As recently as ten years ago, homeowners who were hearing impaired or deaf had very few choices when it came to . However, recent developments in this area are opening new doors for those who are hard of hearing. From strobe alarms to vibration systems, there are many new and effective options for those who have special needs when it comes to protecting themselves and their homes.
One of the most innovative ways for the hearing impaired to make use of a is to install a strobe alarm. These alarms, when triggered, will flash and alert the homeowner to a possible intruder.
The strobe light is generally quite large and goes off when there has been a breach in security. In instances when the strobe continues to go off, an alert is sent to either a security office or to the police,” says Gina Anderson, a writer for the Houston Deaf Network.
In many cases of burglary or other home invasion, time is of the essence when it comes to preventing loss or personal injury, so the earlier the homeowner is alerted, the better.
Amplified headsets and portable amplifiers are also an option for those who are hard of hearing to protect themselves when they are at home. These devices will allow hearing-impaired people to use a landline or cell phone to report a theft. The amplifiers can increase the sound coming through the line by over 25 percent, where the person may otherwise not hear the emergency personnel on the other end of the line. Portable amplifiers are especially helpful, as they give the hearing-impaired homeowners the same amplified sound they would get from their landlines, only on a cell phone. This is useful if the homeowner must hide somewhere in the home during a break-in where there is no landline.
Vibration devices are also available for the hearing impaired who want to increase their home security. These devices are carried on a belt or in one’s pocket and vibrate when a security alarm is triggered, alerting the homeowner that someone is trying to break in. The only drawback to these systems is that they are not always connected to the police department, which means a separate call must be made for help. No matter which hearing-impaired homeowners make, they now have a variety of options to keep their homes safer.
Gary Nash
Author – Gary has been with us for 3 years, but already has expert knowledge of the home security industry. He’s in charge of company research and news. Zach works to ensure that the site provides the most accurate and timely news in the industry.