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