Smoke alarms save lives. But those who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot depend on the sound of the alarm to alert them to a fire. There are now a variety of smoke alarms on the market that combine sound and light to alert those with limited hearing that there is a fire in the home.
Facts & figures*
15 of every 16 homes (94%) in the U.S. have at least one smoke alarm.
- One-half of home fire deaths occur in the 6% of homes with no smoke alarms.
- Half of all fatal fires start at night when people are asleep.
(*From NFPA's U.S. Experience with Smoke Alarms and Other Fire Alarms and national estimates reported to U.S. municipal fire departments based on NFIRS and NFPA survey.)
Safety Tips
- Remember to factor in residents' hearing limitations when developing and practicing your home fire escape plan. Consider installing a smoke alarm that uses a flashing light, vibration and/or sound to alert people to a fire emergency. The majority of fatal fires occur when people are sleeping, and because smoke can put people into a deeper sleep, it is important to have the necessary early warning of a fire to ensure that they wake up.
- Consider installing a smoke alarm with an extra loud horn. Some alarms now feature horns that sound an 85-decibel alarm.
- Be sure that the smoke alarm you buy carries the label of an independent testing laboratory.
- Keep a communications device nearby. If you use a TTY/TTD device, place it close to the bed so that communication with emergency personnel is possible should fire or smoke trap you in your room.
Note: NFPA does not test, label or approve any products or services.
NFPA Fact Sheet - Fire safety for the deaf or hard of hearing
Information provided courtesy of the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)
1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471 USA Telephone: +1 617 770-3000
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