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DurhamRegion Article: Clarington deaf couple sounds alarm
After a deaf couple was left in a burning apartment building, unable to hear the blaring fire alarms, questions are being raised about who is responsible for accessibility in an emergency.
Ken Corbett and Kathy Gibson were napping in their ground-level apartment on Bernard Street on Nov. 18 when fire broke out in the garage next to the six-unit building. The flames spread to their building and the fire alarm began to sound. While the rest of the tenants evacuated, Mr. Corbett and Ms. Gibson were unaware of the commotion outside their closed blinds.
"We could have died. Very easily, we could have died," said Mr. Corbett. "The only saving grace was our apartment was on the far side of the building (from the fire)."
The flames climbed six metres and knocked the power out to the building and Mr. Corbett noticed the electricity cut off. He glanced through the blinds and saw the flashing lights of the emergency response vehicles. He woke up Ms. Gibson and the two opened their apartment door to find a startled firefighter in the hall.
"He said 'What are you doing here?'," said Ms. Gibson, who can read lips and speak a little.
Through speech and gestures she explained that they were deaf and had been sleeping.
Since the fire, there has been a lot of finger pointing about who is responsible for making sure deaf and hard-of-hearing residents survive such emergencies.
Ms. Gibson said that when her sister went to the fire department to complain about the incident, she was told the couple should leave their blinds open.
"Of course, as deaf people, we can close our blinds," said Ms. Gibson.
Clarington Fire Chief Gord Weir said firefighters arrived at the scene and were told the apartment building had been evacuated. They focused on fighting the fire. Chief Weir said he understands the concerns raised by the incident but firefighters did everything by the book.
"When you have seconds to make a decision, you make it. And then when the situation changes, you change with it," said Chief Weir. "I don't think anything went wrong. I wouldn't do anything differently."
Durham Deaf Accessibility Committee chairman Mike Finnegan sent a letter to the fire department asking why every apartment wasn't checked.
"I think the firefighters should have to check each apartment. Our apartment was locked but they should have broken in," said Mr. Corbett. "I think it was very offensive to us to read in the paper the next day the comments of the heroism at the rescue of cats. I guess as deaf people our lives are not that valuable."
Chief Weir said firefighters aren't going to break down doors if there is no reason to believe anyone is trapped inside the building.
Knowing about accessibility issues -- such as whether there are deaf residents or the use of oxygen in the home -- would be helpful for firefighters, explained Chief Weir. However the chief said privacy issues would make compiling that information quite difficult and the list would be hard to maintain as people moved.
"I couldn't tell you right now if there were 20 or 500 people in the community that are deaf," said Chief Weir.
He said the onus is on those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to be sure to have a visual smoke detector in their home.
Visual fire alarms, equipped with a bright strobing light, are not legally required in the homes of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Equipping a home with visual fire alarms can cost between $500 to more than $1,000 -- significantly more expensive than audio alarms -- according to Veronica Bickle, counsellor for the Canadian Hearing Society.
Mr. Corbett said they weren't sure whether providing visual fire alarms was their responsibility or their landlord's, and the couple never got around to getting the safety equipment.
"To be honest it wasn't really something I anticipated happening to us. I've never been in a fire in my life," said Mr. Corbett.
The CHS and DDAC are lobbying the government to make a law requiring visual fire alarms in homes with deaf or hard-of-hearing residents. The advocacy groups are also looking for government funding to help offset the costs. So far there has been little response, according to Ms. Bickle.
"It's almost like we have to wait for a tragedy. Somebody dies and then we're going to get the support we need on this issue," said Ms. Bickle, who said close calls are not uncommon.
Chief Weir said his department is working to find a local service organization willing to fund the installation of a visual fire alarms in the couple's home. The fire department has done the same for other deaf residents in the past.
Since the blaze in November, the couple has been living in the Howard Johnson Motel. When the couple moves into their new home, they plan to get visual smoke detectors. They are now looking for a new apartment in Oshawa and finding it difficult to find a place.
"Perhaps if visual smoke detectors were readily available and not so cost prohibitive, landlords wouldn't see it as such a risk to rent to deaf people," said Ms. Bickle.
