communities and populations involved in disasters deaf and hard of hearing populations

Communities and Populations Involved in Disasters

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Populations

Andrew PerlmanExecutive Director, EPIC Associates

Emergency Preparedness for Inclusive Communities

ap@epicpreparedness.com

Agenda• Why Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind? (consumers)

• What these communities really look like

• Preferred communication methods

• Assets vs. liabilities

• Emergency notification and communication

• Why Social Media?

• Collaboration

Why Consumers?

• 36 million plus

• Tech savvy

• 9/11, Katrina, Rita

What These Communities Really Look Like

• 1 in 5 Americans have hearing loss in at least one ear

• 20% of population 12 years and older … impact communication

• 26 million age 20-69 - - - hearing loss due to work/leisure

• 60% of deployed service men/women - - - NIHL, tinnitus

• 3 out of every 1,000 children … born deaf or hard of hearing

Preferred Communication Methods

• American Sign Language (ASL) & tactile

• Pidgin Signed English (PSE)

• Signed Exact English (SEE)

• Home Sign

• Lip Reading

• Facial expressions

Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) and Video Relay Service (VRS)

Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) andAssistive Listening Devices (ALDs)

• Captioning

• Hearing aids

• Cochlear implant

• Loop system

Fact or Fiction?

• All people with hearing loss read lips

• All deaf people use sign language

• Hearing aids make hard of hearing or deaf people hearing

• Deaf people cannot speak

Assets or Liabilities?

• Self-determination

• Access to information / devices = independence = no strain on resources

• No information / devices = potential victims

• Direct and practical experience; just ask the experts

• What happens if access isn’t provided ?

Video

GAPSConsumers

Emergency managemen

t and preparednes

s

Emergency Notification

Public Announcements

• TV – captions, crawls, obstructions

• FCC

• Sandy - - -Mayor Bloomberg

• NOAA radios

Public Announcements

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

http://www.ctia.org/consumer_info/safety/index.cfm/AID/12082

Fire alarms - ? Strobes

Workplace – USDA – 10 systems included consumers Pager system, Computer Emergency Notification System

Evacuation/Shelters• Intake staffing

• Visual displays

• Interpreters

• Katrina

• Self-determination

• Service animals

• Supplies

9-1-1• Not an option

• Analog technology vs. IP-based info

• 3.5 billion texts/day

• NG 9-1-1 for everyone not just consumers

• Tennessee

Why is Access Important?• Access = Independence

• Independence = Less Strain on Resources

• Providing access requires advance planning and resource management

Why Social Media ?• 85% - use wireless devices

• 65% say wireless important in emergencies

• Inherently accessible

Facebook• Build rapport and credibility – trusted source

• Reach non-traditional populations - - enhances outreach

• Not just for special events

• Kinds of messages? – branding – relationship building - interaction

• Sometimes don’t say anything

• Engagement tool

• Vlogs can expand points made on SM

• https://www.facebook.com/epicpreparedness

Twitter• Emergent information

• Situational awareness

• Japan

• Boston EMS

• Be Careful

Social Media and Boston

No Matter Where You Lived …..

• Loved ones

• Seeking latest info

• What if ….. ?

• How report suspicious activity?

• What is shelter-in-place?

ENGAGE NOW. SHARE INFORMATION.

Always be thinking what might be most interesting to my community right now.

Consumers Are Valuable Assets

• Planning

• Exercises

• Liaison to community

• Trusted Sources

Exercises

PlanningWho in addition to traditional stakeholders are at

the planning table?

Who Knows WhatConsumers

• Know what a crisis feels like

• Know what their needs are

• Don’t know emergency response procedures

• Don’t know what they can contribute

Response Agencies• Know emergency response

procedures

• Don’t know how to assist consumers

• Don’t know what others can do for them

Planning• What we know …

• Resource management - when?

• Service providers

• Advocate agencies

• Faith-based organizations

Obstacles and Collaborative Paths to Success

Roadblocks• Trust and privacy

• Communication

• Personal Reasons (don’t want to leave, pets, previous incidents)

Possible Solutions• Doctors, FBOs, advocates,

community leaders

• How do our preparedness efforts reach these individuals?

• Accurate information and accessible alternatives

A new paradigmConsumers

Emergency managemen

t and preparednes

s

Plan with, not just for

Questions?

Thank youAndy Perlman

ap@epicpreparedness.com