BELFAST City Airport is the second major airport in the UK to install Deaf Alerter, the market- leading radio-based fire alarm warning and messaging system for Deaf and hard of hearing passengers and staff. The aim of the introduction of Deaf Alerter is not only to improve BCA facilities in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act (enforced October 2004) by providing equal access, but to enhance the travel experience BCA Deaf or hard of hearing passengers receive.

A hearing person in the airport relies on the audible alarms for fire alarm or emergency warnings, however deaf and hard of hearing people are excluded from these vital messages as it is a facility not accessible to them. The Deaf Alerter system overcomes this barrier, by means of a small hand-held device, known as an Alerter.

Passengers can borrow an Alerter free of charge from the information desk, at which point an instruction card will be provided; and those passengers who own their own Alerter will need to register it with the information desk.

The Deaf Alerter system comprises of a VHF radio transmitter and aerial which is permanently connected to the airport's existing fire alarm system. This responds instantly to an alarm and each Alerter in use receives a simultaneous signal activation, vibrating and flashing to attract the Alerter wearers' attention. This will continue until the Alerter user is safely out of the building.