Kidde Launches “InCOgnito Illness™” Campaign as New Research Reveals Nearly Half of Americans Can't Recognize Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms

New research shows nearly half of Americans cannot identify common carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms, prompting Kidde's latest educational initiative to help families recognize the warning signs and better protect their loved ones.

MEBANE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Americans know carbon monoxide (CO) is dangerous, yet new research from Kidde suggests many underestimate how easily exposure can be missed, misunderstood, or mistaken for something else. In fact, nearly half of Americans cannot recognize the symptoms of CO poisoning. To help close this potentially life-threatening knowledge gap Kidde — North America’s #1 home fire safety brand¹ — today launched “InCOgnito Illness,” a new educational video as part of its annual Cause for Alarm campaign. Named for carbon monoxide's ability to hide in plain sight, "InCOgnito Illness" highlights how CO poisoning symptoms can easily be mistaken for common illnesses such as the flu, food poisoning or fatigue, delaying recognition of a potentially life-threatening emergency.

According to a survey² of 2,000 American adults, 89% say they are familiar with CO and its risks, yet 43% acknowledge knowing only the basics, including its sources and how to protect themselves. Nearly half of respondents (49%) failed to identify CO as a potential cause when presented with symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea and confusion, highlighting how familiarity with the threat does not always translate into the knowledge needed to help prevent exposure.

“At Kidde, we believe helping protect families starts with making home safety easier to understand and act on,” said Isis Wu, President of Global Residential Fire & Safety at Kidde. “When it comes to carbon monoxide, recognizing the symptoms is important, but prevention starts with understanding the risks and having a working CO alarm in your home. Through Cause for Alarm, we're helping families turn awareness into action by providing clear, actionable information they can use to better protect themselves and their loved ones.”

A Hidden Threat

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that can be produced by fuel-burning appliances and equipment, including gas furnaces, fireplaces, generators and vehicles. Early symptoms of CO poisoning, such as headache, dizziness, nausea and fatigue, can resemble common illnesses like the flu or food poisoning, making exposure difficult to recognize without reliable detection.

To help bridge this knowledge gap, Kidde’s new video, “InCOgnito Illness,” challenges everyday Americans - including parents, pet owners, seniors, healthcare providers and travelers - to identify potential CO poisoning symptoms.

It underscores the devastating consequences of undetected CO exposure through the story of safety advocate Chuck Heathco. Heathco is the co-founder of the John Wesley Heathco Legacy Foundation, an organization his family created to honor their son who died from CO poisoning at a Cabo San Lucas hotel in 2023.

“I share Johnny’s story because no family should have to endure the preventable tragedy of losing a child to carbon monoxide,” said Heathco. “My hope is that by speaking out, we can turn awareness into action. A working CO alarm is your best defense against this invisible threat.”

Also lending her voice to the campaign is Mrs. Illinois USA 2026 and CO survivor Crystal Evers, who is sharing her story to help drive life-saving awareness.

“My parents had just moved into their new home, and their CO alarms had not yet been installed. We had no idea a hidden leak was filling the house with deadly gas,” said Evers. “We lost my mother in just hours. CO strikes completely without warning - and making sure your carbon monoxide alarms are installed and working on day one is critical.”

Turning Awareness Into Action

Entering its fifth year, Cause for Alarm is continuing its mission to turn safety awareness into life-saving action. To further this mission, Kidde is donating $50,000 across three dedicated CO safety nonprofits: the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association (NCOAA) for policy and clinical education; the John Wesley Heathco Legacy Foundation for traveler safety advocacy; and The LAUREN Project to distribute alarms directly to underserved families.

“Carbon monoxide is invisible, so an alert from a CO alarm is often the only warning you’ll get,” said Charon McNabb, president and founder of the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association. “We’re honored to have Kidde’s continued support as we advance CO education and help Americans protect themselves and the people they love.”

Since launching in 2022, Cause for Alarm has evolved from a public awareness campaign into a community impact platform, providing more than $9 million in alarm donations, education and safety resources to help protect families across North America.

Because carbon monoxide cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, a working CO alarm is the only reliable way to know it's present. Watch “InCOgnito Illness” on YouTube and visit CauseForAlarm.org to learn how to recognize CO poisoning symptoms, prevent exposure and help protect what matters most. You can also join the conversation using #CauseForAlarm.

About Kidde

Kidde, a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and safety accessories, has been helping to keep the world a safer place for over 100 years. Kidde produced the first integrated smoke detection system a century ago and continues its legacy today by delivering advanced fire-safety technology. Kidde is a part of Kidde Global Solutions, a global leader in fire and life safety solutions.

For more information, visit kidde.com or follow @KiddeFireSafety on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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^1 Based on total household installations as of September 2026

^2 This survey was conducted by Citizen Relations, Applied Intelligence. N=2,000 online panelists in the U.S. were surveyed from September 21-25, 2026. This survey has been set up to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of the U.S. This sample has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of ±2.2% at 95% confidence level.