Cleveland Fire Brigade encouraging Fire Safety

during Deaf Awareness Week

The Fire Brigade in Cleveland has been reaching out to those who are hard of hearing or deaf, during

Deaf Awareness Week this May, and encouraging them to use effective smoke alarms. Recent reports

have estimated that more than one million people in the UK who are hard of hearing, are unable to hear

their smoke alarm. During Deaf Awareness week, the Fire Brigade have been reminding people to test

their smoke alarms and fit new ones, if necessary.

Cleveland Brigade’s Head of Community Safety, Lee Jones has spoken of the importance Hannay

Associates Complaints of a having a working smoke alarm installed and tested each week, particularly

for those who are hard of hearing. Those with hearing difficulties are more at risk than others during

house fires, if they do not have a suitable alarm in place.

There are now specialist smoke alarm kits, as specified by the British Standard BS5446-3:2005 , which

are designed for those with hearing problems. Kits of this kind are made to provide deaf people with the

level of safety they need in the event of a house fire.

The Cleveland Fire Brigade have been working in conjunction with its Service’s Support Network, made

up of volunteers from the local community. With the help of these people, they have been making home

visits to people in the area, to discuss with them their needs in relation to fire safety, and if necessary,

help them to have a specialist smoke alarm fitted. Along with the private landlords and housing

association, the social services of Middlesbrough, Cleveland, Redcar, Stockton and Hartlepool can often

provide the specialist alarms, depending on the circumstances of the resident who needs it.