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Smoke and CO alarms: where to fit them, how to test, escape plan

⏱ 2 min read

Where to fit them, how to test, escape plan. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone.app and works without internet.

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A smoke alarm wakes you before the smoke knocks you out. A carbon monoxide alarm warns of a gas you cannot see or smell.

Both cost less than a pizza and save lives.

Alarms

  1. Smoke: on every floor, in the hallway and in bedrooms.
  2. CO: in rooms with a gas boiler, fire or stove and near bedrooms.
  3. Press the test button once a month and replace batteries as the instructions say.

Escape plan

  1. Agree two ways out of every room.
  2. Keep keys by the door.
  3. Choose a meeting point outside.

At work and in flats

  1. Know the escape routes and the assembly point.
  2. Do not block corridors and stairwells.
  3. If your employer has a SurvivalZone.app evacuation card, save it on your phone.

Checklist

  1. Smoke alarm in the hallway and bedrooms
  2. CO alarm near the boiler
  3. Monthly test
  4. Escape plan and meeting point
  5. Keys by the door

See also

Frequently asked questions

Where should I fit a smoke alarm?

On every floor, in the hallway and in bedrooms, on the ceiling.

Where should I fit a carbon monoxide alarm?

In rooms with a gas boiler, fire or stove and near bedrooms, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

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Sources

Scientific literature and guidelines

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-11-04.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.