Generator Safety Tips for 2025

If extreme weather knocks out your power, a generator is handy to have and knowing how to safely use a generator during a power outage. Ryan Truxillo, MD with St. Bernard Parish Hospital offers best practices for setting up a home generator and the importance of carbon monoxide detectors with generator use.

What are the emergency preparedness tips for generator use?

Always follow manufacturer instructions when setting up a generator.
Never use a generator inside your home or garage.
Only use a generator outside in a well-ventilated area.
Place your generator at least 20 feet away from your home.
Double check that the exhaust is pointed away from any doors or vents.

It’s important to take safety precautions when operating a generator because they produce carbon monoxide gas. Breathing in too much carbon monoxide could cause fainting or death. According to the CDC, more than 20,000 Americans visit the emergency room annually due to unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, with more than 400 deaths.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Headache
Dizziness
Weakness
Nausea
Vomiting
Chest pain
Confusion
Carbon monoxide poisoning often show up as flu-like symptoms.

Keep in mind that you cannot smell, taste or see carbon monoxide. Protect yourself and your family by installing battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms in your home.

It's important to know what to do if exposed to carbon monoxide from a generator; If it goes off, call 911 and go outside.

Need urgent care? Find a location near you.