Carbon monoxide detection without a detector
Surf a civilian aircraft supply.  They sell a little absorbant white tab (chemical spot detector) containing $\ce{PdCl2}$.  When exposed to CO it goes black.  

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/ps/carbonmonoxidedetectors.html

Canary.  Goldfish won't work - they can survive on anaerobic respiration,

http://aquaticcommons.org/3663/1/14P089.pdf 
   who needs powdered alcohol?