Sounding the Alarm: Fire Safety with Hearing Disabilities
Sounding the Alarm
Fire Safety with Hearing Disabilities
By Lindsey M. McKee
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National Fire Protection Association research found, for every 1,000 home structure fires, the death rate is 60 percent lower in homes with working smoke alarms than those without them. But what happens when such alarms cannot be heard?
“Our priorities for focus have always been children under the age of 14, elderly populations and disabled populations,” said Mike Wos, executive director for the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation. “And we found the deaf/hard-of-hearing community was being underserved when it comes to fire safety.”
Made possible by reallocated funds from PFFWCF’s last Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) fire prevention and safety grant, the foundation donated 100 bed-shaking smoke alarms to the Milwaukee Fire Department (MFD). Activated by the sound from standard alarms, a pad underneath an individual’s mattress shakes and activates a strobe light for a visual cue.
MFD is distributing this batch of alarms through September providing installation as well as education. Independence First, a Metro Milwaukee nonprofit working to empower people with disabilities, hosted the announcement.
“Many deaf households do not have proper fire alarms,” said Brian Peters, advocacy and accessibility services specialist with Independence First. “What PFFWCF is doing is a really good start.”
More Options and Awareness Necessary
Both PFFWCF and Independence First acknowledged the deaf and hard-of-hearing community require more fire safety support. Although PFFWCF has already started a waitlist for more bed-shaking smoke alarms and is working with the American Red Cross for further assistance, there are still barriers.
With bed-shaking smoke alarms retailing around $250, Wos said cost often prevents individuals from purchasing these life-saving devices. Given the need for multiple alarms in every home, this can become unaffordable and unattainable.
“A lot of people don’t have the funding to buy the amount of smoke alarms they need in their homes at those costs,” said Leah Simmons, independent living coordinator and deaf advocate with Independence First. “Within our community many are lower income. Unfortunately, fire safety is not something they necessarily think about when they need to think about the more urgent needs just for living.”
Simmons said interoperability issues are another obstacle. Wisconsin’s Telecommunications Equipment Purchase Program (TEPP) – very well-known and well-used among the deaf and hard-of-hearing – does provide assistive communications equipment. However, fire alarms are not compatible.
“Oftentimes deaf people will have a signaling system in their home for if the phone rings or someone uses the doorbell,” Peters said. “The fire alarm system is designed to be standalone, so it doesn’t interface well with the equipment that we already have.”
Preparation Remains Key
Despite the unique challenges deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals face in fire emergencies, the importance of preparation stays the same.
“People do not think a fire is ever going to happen them. So, when you think something’s not going to happen to you, you don’t prepare,” Wos said. “With fire safety, preparation makes all the difference. That’s the same for everyday citizens as it is for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.”
Peters recommends having a very detailed emergency plan. Consider various situations in emergency plans such as alternate escape routes, how household members communicate, and what assistive technology can be used for getting disabled residents to safety.
Wos adds that households must remember to keep all smoke alarms up-to-date. Stay on top of battery changes, alarm testing and old device replacement according to manufacturer guidelines.
Simmons encourages people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing to contact local dispatchers, so they can make a note in their systems that disabled persons reside at an address. Some communities offer texting to contact emergency personnel. And households could consider signage to alert emergency personnel of people with disabilities in homes.
“It takes a village to really take advantage of the resources that are available out there,” Simmons said. “I would encourage people not to be afraid to ask for help in preparing for that type of emergency.”
Fire Safety Resources for People with Disabilities
From assistive equipment to escape plan templates to smoke alarm installation requests, resources are available that consider those who have disabilities in fire safety and prevention.
American Red Cross
Independence First
Milwaukee Fire Department
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
U.S. Fire Administration
Wisconsin Department of Health Services