The sad state of basic knowledge among america's young adults.

[pembquist]

I know it sounds political but it's really just an anecdote and I'm wondering if it reflects a reality that I find disturbing. Here it goes:

We have a house in a ruralish part of Oregon that we rent out. You have to have CO detectors in every rental property ever since an Oregon family got wiped out in their sleep while staying at a vacation rental in a ski town in Colorado. So this house we rent out had 2 of the plug in battery back up type. The house has a catalytic wood stove as the only combustion appliance. At some point my wife tells me that she was at the house talking to the tennants and discovered the CO detectors in a kitchen drawer. Why? "Because they kept going off" I freak out a bit over this and get new ones with the digital read out and go talk to the tennant about it. He says his wife's father came over and tested and said there was no CO and then he said "Where does carbon monoxide come from anyway, the ground?"

This guy seems reasonably handy, messes about with his truck etc. so I have to confess I was stunned that he had no idea what CO is and why it is poisonous. I started to explain about oxygen and hemoglobin and venting and hi-efficiency gas appliances and I realized that he had no idea what I was talking about. Is this normal?

[Zimme83]

Thats why we need education.

[Meatwad]

Seems like a lot of people get their education from facebook instead of the traditional way

[Chris79]

You ought to put Dihydrogen Monoxide detectors in your rental house, it is far more hazardous then carbon monoxide

[Masherbrum]

Seems like a lot of people get their education from facebook instead of the traditional way

YouTube yo.  Everything on there is the truth.

[Chris79]

YouTube yo.  Everything on there is the truth.

So are you telling me that the Chemtrail video I watched last week is not true.

[Zimme83]

You ought to put Dihydrogen Monoxide detectors in your rental house, it is far more hazardous then carbon monoxide

It is, its the most dangerous chemical on the planet, thousands are killed every year.

[pipz]

It is, its the most dangerous chemical on the planet, thousands are killed every year.

I take small doses of Dihydrogen Monoxide daily to build up an immunity. 

[BuckShot]

Unfortunately,  that's normal.

In a tech support call on an o2/explosive gas meter, a guy asked me why his meter wouldn't read zero o2 when he put it in a plastic bag.

After I explained how to operate it he said "I figured I could just make it read zero in a bag. You know, because you'll suffocate if you put your head in a bag."

This guy had osha training.

[DaveBB]

I work at a major chemical plant and some of the employees regularly confuse carbon monoxide with carbon dioxide.  There is a huge difference in danger and detectability between the two.

[TequilaChaser]

This guy had osha training.

Those that seek out and get OSHA training for their job requirements and do not steadily follow up training at least monthly don't deserve the job to begin with

My personal opinion since I was a hazmat first responder before I became disabled

TC

[PR3D4TOR]

That's just Darwinism at work. Some people just don't respect Darwin these days...

[BoilerDown]

I know it sounds political but it's really just an anecdote and I'm wondering if it reflects a reality that I find disturbing. Here it goes:

We have a house in a ruralish part of Oregon that we rent out. You have to have CO detectors in every rental property ever since an Oregon family got wiped out in their sleep while staying at a vacation rental in a ski town in Colorado. So this house we rent out had 2 of the plug in battery back up type. The house has a catalytic wood stove as the only combustion appliance. At some point my wife tells me that she was at the house talking to the tennants and discovered the CO detectors in a kitchen drawer. Why? "Because they kept going off" I freak out a bit over this and get new ones with the digital read out and go talk to the tennant about it. He says his wife's father came over and tested and said there was no CO and then he said "Where does carbon monoxide come from anyway, the ground?"

This guy seems reasonably handy, messes about with his truck etc. so I have to confess I was stunned that he had no idea what CO is and why it is poisonous. I started to explain about oxygen and hemoglobin and venting and hi-efficiency gas appliances and I realized that he had no idea what I was talking about. Is this normal?

I bet he was either home schooled or went to a toejamty charter school.  Even the most basic science class you can take to pass graduating requirements in a public school would have taught him about carbon monoxide.  Or I suppose he never graduated from high school.

[JimmyD3]

Thank the Dept. of Education.

[Bizman]

I bet he was either home schooled or went to a toejamty charter school.  Even the most basic science class you can take to pass graduating requirements in a public school would have taught him about carbon monoxide.  Or I suppose he never graduated from high school.

Way back when I was young they taught about carbon monoxide in elementary school. But that was not in America...