BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Alabama Ear Institute, in conjunction with ABC 33/40, is sponsoring a program that will place weather radios that have been modified as assistive alerting devices in the homes of 100 deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals living in the state. Equipped with strobe lights, the person is alerted to approaching bad weather and the radios feature alpha/numeric readouts that detail the warnings.
"When a tornado hits Alabama, most of us are aware of the danger because of a warning siren or the announcements on the television or radio," said Dr. Robert Baldwin, chairman and director of the Alabama Ear Institute. "If you are deaf, there is no guarantee that you will know about the approaching bad weather, especially if you live alone."
The Alabama Ear Institute has worked with Midland Radio and X-10 to construct a weather radio, complete with strobe light and alpha/numeric readouts, which will alert persons who are deaf to impending inclement weather.
"We are very excited to be able to give these radios away because we know they may save lives," said Dr. Robert Baldwin, "Because of this radio, a person who is deaf will know when a storm is approaching so they can take proper steps to protect themselves."
One hundred people who are deaf or hard of hearing can get a free weather radio alert system simply by calling The Alabama Ear Institute at 205/879-4234. The radios will be given out on a first-called-first-served basis.
The public can make donations to this program, increasing the number of people receiving the modified radios, by calling 205/879-4234.
The Alabama Ear Institute is a 501 (c) (3) public, not-for-profit foundation dedicated to touching and improving the lives of children and adults who are affected by hearing loss or deafness. For more information on the services and programs of the Alabama Ear Institute, call 205/879-4234.
