'Hotel Survey Proves I'm A 2nd Class Guest' Says Deaf Clare
Profoundly deaf Clare Chilton, 34, a BBC2 TV presenter on deaf issues, is spearheading the 'Deaf to Change' campaign to coincide with the 2nd anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act and raise awareness of negligence in hotels that make no provision for communicating with the deaf and hard of hearing, or safeguarding them against fire.
The unwelcome guest
Says Clare: 'It is unacceptable for me to be treated as a 2nd class guest when I pay exactly the same rates as others. Installing a loop system at reception desks is inexpensive and enables communication with hearing aid users to be more effective. Even the most basic facilities such as TVs with text titles are a rarity, which in this day and age is unbelievable!?
"To ensure deaf people can sleep safely, hotels need to have smoke alarms suitable for people with a hearing loss. Most deaf people take their hearing aids out at night, making them less likely to hear a normal audible fire alarm, so flashing alarms and fire alarms systems with vibrating under-pillow pads ensure that all guests are alerted in case of a fire."
"Deaf people are a significant force in the economy, traveling both for business and pleasure. When you consider the amount of potential income that the hotel industry could generate by offering even basic facilities for deaf people, it?s staggering that we are being ignored. I can only hope that this campaign will make hoteliers wake up to both the business opportunities and their moral obligations."
To coincide with the 2nd anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), the 'Deaf to Change' survey of hotels was commissioned by Fireco Ltd, manufacturers of Deafgard, the wire-free solution for communicating the sound of the fire alarm to deaf and hard of hearing people http://www.deafgard.com/.
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