The Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation (OkAT) has received a grant that will provide free installation of specialized smoke alarms and alert equipment in the homes of individuals with hearing impairments in a 24-county area. OkAT has partnered with Oklahoma ABLE Tech and Fire Protection Publications at Oklahoma State University to implement the smoke alarm project.
“Oklahoma has more home fire deaths than most other states. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing are especially at risk because they cannot hear standard smoke alarms,” said Nancy Trench, assistant director at Fire Protection Publications.
The specialized equipment will use a bed shaker, a very loud low frequency bedside alert signal, and in some homes, a strobe light to alert individuals of a fire.
Individuals of all ages with a documented hearing impairment, who live in the following counties, are eligible to apply for free smoke alarms and alert equipment to be installed in their home: Atoka, Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Creek, Hughes, Kay, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, McIntosh, Noble, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Tulsa, Wagoner, and Washington.
The smoke alarms and alert equipment have already improved the lives of individuals around the state of Oklahoma by offering a higher level of home safety. A local Stillwater resident, who recently received the specialized equipment, expressed gratitude for the help. “Thank you for your smoke alarm program; mine was installed this week and it really works! I would have gone blithely along without such technology if not for your program. I am most impressed and will continue to tell my friends with hearing difficulty about the program.”
For more information and an application for free smoke alarms and alert equipment, please contact Oklahoma ABLE Tech at (405) 744-9748 or (888) 885-5588 or visit www.okabletech.okstate.edu.
