Fire alarm or smoke alarm going off: what to do? Home, flats, work
⏱ 3 min read
Smoke alarm, CO alarm, fire alarm. Below: what to do right away, what next, when to call 112 and what to avoid. The same instructions are in the free SurvivalZone.app and work without internet.
First, right now
- Treat every alarm as real. Stop what you are doing, take only your phone and keys, and get out.
- Before opening a door, touch it with the back of your hand. Hot? Do not open it. Stay in the room, seal the gap with a wet towel, go to the window and call 112.
- Use the stairs, never the lift. If there is smoke, stay low, smoke rises. Close doors behind you.
Then
- At work or school, go to the assembly point and report to the coordinator. If your organisation has an evacuation card in the app, tap “I am at the assembly point”.
- Carbon monoxide alarm going off? Open the windows, switch off the boiler and gas cooker, go outside and call 112. CO has no smell.
- Smoke alarm chirping briefly once a minute? That usually means a low battery, not a fire. Replace it straight away.
- Alarm in a block of flats but no smoke in your home? Check the stairwell through the spy hole. If it is full of smoke, stay in your flat with the door shut, seal it and call 112.
- Do not go back in for anything until the fire service says it is safe.
When to call 112
You see fire or smoke, the CO alarm goes off, someone has a headache, nausea or drowsiness, or you cannot leave because the stairwell is full of smoke.
What not to do
- Do not switch off the alarm or stay at your desk assuming it is a drill.
- Do not use the lift.
- Do not open hot doors.
See also
Frequently asked questions
What should I do when the fire alarm goes off at work?
Stop work, take your phone and keys, use the stairs to the assembly point and report to the coordinator. Do not go back until the fire service allows it.
Why is my smoke alarm chirping every minute?
A short chirp once a minute usually means a low battery. Replace it straight away and press the test button.
What if the stairwell is full of smoke?
Do not go out. Stay in your flat with the door shut, seal it with wet towels, go to the window and call 112.
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Other scenarios
- ⚡ Power cut
- 🥶 Cold, no heating
- 🚱 No water or unsafe tap water
- 🌊 Flood, water coming in
- 🎒 Evacuation in 10 minutes
- 🔥 Fire in the building
- 🌡️ Heatwave
- ⛈️ Storm, strong wind
- 🚀 Air attack: missiles, drones, bombs
- 📢 Sirens, alarm, air contamination
- 📵 No signal, no internet
- ❤️ Someone is unconscious
- 🌍 Earthquake
- ⛵ Storm at sea, no internet
- 🚗 Road accident
- ☠️ Carbon monoxide or gas leak
- ❄️ Stuck in a car in a snowstorm
- 🌩️ Thunderstorm outdoors
- 🫀 Heart attack or stroke
- 🏊 Someone is drowning
- 🌲 Forest or grass fire
- 💳 Cards and cash machines not working
- 🦠 Epidemic, pandemic, dangerous disease
- 🧒 A child is missing
- 🫁 Choking
- 🩸 Severe bleeding
- 🔥 Burns and scalds
- 😷 Smog and poor air quality
- 🐻 Bear on the trail
- 🐗 Wild boar encounter
- 🏢 Fire at work: evacuation
- 🌪️ Tornado
- 🌧️ Flash flooding
- ☣️ Chemical incident
- 🏠 Quarantine at home
- 🛡️ Cyberattack
- 🔌 No power in your home
- 💨 You smell gas
- 😵💫 Someone faints
- 🏫 Alarm or evacuation at your child's school
- 🏜️ Drought and water restrictions
- 🌋 Volcanic eruption and ashfall
- 🛴 E-scooter accident
- 🛑 Attacker at school or in a building
- ☢️ Nuclear attack and radioactive contamination
- 🧫 Suspicious package, powder, biological threat
- 💣 Bomb threat, suspicious item, explosion
- 💰 Robbery: shop, bank, street
- 💚 Suicidal thoughts: how to help yourself or someone else
- 🌲 Lost in the forest: how to survive
Sources
- London Fire Brigade: escape plan for houses and flats
- Polish Fire Service: smoke and CO alarm guide (Polish)
- Rauchmelder retten Leben: smoke alarm campaign (German)
- Polish State Fire Service
Scientific literature and guidelines
- NHS (UK): carbon monoxide poisoning
- WHO: Guidelines for indoor air quality: selected pollutants, including carbon monoxide
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.