FWFD Provides Life-Saving Alarms to Deaf in Community

When a fire strikes you pray that the alarm will work. But what if a sound used to save your life, you couldnt hear at all. “The old way wasnt working” says Gary Middaugh.” Up until now Middaugh and his wife were living with a standard fire alarm. But it didnt really help since Gary is deaf and couldnt hear it and his wife is hearing-impaired. Now thanks to the Fort Wayne Fire Department and DeafLink, in case there ever is a fire the message will come across “loud” and clear. Middaugh received a new fire alarm today. It’s one that sends signal to the transmitter with an attached vibrator, making it easier for Gary to know if and when his house is on fire. “When they came today and I saw the system and they showed me the system I was just so impressed” says Middaugh. He is 16th person in the area to receive a new vibrating alarm system. “There is a real need out here in the deaf community for these types of systems” says Captain Dave Meadows of the Fort Wayne Fire Department. The fire department bought the units using a local HUD grant, but today, Middaugh received the last one they had, still leaving many in need hanging. “I already have about a dozen people on a waiting list and were getting more requests all the time” adds Meadows. But the problem is each system costs 500-dollars. “Theres many people who cant afford the system” says Middaugh. Nearly 25,000 people in Northeast Indiana are hearing-impaired, and without a system like this, more lives may be at risk. “Most people die in fires at night time when theyre sleeping and if you cannot hear on top of it, that makes it that much more difficult” says Meadows. Gary Middaugh is just thankful he has able to get a system, and hopes more will soon feel the relief he now has. “Its just going to make everything in my life amazing” he says. If you’d like to donate money to help buy more alarms contact Dave Meadows at the Fort Wayne Fire Department at (260)427-1483 or by email at dave.meadows@cityoffortwayne.org