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Cumberland County nonprofit working to provide 'lifesaving device' to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing

The Lifetone device syncs up with your home's smoke alarm. When it goes off, the Lifetone device does too.

CARLISLE, Pa. — If there’s a house fire, we all hope that we’ll hear the smoke alarms, whether we're awake or asleep.

But for someone who’s deaf or hard of hearing, that’s not possible.

When they’re sleeping, a flashing light on a fire alarm might not do much good either.

“What’s gonna wake you up if you can’t hear the alarm or see the light flashing?" asked Roger Spitz, president of the Carlisle Sertoma Club.

The Carlisle Sertoma Club thinks it’s found a solution.

“In our own area here in Carlisle, we have children who are deaf, hard of hearing and have cochlear implants so this is something that was overlooked," explained Spitz.

It’s called Lifetone technology.

The device, designed by a Missouri company, syncs with your home’s smoke alarm. If the alarm goes off, it does too.

The connected vibrating piece is designed to be placed under a pillow or bedsheet.

“That vibrates with great intensity and it will wake you up," said Spitz.

Thanks to fundraising efforts, the Sertoma Club is now giving these devices out to the community, free of charge.

It goes along with the Sertoma Club's national mission, which is to improve the quality of life today for those at risk or impacted by hearing loss through education and support.

Spitz said the program is saving families the more than $200 they would spend if they tried to buy the devices through retail.

“The more we buy the cheaper it is for us to have more to give away to more people and we’re hoping this goes national," he explained.

All you have to do is prove that someone in your household has been certified as deaf or hard of hearing.

“My true hope is [that] one of these units will eventually be in the homes of every person who is deaf or very hard of hearing because it is much needed," said Spitz.

To learn more, you can contact any Carlisle Sertoma Club member or call the organization at (717) 319-5153.

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