Flea's, how long can they survive without a host?

hi, i recently have been informed that my place of work has had a flea infestation, the cat flea type, and they have ccalled in pest control to fumigate the area. a few members of staff have since complained that their homes have now been infested through carrying the fleas home on there uniform. i, at first thought everyone was jumping (pardon the pun) at the opportunity of a few extra pound in their wages for compensation, as our work ( a major clothing outlet) were paying out on any products or infestation control that staff have had to pay out. i wasnt really concerned myself as i had no bites on my body like some of the others, also i have no animals in the house and had no real reason to concern myself. now it seems my 4 year old daughter has two bites on the ankle, well at least i think thats what they are, she is complaining of an annoying itch shortly after the bumps arrived, she has now a further two on her tummy. hubby got one on the lower leg the following day, however, my other daughter and i seem totally untouched. anyway, the long and short of the story is, i am wondering how long these vermin can survive without an animal to live on??? i have took all the bed clothes off and boil washed them, the only carpet in the house, in my bedroom, i have hoovered. do i need to do anything else??? i havent seen one pysically in front of me and have been looking all over the bed in our room as thats were the bites seem to be occurring. will they die of if there is only a couple??