Firefighter/Deaf Interaction

3.3 MILLION CALIFORNIANS ARE DEAF OR HEARING IMPAIRED

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 37 million Americans live with a hearing impairment. 800,000 live in the Greater Los Angeles area. That means that first responders need to be ready to help deaf or hearing impaired residents. And deaf or hearing impaired residents need to be able to communicate with first responders.

The hearing impaired are an at-risk community when it comes to emergencies or disasters. And there is no age requirement for hearing disabilities. The elderly can often have hearing deficits. And hearing loss affects 17 of every 1,000 children under the age of 18.

American Sign Language is like many other languages, in that it can take time and commitment to learn fluently. However, learning a few key phrases can help first responders communicate effectively with the hearing impaired in an emergency. We’ve put together some important words, the basic alphabet and key phrases for first responders in the video library below.