Two weeks ago, seven members of a family in the Moorhead area were found dead in their home. While police wouldn’t immediately say what had killed the Hernandez family, they did say there was no sign of obvious trauma.

Last Wednesday, with blood toxicity results in, the authorities announced the family had died from carbon monoxide toxicity. While they don’t know how the CO got into the family’s home, the blood tests left no doubt.

What they do know is that the carbon monoxide detector in the family’s home was disconnected, and its battery was missing. Most of the family members were in bed when they died, so the odorless, colorless gas was free to do its deadly work, and the one alarm that could have alerted them was not functioning.

This is the time of year when carbon monoxide poisoning danger becomes more serious as winter arrives and furnaces run. It is important to get furnaces checked, to make sure they are exhausting properly. If they aren’t working, space heaters, especially fuel based ones, are a dangerous option.

Fire prevention experts suggest checking smoke and CO alarms each year when daylight savings begins and ends. Be sure they are properly installed and have fresh batteries. Be aware that detectors may have to be replaced after a few years.

It is worth the trouble to make sure your smoke alarms and CO detectors are working. It could save your life.