Alberta family warns of dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning on boats

For one Spruce Grove family, a day on the water turned into a terrifying ordeal.

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

Valerie and Ryan were on a wakesurf boat, on the back of the swim platform, when he realized something was wrong.

“She went from laughing and giggling to a full-blown seizure in about 10 seconds,” Ryan said.

He saw her fall to her side and then stop breathing. He began to resuscitate her.

The doctors said [if I didn’t give CPR]then she wouldn’t have gotten off the boat.”

Doctors told the family the attack was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from the boat’s exhaust fumes.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas. Symptoms of exposure include nausea, headache, or dizziness.

“They gave Valerie oxygen and ran all the tests on her. I came in later. Her carbon monoxide levels shot up, even after she was given oxygen.”

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Together they stayed in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber for three hours.

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

“Something I’ve done a hundred times on the back of the boat. When you’re outside you don’t really think about it. It’s quite hard to comprehend, to be honest.”

According to boating expert Gordie Wood, carbon monoxide is normally released underwater.

“But sometimes weather conditions and subtle things like wind direction can play a significant role,” he said.

“As a pilot you have to pay close attention to the wind and make sure that when you enjoy it, the wind comes from the bow rather than the stern.”

He said boating is done in the open air and it is not common for people to be exposed to carbon monoxide.

“As a boat owner, [carbon monoxide] something you should worry too much about? No. Manufacturers are doing a really good job of getting that exhaust out,” he explained.

Wood also encourages drivers to turn off the boat when they are not sailing.

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