Alarms

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas.  It can sneak into the air…silently.  You won’t know it’s there because it’s invisible, odorless and tasteless.  CO can make people 👴👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👧🏾and pets 🐱🐶🦖 really sick🤢, or worse 😮.

But good news😃!  There’s something that will keep watch over the air in your home and sound an alert 🔊 if CO tries to sneak in:

A CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM!

(😎 COOL FACT: Did you know that canaries 🐤 worked as the first CO alarms? A long time ago they helped save the lives of coal miners by warning them when dangerous CO 🤢 invaded the air. Today, 5 out of 5 canaries recommend having CO alarms in all homes 👍.  Find out more on our Canaries page)

All homes need CO alarms.  It’s best to have them on every level, especially near bedrooms (so the alarm can wake everyone up if they are sleeping 🔊 😴).

Airy’s HomeSafe flyer shows where to have CO alarms. Click here to print a pdf file of the English version (print an extra to give to your Grandma and Grandpa or someone else you love who might not know about CO alarms❤️)

Click here to print a pdf file of the Spanish version.

Do you have CO alarms where you live? Ask your parents to help you find the alarms in your home 🏠.  Not all alarms look the same, but CO alarms have “Carbon Monoxide Alarm” printed on the front. 

All homes need both CO alarms and smoke alarms.  They do different things:

• CO alarms sound an alert when there’s carbon monoxide 🤢 in the air
• Smoke alarms sound an alert when there’s fire🔥

Did you know CO alarms and smoke alarms also sound different?

• Smoke alarms alert in a 3-beep pattern for fire, CO alarms alert in a 4-beep pattern for carbon monoxide (some alarms speak in a voice)

Smoke alarm alert tones sound like this: 

CO alarm alert tones sound like this:

What sound 🔊 do your CO alarms make when they are warning of CO in the air?  Ask your parents to help you find out (they can press the “Test” button on the alarm to hear the alert tone).

If your alarm ever makes the warning sound for CO🔊 everyone needs to hurry and get outside to fresh air, then call 911📲!

• Firefighters 🚒 will come with special equipment and make sure the CO gets out of your house.  They 👩‍🚒 will help figure out how the CO got into your home, and they will tell you when it’s safe to go back inside.

Remember to pack an alarm 🧳 with you if you’re spending the night 😴 away from home, like at a friend’s house or a hotel.  Other important places to have alarms:

• Boats
• RV/camper/trailer
• Tent

Download a printable copy of the TravelSafe flyer showing other locations away from home where it’s important to have alarms. Download the English version here.

Download the Spanish version here.

❤️  Be an Airy Ambassador: Share what you know about CO alarms to help others stay safe too.  YOU could save someone’s life ❤️