U.S. Department of Homeland Security Issues Federal Warning About Duty-related Carbon Monoxide (CO) Dangers for Firefighters

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI), the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry™ and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently issued a Federal warning about the increased risk of carbon monoxide exposure during the winter season—urging heightened awareness and precaution for firefighters, who are at increased risk of duty-related CO danger. The life-threatening consequences of CO poisoning make immediate detection, helped by the noninvasive Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter, a lifesaving necessity for fire and emergency operations.

The Department of Homeland Security's Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) INFOGRAM 1-10, warns that "below freezing temperatures now occurring at many locations throughout the United States potentially increase the risk for carbon monoxide exposure" as people try to use alternative sources for heat. According to the Federal warning, firefighters responding to fires and emergency calls "should understand that CO poisoning is a danger at every fire, regardless of its cause" and "its symptoms – headache, dizziness, fatigue – are often absent or non-specific, making on-scene awareness and detection difficult." Detection is important because it "puts firefighters at significant risk because even mild CO poisoning can deny the brain of oxygen. It can also rob the heart of oxygen, causing immediate life-threatening complications."

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless toxic gas that is extremely difficult to detect—making it the leading cause of poisoning in industrialized countries. Prior to Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry, an invasive blood draw followed by laboratory blood gas analysis was the only reliable method for diagnosing CO poisoning. Without immediate access to measure CO in the blood, emergency first responders were at a critical disadvantage. Today, the portable, handheld Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter provides an accurate and noninvasive way to detect elevated CO levels in the bloodstream in just seconds—helping emergency first responders to quickly and easily diagnose CO poisoning on-the-scene and initiate prompt, lifesaving treatment.

The full warning can be found at: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/infograms/1_10.pdf

About Masimo

Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI) develops innovative monitoring technologies that significantly improve patient care—helping solve "unsolvable" problems. In 1995, the company debuted Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, known as Masimo SET®, which virtually eliminated false alarms and increased pulse oximetry's ability to detect life-threatening events. More than 100 independent and objective studies demonstrate Masimo SET provides the most reliable SpO2 and pulse rate measurements even under the most challenging clinical conditions, including patient motion and low peripheral perfusion. In 2005, Masimo introduced Masimo Rainbow SET® Pulse CO-Oximetry™, allowing noninvasive and continuous monitoring of blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures, including total hemoglobin (SpHb™), oxygen content (SpOC™), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO®), methemoglobin (SpMet®), and PVI®, in addition to SpO2, pulse rate, and perfusion index (PI). In 2009, Masimo introduced Masimo Rainbow SET® Acoustic Monitoring™, the first-ever noninvasive and continuous monitoring of acoustic respiration rate (RRa).  Masimo's Rainbow platform offers a breakthrough in patient safety by helping clinicians detect life-threatening conditions and helping guide treatment options. Founded in 1989, Masimo has the mission of "Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications." Additional information about Masimo and its products may be found at www.masimo.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in connection with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to risks and uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control and could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in our forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors, including, but not limited to: risks related to our assumptions regarding the repeatability of case results, risks related to our belief that Masimo Pulse CO-Oximetry/SpCO/Rad-57 provides unique clinical advantages as an immediate, accurate, reliable early detector of elevated CO blood levels, and risks related to our assumptions that Masimo SpCO represents a more rapid, reliable and cost-effective clinical alternative for CO screening, as well as other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which may be obtained for free at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our expectations will prove correct. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today's date. We do not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these forward-looking statements or the "Risk Factors" contained in our most recent reports filed with the SEC, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under the applicable securities laws.

Masimo, SET, Signal Extraction Technology, Improving Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications, Rainbow, SpHb, SpOC, SpCO, SpMet, PVI, RRa, Radical-7, Rad-87, Rad-57,Rad-9, Rad-8, Rad-5,Pulse CO-Oximetry  and Pulse CO-Oximeter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Masimo Corporation.

SOURCE Masimo Corporation