Blaze escape is wake-up call

WHEN a fire broke out at the home of profoundly deaf teenager Hayley Franks, she escaped because she wasn't on her own.

But her family's next thoughts were what would have happened if Hayley, 15, had been alone in their Lancing home.

Mum, Elaine Franks, said: "The day we suffered a fire in the kitchen in the tumble dryer, we had been due to go out that night and Hayley would have been alone in the house.

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"She has been totally deaf since birth and she communicates by signing and lip reading. She would never have heard the smoke alarms.

"I dread to think what would have happened. We managed to put the fire out, but obviously the fire brigade turned up and when they discovered Hayley was deaf, they offered to fit a special alarm, which has been developed for the deaf and hard of hearing."

Steve Peck, from West Sussex community fire safety department, fitted the alarm on Friday, in Hayley's bedroom at the family home in Shadwells Close.

The alarm, which plugs into a smoke alarm, flashes white strobe lights if it is activated and a sensor pad under Hayley's pillow vibrates loudly, to wake her up if a fire breaks out when she is asleep.

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Mr Peck said: "We have fitted about 25 of these alarms across the county so far. We are promoting them during Deaf Awareness Week."

The campaign, in conjunction with RNID, the UK's leading charity for deaf and hard of hearing people, aims to raise awareness of special smoke alarm systems which could save the life of a person with hearing loss in the event of a fire.

Figures for West Sussex show that 144,000 people have total hearing loss, 15,000 severe loss, 37,000 moderate, and 92,000 mild.

Roger Wood, community fire safety officer, said: "It's really important that people have working smoke alarms and more specifically, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to have an alarm that meets their needs.

"We want them to know we can help by fitting their smoke alarms for them free of charge."

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