Hay storage in barn

Question
Hi Laurie,
I read a lot about not storing the bulk of your hay in the barn where horses live.  But I also read that keeping "some" is okay.  How much is okay to store in the same barn as the horses?  What difference does it make if "some" or all is stored in the barn where horses are kept?  My barn will be a wood pole barn with metal sides and a metal roof, but there will be wood floors in the tack room and office and wood ceilings on the feed room, tack room and office, which is where I was considering storing hay (above these rooms).  I also have an option to store hay in one of the stalls, which will have no wood other than the support posts for the barn.  My third option is to store hay in the corners of the covered riding area (attached to the barn)on top of pallets and covered with plastic.
Another question - are smoke detectors effective in barns?  The one in our house goes off when it gets dusty inside (still finishing the house and sometimes there's sawdust in the air).
Thanks,
BJ

Answer
Hello BJ:  I'll answer your second question first.  Residential smoke detectors don't work in a barn because of the dust.  You might want to consider rate-of-rise heat detectors.  However, keep in mind that with any fire detection system in a barn, if you are not there at the moment the alarm activates, you may be too late to safely evacuate your horses.  A sprinkler system is my recommendation, especially since you are in the construction phase.
   As for hay storage, the safest place for storage is in a separate building at least 50 feet from the barn.  If you don't have that option, hay storage on the same level as the horses is not as good as hay storage on an upper level that is COMPLETELY CLOSED OFF FROM THE LOWER (OR STALL) LEVEL with the exception of a hay drop (which must be covered when not in use).  Many people do keep a small stack (usually no more than 10 bales) in the stall area so they don't have to lug bales over from the storage building.  That's not ideal, but it is kind of practical when you consider the labor involved in caring for horses and barn on a day-to-day basis.  
You can find more information on my website, http://www.laurieloveman.com/barnfires.html  I am currently writing a book about fire safety in horse barns, but my original article should be of help.  Please feel free to contact me at any time through my website or directly at lloveman@earthlink.net and I'll be glad to help you as best I can.