Fire Safety for the Hearing and Visually Impaired

There are specific fire safety measures that hearing/visually impaired individuals should take to decrease their risk of being harmed in a fire? It’s true. Individuals with disabilities are often at a higher risk for home fire-related injuries. For this reason, it is extremely important that individuals with hearing/visual impairments learn all they can about fire safety.

Fire Safety Tips for Individuals with Disabilities

For Those with Hearing-Related Disabilities:

• Install visual smoke alarms. Visual smoke alarms are “equipped with strobe lights.” These types of smoke alarms are far more helpful to people who are hard of hearing or deaf. You can get more information about visual smoke alarms from the fire department closest to your place of residence. Be sure to install a visual smoke alarm on each and “every level of your home.”
• Create an escape plan in case of a fire. To do this, “Contact your local fire department on a non-emergency telephone number (use appropriate TTY devices if necessary).” Your local fire department can help you to create an escape plan.

For Those with Visual Impairments

• Install (and maintain) smoke alarms on every level of your house or place of residence.
•  Ask emergency responders to keep your special needs information on file.
•  Be sure to call your fire department’s “non-emergency” phone number to discuss your visual impairment with someone. Fire department workers can help you to create a plan of escape in case of a fire. It is important that you have a fire escape plan.

Be Prepared for Emergencies
Do you have a hearing/visual impairment? If yes, we encourage you to do all you can to become aware of fire safety procedures and prepare for any emergency situations that may come up.