How many smoke detectors must a foster home have and where should they be located?

• A. One in hallways or open areas outside sleeping rooms and one on each level of a multi-level home.
• B. One in each bedroom.
• C. Only in the kitchen.
• D. On exterior walls of the home.

Answer: (A)

Smoke detectors need to provide early warning in the areas where people spend time and where smoke is most likely to reach first. Placing at least one detector in the hallways or other common areas outside sleeping rooms ensures the alarm will be heard as occupants are moving through the home and while they’re trying to wake children. When a home has more than one level, you want a detector on each level so smoke detected on one floor triggers alarms across the house, increasing the chances of a timely evacuation.

Putting detectors only in the kitchen isn’t reliable because cooking can cause nuisance alarms and it doesn’t protect those sleeping or on other levels. Detectors on exterior walls aren’t as effective for catching indoor smoke promptly. This setup—one detector in the hallways/common area outside sleeping rooms, plus one on every level—provides broad coverage and better protection for a foster home.