Fircroft College have increased their efforts to ensure the safety for Deaf and hard of hearing students is improved. Being a residential college with over 6 acres of ground, monitoring students' whereabouts is impossible. This posed considerable risk for Deaf or hard of hearing students, who in the event of an emergency situation would not be able to hear a conventional audible alarm. Fircroft College acknowledged that a solution needed to be found to eliminate any risk.

This has now been achieved with Deaf Alerter PLC's assistance, by installing their specifically designed Deaf Alerter® system, which greatly improves access and safety for Deaf and hard of hearing people in line with current legislation. With over 15 years' experience in the industry Deaf Alerter is installed in many educational institutes demonstrating commitment to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) legislation.

The Deaf Alerter system compromises a VHF radio transmitter and aerial which is permanently connected to the college's existing fire alarm panels and meets stringent health and safety requirements working to the British Fire Alarm standard BS 5839-1, in support of the DDA. This responds instantly to an alarm and each Alerter (small device worn by the Deaf or Hard of hearing person, as in image) in use receives a simultaneous signal, vibrating and flashing to attract the user's attention. This will continue until the Alerter user is safely out of the building.

Jo McGrath, Domestic Bursar for the college, commented: "We realised that we had to review our current health and safety procedure for Deaf and hard of hearing students and employees. Deaf Alerter offered us an ideal solution combining all our requirements. It is important that Deaf or hard of hearing students receive the same level of safety and social inclusion as hearing students"