HEARING IMPAIRED: Special Smoke Detector Installed

A second Des Moines homeowner received a specialized smoke detector Friday.

Local electricians installed an alarm made especially for people who are hard of hearing or deaf in a home on the 6200 block of Southwest 13th street.

The detector uses strobe lights to signal a fire in the home.

A grant from the State Fire Marshall’s office paid for the detector, which is hard wired, making it about 20-percent more reliable than a battery operated detector.

The first alarm was installed in May.

Fire officials say there are others waiting to be installed but the department is having trouble finding certified electricians to do the installations.