Importance of Carbon Monoxide Safety While Traveling

Only fourteen states in the U.S. currently require the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in hotels and motels, and there is no federal law requiring hotels to install carbon monoxide detectors in every guest room¹. It’s more important than ever to add fire and CO safety to your travel prep routine, to help reduce your vulnerability to CO poisoning while away from home.

With inconsistent regulations putting the onus on individuals, Kidde, North America's #1 fire safety brand², is helping you stay safe with Destination Safety, a new education-first initiative designed to empower travelers to take control of their safety. As part of the program, you can access our Travel Safety Checklist to help better protect yourself and your family.

Lives can be altered in an instant by fire and carbon monoxide related incidents. Before you travel next, download our Travel Safety Checklist - a preparation resource for you and your family to reference. This checklist highlights some of the lesser-known dangers you may not think of, like CO exposure, to help ensure your family is prepared on your next getaway!

^{Download the Travel Safety Checklist}

About Carbon Monoxide - the Silent Killer

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas that can be extremely dangerous when inhaled. It’s produced when fuels such as gas, wood, coal, or oil don’t burn completely - often due to poor ventilation or malfunctioning appliances such as furnaces, water heaters, stoves, fireplaces, grills and portable generators.

Because carbon monoxide cannot be detected by human senses, it can build up indoors without warning. When breathed in, CO prevents the body from getting the oxygen it needs, which can lead to serious illness or even death.

For this reason, it’s often referred to as the “silent killer” and is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the US, according to the Center for Disease Control. In fact, more than 400 Americans die each year from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 100,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 14,000 are hospitalized.³

The only safe way to detect the presence of CO in your home or vacation rental is with a working CO alarm. Models with a digital display show the level of CO in your home.

Prepping to Travel

Before you travel, ensure all heat-producing appliances like stove tops are turned off. Be sure to test your home smoke and CO alarms to ensure they are working properly; replace batteries if needed. Pack a AA-battery operated CO alarm for use in your travel destination such as a double-AA battery operated CO alarm with a digital display⁴. When packing a CO alarm, remove the batteries from the alarm and store the device in a sealed container or bag to protect it from contamination and the elements.

Check your vacation home or rental

At your destination, check to make sure smoke and CO alarms are present and functioning in vacation properties and ask important safety-related questions, such as the location of their room in relation to emergency exits and the number and placement of detectors in and around the space.

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2 Based on total household installations as of December 2023
3 https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html
4 Not approved for RV or boat use}