Firefighters will be using this year's Deaf Awareness Week (7-13 May) to remind people who have hearing problems to make sure they have the right type of smoke detector fitted in their homes.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing may have difficulty hearing traditional smoke detectors which emit a warning sound when activated. Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service can provide free alarms with vibrating pads and flashing strobe lights which are specially designed to alert people with hearing problems to potential fires.
The pads are placed under a mattress or pillow to wake the person up at night if there is a fire. When smoke is detected, the alarm sounds and sets off the light and pad.
Figures show that two in every three people who die in property fires do so before the Fire & Rescue Service is even called; making it a priority for Cumbrian firefighters to get working smoke detectors, which give that vital early warning, into as many homes as possible.
Councillor Elizabeth Barraclough, Cumbria County Council's cabinet member responsible for the Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Deaf Awareness Week is an ideal opportunity for anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing to make sure they have the most suitable alarm for their needs.
"This is particularly important for deaf people living in rented accommodation, where the landlord may have installed smoke detectors but might not be aware of their tenant's particular circumstances."
For more information and to receive a free Home Safety Check, people can contact Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service on 0800-358-4777.
ENDS
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