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If you subscribe to my newsletter then you know, I’ve written about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning for travelers many times, most recently when news broke that a former New York Yankees player’s teenage son had tragically died on a family trip in Costa Rica. This is scary stuff to say the least.
When I was planning my own family’s trip to Italy, there were safety details listed within our Airbnb reservation that said: “Carbon monoxide alarm not reported: The Host hasn’t reported a carbon monoxide alarm on the property. We suggest bringing a portable detector for your trip.”
I immediately sprung into action to find and pack our portable Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector. It cost just over $20 and I have had it for years but don’t always travel with it. Since this was the first time we were staying in an Airbnb in a while and they recommended bringing one, I wasn’t going to mess around. So I put it in my carry-on bag a couple of weeks in advance of our trip.
A few days before we left home, I tested both the batteries that came with it and the device itself, then took the batteries out, put them in a plastic bag and put it all in our checked suitcase.
Then, the day before we left, my wife was going over her checklist (remember how diligent she was with the AirTags?) and she asked if I had an electrical voltage converter for the carbon monoxide detector. I said, “good catch!” I went downstairs to my travel accessories bin and grabbed one. FYI: Natalie recently wrote about traveling with carbon monoxide detectors for Parents magazine. You can read her story here.
We’re in our Airbnb now and I have to tell you, I’ve been sleeping so much better knowing that my family is safe from carbon monoxide poisoning, especially after reading yet another news story this morning of a Scottish couple found dead in their tent after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. While still rare and uncommon in the grand scheme of things, we are hearing about more carbon monoxide deaths occurring when traveling so it’s better to err on the side of caution. The cost of the carbon monoxide detector will buy you so much peace of mind.
So I don’t forget the device or the converter when we pack up to leave, I put our suitcase right next to it and also set a reminder with FollowUpThen to send me an email a few hours before our departure. Let’s see if it works!
KEEP READING
–Did you know your electronic devices should always be charged when going through security?
–The travel gadget flight attendants never leave home without
–Going on a cruise? Be sure to bring this
–The genius phone hack to try when your plane doesn’t have an in-flight entertainment system
–Travel hack: How to use your wireless headphones to watch in-flight movies
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