Diligent carbon monoxide testing may have saved the lives of an Ellison Bay couple after running their generator Sunday night. The Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Department responded to the carbon monoxide scare on Garrett Bluff Court in Ellison Bay just after 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. The couple had been running its generator after their home lost power. The exhaust from the generator began entering the house when the wind changed directions, blowing it toward the intake pipe for the furnace. Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Chief Chris Hecht says their carbon monoxide detector alerted them to the situation.

The couple spent the night in the hotel to ensure all of the carbon monoxide was gone after firefighters helped vent the home upon their arrival. Hecht says it was a good lesson to ensure the generator is as far away from the house as possible to prevent a similar incident. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning every year, with another 14,000 hospitalized due to overexposure.