Emergency Preparedness for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Community by Deborah Titus
Is there any appropriate disaster plan for the deaf and hard of hearing? Does the Commonwealth of Virginia have enough resources set aside for citizens with hearing impairments? Do the state and local responders know how to reach people with hearing impairments in order to evacuate them from the disaster area(s)? What are we, including myself, supposed to do when “hearing” (using the sense of sight) a weather warning or environmental hazard happens?
I have some responses as put forth by panelists at the Community Based Emergency Response Seminar: Preparing for All Abilities in Fairfax, VA on May 9, 2007. Six different panelists spoke about what we are supposed to do during disasters. They presented examples that various people with disabilities face as well as their views on how we might be supported during disasters.
One of the panelists from Virginia Department of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) was Gary Talley, the Outreach Specialist for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He shared with the seminar attendees that the deaf and hard of hearing can be reached through the disaster strike alert and weather warning system. However, some of us may face some difficulties after the disaster passes. How do state and local responders assist with evacuation? How are they going to be able to communicate with us when they evacuate us? Do they have readily available assistive equipment that allow the deaf and hard of hearing to communicate saying simple things such as, “I am all right”, “My family and I are safe” or “I am staying with a friend?”
I brought up to the American Red Cross and other state and local organizations the fact that they need to be prepared with various communication options. On-call interpreters and/or assistive devices such as sidekicks, laptops and assistive listening devices should be readily available. Surprisingly, some of the panelists were not aware of such technology. Gary Talley offered assurance that his office would provide some of this type of equipment for persons with hearing impairments at shelters.
from Spring 2007 newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 2
