# Smoke alarm for the deaf and blind **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765 "2013-08-09T00:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![austerity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@austerity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/austerity)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765/1 "2013-08-09T00:29:46Z")
I am not deaf and blind when awake, but when I go to sleep I wear an eye mask to block out light and I wear both ear muffs and earplugs to block out sound. So when asleep I am deaf and blind. So smoke alarms using sound and light won’t work on me. Is there a smoke alarm for someone who can’t see and hear? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765/2 "2013-08-09T00:39:44Z")
There are alarm clocks that can shake a bed, I imagine that it would be possible to rig up a smoke alarm to do the same. I don’t know if anyone is offering such a thing, but that’s probably what you want. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765/3 "2013-08-09T00:45:12Z")
Perhaps a sprinkler system? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765/4 "2013-08-09T01:08:24Z")
Yes, there are systems that use wireless technology to transmit alarms to vibrating units. [http://www.silentcall.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=6&osCsid=4210f76e084e7c7d56ead530b8c6d998#.UgRAv6wyjH0](http://www.silentcall.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=6&osCsid=4210f76e084e7c7d56ead530b8c6d998#.UgRAv6wyjH0) ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765/5 "2013-08-09T12:49:50Z")
We have smoke detectors wired into our alarm system. If someone takes a shower and forgets to use the exhaust fan, then steam flows into the hallway upon opening the door. Within seconds, a special “fire” alarm sounds. No hearing human could ignore or miss this sound. Just like ducking under a helicopter rotor that you couldn’t possibly reach, I close my eyes, hold my breath and duck as I go by the speaker to shut it off. It makes no sense, but the sound is so loud that you can’t help it. This ain’t no 8 dollar smoke alarm from Sears!😃 YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![NotDeadYet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotDeadYet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotDeadYet)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765/6 "2013-08-10T03:14:34Z")
People who are actually deaf and blind usually have service animals to wake them. There are alarm clocks that are placed under your pillow that vibrate, so I guess there would be some way to rig up a smoke alarm to do the same. Or how about a spouse? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-alarm-for-the-deaf-and-blind/665765/7 "2013-08-10T03:30:12Z")
Dogs.