Deaf Messaging

[Tom W]

http://www.deafmessageservice.com/

DMS (Deaf Message Service) is a NEW fire safety product that informs deaf or hard of hearing people when the fire alarm sounds in a public place like a supermarket, shopping centre and library.

What does everybody think?

[CivvyFSO]

Is it a signal of some description? Surely it needs a backup to comply with Signs and Signal Regs.

(Just kidding)




(Or am I?)

[nearlythere]

As you say Civvy, battery or generator back up a requirement.

[Tom W]

Which the CIE has got

[Dinnertime Dave]

'Unlimited range, as long as you have signal you get a message'

I particularly like this point - all those unwanted fire signals at 2 o`clock in the morning.  

[Tom W]

You guys are so negative sometimes! Yes there are unwanted fire signals, however you can always disconnect from a site so no you wouldn't get a text at 2am.

If you're in charge of the fire precautions and you are getting so many false alarms i'd suggest you're not maintaining your site precautions properly.

When i saw this I thought this is a good innovative bit of kit that could really help the deaf community and not just the deaf

"The case followed a fire on the first floor of the hotel on 13 August last year, when it was discovered that the fire alarm could not be heard in a basement area of the premises where onsite staff lived. This led to a delay of around 20 minutes for the evacuation of the hotel" http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/guests-forced-to-flee-hotel-fire-without-evacuation-process-court-hears

Im surprised that no one has actually said "i like it, i can see a use" don't just look for the possible bad in things!

[Mike Buckley]

Seems like a good idea, but it seems to be aimed at people visiting premises and the problem I can see is not only has the person got to log into the system but they also have to log out of the system when they leave, otherwise I can see the scenario where someone is sitting at home and is getting message after message about fire alarms going off in the places they have visited. Second even if it is used, the place where it is used will still have to make arrangements for people who cannot or do not want to use the system so there will be no saving there. Finally the news item you quote does not seem to have anything to do with the deaf, if the fire alarm cannot be heard anywhere in a building it cannot conform.

[colin todd]

It would appear simply to be a text messaging service using a mobile phone. As such, it would not comply with BS 5839-1.

[kurnal]

I am not convinced that compliance with BS5839 is an issue at present?
(Assuming the alarm system in the building is suitable and sufficient and conforms to BS5839.) 

Is this device a potential enhancement and new additional risk control measure falling outside the scope of the current BS? If it takes off and and is further developed presumably a standard will emerge, just like we had magnetic hold open devices long before we had BS7273 part 4?

[colin todd]

BS 5839-1 fully addresses fire warning systems for deaf people.  If the system is not required because there are other adequate arrangements to warn deaf and hard of eharing people, that's fine- you can use semaphore if you want.  But then, if it is not required, why have it.
The corollary is that, if a system is part of the legislatively required fire strategy, then it would be prudent to comply with a recognised standard.

[kurnal]

But then it would be down to the responsible person to provide and maintain the device and collect it back at the end of the visit.

Whereas the potential of this idea, if it takes off, is for people to be able to use their own equipment and keep it with them as they move from building to building- ultimately  being similar to the loop amplifier for a hearing aid. This makes it impractical - and irrelevant- to comply with some of the recommendations of the BS.

Yes provision of this equipment would be over and above the requirements of the Fire Safety Order but it may give some people additional peace of mind and increase their mobility and quality of life.

[colin todd]

Sadly, from a liability point of view sometimes it is better to do nothing than recognize that something needs done but do it half heartedly.

[nearlythere]

Looks like a something which has the potential to develop and become standard kit for deaf or hard of hearing.
Problem I see is that text messaging is not always instantaneous. I have received texts hours after they were sent which had nothing to do with my location or phone.