30th April 2008
Special smoke alarms protect deaf residents
Deaf Awareness Week starts next week (5 – 11 May 2008) and Kent Fire and Rescue Service will be pushing ahead with its campaign to raise awareness of the free service it provides to fit specially adapted smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Smoke alarms provide early vital early warning of a fire by emitting a loud noise when smoke is detected. But people who are deaf or hard of hearing need additional ways of making them aware the alarm has been activated, such as through vibrating pads and/or a flashing strobe light.
Joyce Grant, who recently had a specially adapted alarm fitted at her Smarden home by KFRS community safety officers when they carried out a home fire safety check, said: “My newly fitted alarm provides a much greater peace of mind. I wear a hearing aid during the day but when I remove it at night to sleep, I wouldn’t hear an ordinary smoke alarm sounding. The special flashing light unit by my bed will definitely wake me up in the event of a fire.”
Head of Community Safety Stuart Skilton said: “I would like to remind everyone of the importance of having a working smoke alarm in their home. Deaf Awareness Week is an ideal opportunity for those who know someone or live with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing to make sure they have alarms that meet their safety needs, as often standard smoke alarms are unsuitable, especially during hours of sleep when hearing aids are removed.”
He continued: “A home fire safety check takes about 30 minutes to carry out, we will visit your home to identify potential fire hazards, offer fire safety and prevention advice. We will check you have suitable working smoke alarms and fit them for free where needed. We also have an important partnership with the Deaf Services Bureau and Hearing Impaired Kent (HI Kent) to ensure we can assist their assessment officers by supplying and fitting appropriate smoke alarms in homes where people have hearing difficulties”
To arrange a free Home Fire Safety Check or to find out more, simply call Kent Fire and Rescue Service for free on 0800 923 7000 or visit the website
www.kent.fire-uk.org|
Ends
Note to editors:
• Deaf Awareness Week aims to improve the understanding of deafness by highlighting the various methods of communication employed by deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people, including the use of sign language and lipreading.
• This Deaf Awareness Week, RNID are launching a campaign to raise awareness of deafness and hearing loss by asking people to take a minute to imagine a world without sound. For more information about the campaign, go to
www.worldwithoutsound.org|
• A British Standard for smoke alarm kits for deaf and hard of hearing people (BS5446-3:2005) is available and will give deaf people the assurance of quality smoke alarms meeting their needs.
• For further information about deaf issues or the BSI standard for smoke alarms for deaf people, please contact the RNID Information Line on 0808 808 0123, textphone: 0808 808 9000 or email informationline@rnid.org.uk
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