Texas Fire Chief - Spring/Summer 2008 - (Page 34)

in contact with a tactile alerting device,” said Dana Mulvany, member of the Technical Panel for the research project. “Presently, there are no known emergency alerting products on the market incorporating a range of tones and also including a low frequency near 500 Hz,” Mulvany said. “Other research has already shown that the 520 Hz square wave is superior to the 3100 Hz tone for waking up other vulnerable populations, such as elderly people and people under the influence of alcohol. All manufacturers of emergency warning devices, including smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and weather radios, should explore methods of providing variations of the 520 Hz square wave as an audible alert so that people with unknown, temporary or per- manent partial hearing loss can be awoken quickly from deep sleep. Manufacturers also need to specify the frequency response of their audible alerts so that customers of all kinds can make informed decisions about their purchases.” Brenda Battat, associate executive director of HLAA, said: “Operators of hotels, motels, college dormitories and many other facilities with sleeping areas must ensure that they provide equally effective communication access for people with hearing loss to the building alarm system, which is required by Title II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many deaf or hard of hearing guests have been provided portable alerting systems with a bed shaker, but these systems have typically not provided effective alerting when the building alarm system is triggered and have only been activated by smoke within the guest’s own room, which is too late for optimal notification. We urge people with hearing loss to fi le complaints under the Americans with Disabilities Act if they are not provided effective alerts to the building alarm system by ADA-covered entities.” Article Courtesy of the Hearing Loss Association of America Hearing Loss Association of America thanks the Fire Protection Research Foundation for commissioning this research study, and Drs. Bruck and Thomas for their intensive work on this study. The study is available online at: http://www. nfpa.org/assets/fi les/PDF/Research/ hardofhearing&alarms.pdf HOYT SCBA Sales & Service BREATHING AIR PRODUCTS 1-800-447-3385 • Fax: 903-447-3409 Sales & Service • Breathing Air Compressors • Cylinder Refill Systems TRI AIR TESTING INC. A Texas Research International Company AIHA Accredited Laboratory Since 1980 P.O. Box 653 • Quinlan, TX 75474 Serving Fire & Rescue Professionals Since 1992 www.hoytair.com HBAP • Self-Contained Trailers • Cascade Systems Could This Happen To You? LG Alert™ Rollover Warning System 3 Visual and audible alarms 3 Cornering and side slopes 3 Increased driver awareness 3 Proven technology 3 Retro ts to any vehicle 3 Installs in less than 1 hour www.stabilitydynamics.com Contact our Texas distributor QB3 Manufacturing, Inc. (210) 653-9171 34349719_QB3.indd 1 Helping Drivers Operate Safely TEXAS FIRE CHIEF Spring/Summer 2008 12/6/07 2:10:16 PM http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/Research/hardofhearing&alarms.pdf http://www.hoytair.com http://www.qb3mfg.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Texas Fire Chief - Spring/Summer 2008

Texas Fire Chief - Spring/Summer 2008 Contents Executive Director’s Report Region Realignment Map Above and Beyond 2007 Conference Highlights ‘Service Above Self’ Texas Commission Implements Southwest Fire Rescue Conference Program Membership Application Who Are Those Guys? Alarms for the Hearing Impaired Recent Calls Index to Advertisers

Texas Fire Chief - Spring/Summer 2008

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