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Fire Safety

Hampshire Fire and Rescue uses new British Sign Language DVD to flag fire safety...

18 Nov 2009

The Government’s Fire Kills campaign has launched a Fire Safety DVD specifically tailored for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The DVD, which uses British Sign Language (BSL) to communicate key messages about fire safety in the home, is part of the Fire Kills campaign’s commitment to reach vulnerable audiences through specialist mediums.

There are an estimated 9 million people in the UK with some form of hearing loss, and this is set to rise as the number of people over the age of 60 increases. The DVD will be used by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in the local community to ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing are fully aware of fire safety risks and have the appropriate alarms for their needs.

This BSL DVD is being rolled out in tandem with the Fire Kills new advertising campaign 'Don't Drown in Toxic Smoke' which highlights the fact that toxic smoke seriously affects your ability to breathe, a sensation similar to drowning. Just two to three breaths of smoke in a house fire can render a person unconscious.

Group Manager Kevin Oxlade of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service says:

“The Fire Kills campaign is always looking for new and innovative ways to get vital messages across to high risk audiences. We hope that by producing this DVD people will be better informed about fire safety in the home. Many people with hearing loss may be at risk when they are not wearing hearing aids or when they are far from their smoke alarm.

“It is vital that in these circumstances people ensure they have the right smoke alarm technology in their home to protect them.”

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There are a range of specialist alarms available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, ranging from alarms with strobe lighting, vibrating alarms, and small wearable radio linked pagers to ensure that wherever you are in the home you will be alerted to your smoke alarm.

British Standard BS5446-3:2005, which was amended in 2007, specifies smoke alarm kits for deaf and hard of hearing people. Products made to this standard give deaf people assurance of quality smoke alarms designed to meet their needs.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service offers the following top tips to help residents stay safe from fire in the home:

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them weekly
• If you are using a specialist smoke alarm, place the vibrating pad under your pillow and the strobe light unit next to your bed
• Take care when cooking - take pans off the heat if you need to leave the kitchen and be careful with hot oil
• Avoid overloading plug sockets - keep to one plug per socket
• Put it out. Right out. Stub cigarettes out properly and dispose of them carefully
• Plan an escape route for your home - and make sure everyone knows it
• In the event of a fire, Get Out, Stay Out and Call 999 or 18000 if you are a text phone user - don’t try to tackle fires yourself

Support and Information for people who are deaf and/or hard of hearing is available from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf Information Line: 0808 808 0123 or text phone 0808 808 9000 or email informationline@rnid.org.uk

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