As much of the deaf community knows, even before the ADA, the NAD was active on several national fire safety and accessibility code and standard writing bodies. These include the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72); Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Industrial Advisory Group (IAG) for Signaling Devices for the Hearing Impaired (UL/ANSI Standard 1971); American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A117 Committee for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities; and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) Review Federal Advisory Subcommittee on Communications and Equipment. We are members of those committees, representing the NAD.
Subsequently, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), other federal and state agencies, and various code writing bodies have established fire protection requirements for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. Many states now have statutes requiring fire protection for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. These federal and state requirements can be found on our Landlord Responsibilities page. Visual fire protection products must also meet the additional product and installation standards written by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
While establishing fire protection requirements for people who are deaf and hard of hearing for the past 22 years was important, more needed to be done. Affordable visual life safety products were needed in the home.
We provide affordable life safety for the deaf family. In most all cases, a deaf family can enjoy the absolutely essential early warning of fire, in order to leave the blazing home or apartment, escaping a death of fire, for only 28 cents a day. Then, it is free. Most every family can appreciate free. Please see our home and product information pages for details.
The safety of your life, and that of your children, is the most precious possession known to man. Deaf Americans are not now nearly as well protected as are hearing Americans, in the event of fire. Deaf Americans need to be much better protected and deserve early warning of a fire in order to evacuate a burning home. We provide that affordable visual fire/smoke alarm protection.
