To increase fire safety for people with disabilities,

NFPA offers the following guidelines:

Make escape easy
Consider locating your bedroom on the ground floor, making escape easier. Make sure that smoke alarms are installed in or near any sleeping area, and have a telephone or telecommunications device installed where you sleep.

Special alarm
If you or any member of your household is deaf or hard of hearing install a smoke alarm that uses a flashing strobe light or vibration along with the sound alarm.

Make a plan
Be sure that the escape plan includes everyone in the household. If you or someone you live with cannot escape alone, designate a member of the household to assist (have a backup plan in case the designee is away at the time of the emergency). Conduct regular fire drills to determine if everyone is able to hear and respond to smoke alarms. If someone requires additional warning or uses a guide dog, incorporate that need into the fire escape plan.  

Communicate
Post emergency telephone numbers in central locations. Keep a communications device nearby. If you use a teletypewriter (TTY) or Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), place it close to the bed so that communication with emergency personnel is possible should fire or smoke trap you in your room.

Contact the fire prevention office of your local fire department to review emergency escape procedures with them and to discuss your abilities and any disabilities.

"Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week Web site, www.firepreventionweek.org. ©2003 NFPA."