After a deaf couple was left in a burning apartment building, unable to hear the blaring fire alarms, questions are being raised about who is responsible for accessibility in an emergency.
Ken Corbett and Kathy Gibson were napping in their ground-level apartment on Bernard Street on Nov. 18 when fire broke out in the garage next to the six-unit building. The flames spread to their building and the fire alarm began to sound. While the rest of the tenants evacuated, Mr. Corbett and Ms. Gibson were unaware of the commotion outside their closed blinds.
"We could have died. Very easily, we could have died," said Mr. Corbett. "The only saving grace was our apartment was on the far side of the building (from the fire)."
The flames climbed six metres and knocked the power out to the building and Mr. Corbett noticed the electricity cut off. He glanced through the blinds and saw the flashing lights of the emergency response vehicles. He woke up Ms. Gibson and the two opened their apartment door to find a startled firefighter in the hall.
"He said 'What are you doing here?'," said Ms. Gibson, who can read lips and speak a little.
Through speech and gestures she explained that they were deaf and had been sleeping.
Since the fire, there has been a lot of finger pointing about who is responsible for making sure deaf and hard-of-hearing residents survive such emergencies.
Ms. Gibson said that when her sister went to the fire department to complain about the incident, she was told the couple should leave their blinds open.
"Of course, as deaf people, we can close our blinds," said Ms. Gibson.
Clarington Fire Chief Gord Weir said firefighters arrived at the scene and were told the apartment building had been evacuated. They focused on fighting the fire. Chief Weir said he understands the concerns raised by the incident but firefighters did everything by the book.
"When you have seconds to make a decision, you make it. And then when the situation changes, you change with it," said Chief Weir. "I don't think anything went wrong. I wouldn't do anything differently."
Durham Deaf Accessibility Committee chairman Mike Finnegan sent a letter to the fire department asking why every apartment wasn't checked.
"I think the firefighters should have to check each apartment. Our apartment was locked but they should have broken in," said Mr. Corbett. "I think it was very offensive to us to read in the paper the next day the comments of the heroism at the rescue of cats. I guess as deaf people our lives are not that valuable."
Chief Weir said firefighters aren't going to break down doors if there is no reason to believe anyone is trapped inside the building.
Knowing about accessibility issues -- such as whether there are deaf residents or the use of oxygen in the home -- would be helpful for firefighters, explained Chief Weir. However the chief said privacy issues would make compiling that information quite difficult and the list would be hard to maintain as people moved.
"I couldn't tell you right now if there were 20 or 500 people in the community that are deaf," said Chief Weir.
He said the onus is on those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to be sure to have a visual smoke detector in their home.
Visual fire alarms, equipped with a bright strobing light, are not legally required in the homes of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Equipping a home with visual fire alarms can cost between $500 to more than $1,000 -- significantly more expensive than audio alarms -- according to Veronica Bickle, counsellor for the Canadian Hearing Society.
Mr. Corbett said they weren't sure whether providing visual fire alarms was their responsibility or their landlord's, and the couple never got around to getting the safety equipment.
"To be honest it wasn't really something I anticipated happening to us. I've never been in a fire in my life," said Mr. Corbett.
The CHS and DDAC are lobbying the government to make a law requiring visual fire alarms in homes with deaf or hard-of-hearing residents. The advocacy groups are also looking for government funding to help offset the costs. So far there has been little response, according to Ms. Bickle.
"It's almost like we have to wait for a tragedy. Somebody dies and then we're going to get the support we need on this issue," said Ms. Bickle, who said close calls are not uncommon.
Chief Weir said his department is working to find a local service organization willing to fund the installation of a visual fire alarms in the couple's home. The fire department has done the same for other deaf residents in the past.
Since the blaze in November, the couple has been living in the Howard Johnson Motel. When the couple moves into their new home, they plan to get visual smoke detectors. They are now looking for a new apartment in Oshawa and finding it difficult to find a place.
"Perhaps if visual smoke detectors were readily available and not so cost prohibitive, landlords wouldn't see it as such a risk to rent to deaf people," said Ms. Bickle.