oxygen can bring the oxygen level in the blood back to normal. There are two kinds of oxygen therapy:

• 100% oxygen therapy. For this treatment, you breathe oxygen through a mask. This is the most common treatment.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. For this treatment, you lie inside a chamber that delivers oxygen under high pressure. This quickly reduces carbon monoxide levels in the blood.

With quick treatment, most people recover within a few days although long-term problems may show up later, therefore please follow up with your health care provider. 

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