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Fire Kills Campaign Makes Itself Heard this Deaf Awareness Week

Written by on 15/05/2017

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service reaches out to deaf and hard of hearing communities during Deaf Awareness Week (15-21 May) to ensure they have effective smoke alarms.
 
More than 900,000 people in the UK are severely or profoundly deaf and would be unable to hear ordinary smoke alarms at night. So as part of Deaf Awareness Week, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service is reminding Cumbria’s residents to make sure they fit and test the right smoke alarms for those who suffer from hearing loss in their homes.
 
A whole range of alarms have been designed specifically for the hard of hearing, with features ranging from strobe lighting and vibrating alarms to small wearable radio linked pagers. These specialist alarms can save lives, alerting people to a fire in their home even if they remove their hearing aid at night.
 
British Standard BS5446-3:2005, which was amended in 2007, specifies smoke alarm kits for deaf and hard of hearing people. Products made to this standard give deaf people assurance of quality smoke alarms designed to meet their needs.
 
Station Manager for Prevention, Mark Ducie says, “It is vital that people who are deaf or hard of hearing ensure they have the right smoke alarm technology in their home to protect them – and that they test them regularly, to make sure they work!
 
Many people with hearing loss could be at serious risk if they don’t have the right alarms in place. Medical treatment in audiology and hearing aids must be given. Specialist alarm systems provide valuable time to escape from a house blaze. Without it, lives could be lost.
 
Anyone unsure about the alarms they need should contact Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service for a free Safe and Well visit. We are here to help make sure your home is as fire safe as possible.”
 
Safe and Well visits offer people the opportunity to get invaluable advice from their local fire and rescue service about planning escape routes, positioning alarms and ensuring that appropriate working smoke alarms are fitted in your home, as well as on a range of other issues.
 
For more information please visit www.facebook.com/firekills


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