DELAND, Fla. — The DeLand Fire Department is testing EaseAlert, a low-volume alerting system designed to replace blaring overnight station alarms.
WESH reported the technology has been installed in one bunk room at Station 81, with the goal of waking firefighters for calls without the jarring sirens that can take a toll over time.
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Firefighter/EMT Karlie Marini, who wears hearing aids, said the change is significant. She initially slept with her aids in for fear of missing alarms, but the new system reliably wakes her without the stress of loud alerts.
Now, when a call comes in, a wristband vibrates, the bed shakes and a red light flashes across the room.
“For a while, I was sleeping with my hearing aid, just to make sure I didn’t miss anything,” Marini said. “Now that I have the system, I can actually sleep and be ready to be a good firefighter.”
The department plans to expand the system beyond firefighters who use hearing aids. Leaders say the gentler alerts reduce stress for everyone on duty, and better rest helps crews stay sharper, healthier and ready to respond when the community needs them.
