Story and photos by Christina Mascarenas/American Red Cross
Pueblo – A pesky spider, setting off fire alarms in the Sandoval house, created a concern for Tom Sandoval since his hearing-impaired son wasn’t waking up when the alarm went off.
“That’s my baby, he’s my youngest,” Tom said with a smile. “Three nights in a row, a spider crawled up there and set it off. It wasn’t waking Travis up, it woke everyone else in the house up.” Tom said. He told his granddaughter, Dyllyn Sandoval, “there has to be a system or something that would turn on a light or something, so that Travis would know if there was a fire.”
Dave Duran,(foreground) installs special smoke alarm while Travis Sandoval looks on.
Coincidently, Travis Sandoval who is hearing-impaired was told the American Red Cross installed free smoke alarms from a counselor at the Center for Disabilities in Pueblo, CO. Travis said, through sign language interpretation provided by his niece, Dyllyn, he was told about the vibrating smoke alarms for people with hearing impairment but “he wasn’t sure if he wanted to try it out or not.”
Red Cross volunteers Dave Duran and Utah Smith installed the bed shaker alarm in Travis’ bedroom for free as part of the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign. That campaign has installed more than 1 million smoke alarms across the country since its inception in 2014. The goal of the campaign is to reduce home fire related deaths and injuries by 25 percent. So far, the campaign has been credited with saving more than 300 lives across the country.
The alarm, designed for the hearing-impaired is attached to a bed shaker that vibrates and flip flops under Travis’ pillow when activated by the loud sound made by a nearby smoke alarm. When Travis was asked what he thought about getting the new smoke alarm that vibrates, he said through is interpreter, “I like it. The sound of most smoke alarms is too high for me to hear especially at night when I take off my hearing aids. It will be good to have this.” Travis said, “I feel a lot safer now.”
Tom Sandoval (center) reviews fire safety material with Utah Smith
Duran, who installed the alarm, said of the hearing-impaired smoke alarm, “I think it’s great, it gives me peace of mind knowing that if there is a real fire, at least he’s going to be aware of what to do. Now they can establish a good evacuation plan. Pray to God it never happens but things do happen. He [Travis] will be aware, he will know what’s happening.”
The Sandoval family will be able to rest comfortably now that the shaker alarm has been installed. “It was alright as long as it was spider setting the (alarm) off, but in a real fire, I may not make it to [Travis’] bedroom in time.” Tom said, “When you guys [Red Cross] showed up, it was a God send. I’m glad for his sake.”
Visit the Red Cross website, www.redcross.org/colorado/firesafety to learn more about the Home Fire Campaign and to sign up for a smoke alarm appointment. A Red Cross volunteer will visit your home to check your existing smoke alarms and replace them if needed. They will also help you make a Family Emergency plan.