Alberta family raises awareness about the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning on boats

A leisurely day on the water transformed into a harrowing experience for a family from Spruce Grove.

Brandon Ryan and six-year-old Valerie both suffered carbon monoxide poisoning after spending a day on Wizard Lake near Calmar in July.

Valerie and Ryan were on a wakesurfing boat, positioned at the back on the swim platform, when Ryan noticed something was amiss.

“She went from laughing and giggling to full seizure in about 10 seconds,” Ryan recounted.

He watched as she collapsed to her side and ceased breathing. Immediately, he began administering CPR.

Doctors informed the family that the seizure was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from the boat’s exhaust.

Carbon monoxide is an odourless and colourless gas. Symptoms of exposure include nausea, headache, and dizziness.

“They put Valerie on oxygen and ran all the tests on her. I came later. Her carbon monoxide levels came back through the roof, even after being on oxygen.”

“Once her levels normalized the doctors told us everything. We realized we had hung out a little too close, for a little too long,” he said

“But sometimes weather conditions and subtle things like wind direction can play an important part,” he said.

“As the operator, pay a bit of attention to the wind and make sure when you’re out there enjoying it,  the wind should be coming from the bow instead of from the stern.”

He said because boating is an open air environment, usually it’s not exposed to carbon monoxide.

“As a boat owner is [carbon monoxide] something that you should be overly concerned about? No. Manufacturers do a very good job in getting that exhaust out,” he explained.

Wood also encourages drivers to turn the boat off when not in motion.