Vocal Smoke Detectors Best For Hearing Impaired, Children

Fire officials say vocal smoke alarms may be the best idea for a home with children or someone who's hearing impaired. 

Cliff Collar is one person with a hearing impairment that keeps him from hearing high pitch. After discovering he couldn't hear the regular smoke alarm, they purchased vocal smoke detectors for their home.

It records any message in a person's own voice. 

Fire officials say vocal alarms work best for the hearing impaired and also for children, who are more likely to respond to a parent's commands as opposed to a loud beeping noise.  

"We didn't know at first if it'd work or not, but after we just gambled on buying one and I was amazed, because a person can hear their own voice a lot better. and it's a lower octave, I've lost all the high ends, so if it's a loud alarm I don't hear it," said Cliff Collar.

"It's a life saver for folks with a hearing impairment. It's not something that those of us with regular hearing would understand, because the regular smoke detectors have such a piercing noise, it's almost unimaginable that someone can't hear. But they truly cannot, so it's something to consider," said Cliff's wife, Joan Collar. 

Now, for those who are deaf, there are vibrating devices that can be placed under the pillow that will go off with a pulsating light when activated in case of a fire.