WHEREAS hearing impaired people may not be able to respond to audio fire alarm systems: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government require visual alarm systems be installed in all places where audio alarm systems are currently required.
Ministry of Housing and Social Development The British Columbia Building Code BCBC establishes minimum requirements for the installation of fire alarm systems in B.C., including the areas of a building where persons with hearing impairments are to be visually notified of a fire alarm. Buildings or portions of a building, used primarily by persons with a hearing impairment, are required by the BCBC to be equipped with visual signal devices. If the installation of a visual signal device is to be required in addition to and in all places where audible signal devices are currently required, changes to the BCBC would be needed. The BCBC is adopted from the National Building Code of Canada NBC. This is an issue of national interest and not regional specificity. Therefore, consideration of this issue should be through the NBC code change process.