Articles
Emergency Preparedness
- Category: Advocacy
Emergency Preparedness For People With Hearing Loss
By JoAnne Spoto Decker, President, HLAA-NYS Board of Directors
Who can forget “Y2K” (Midnight, January 1, 2000), the magical year that would turn the modern world upside-down? People around the globe prepared for the worst by securing survival items from flashlights to generators, flip-top cans of food and drink, and extras of everything. We know the end of the story. The world’s population breathed a collective sigh of relief. And with that, batteries expired, flashlights discarded, food “use by” dates expired, etc., etc., etc.
In the last decade, horrific emergencies have befallen the United States and countries around the globe. Some disasters came with a window of warning, most did not. HLAA-NYS encourages everyone, especially those with hearing loss, to use Y2K as a teachable moment. Don’t just get prepared for a particular predicted event, but stay prepared for any emergency that can happen to you and your family.
Persons with hearing loss need to be proactive in preparing for emergencies. Building your own Emergency Kit is the first step. In addition to the standard items needed, people with hearing loss will need to think about additional items to have on hand in case of an emergency such as:
- Batteries for hearing aids, cochlear implants, and assistive devices
- A non-electric dri-aid jar or kit to keep equipment safe and dry
- Cell phone, Sidekick or other two-way pager and charging plug for vehicles
- Access to a regular landline phone (not cordless), battery powered amplifier, or battery powered TTY that does not require electricity
For a complete list of Emergency Kit items, and other useful information about emergency preparedness, please visit the following websites:
Disability Preparedness : Hearing and Speech Disabilities at:
http://www.disabilitypreparedness.gov/ppp/hearspeech.htm
The American Red Cross: Tips for People with Hearing Loss at:
http://www.redcross.org/museum/prepare_org/disabilities/hearingtips.htm
Hearing Loss Association of America: Preparing for Communication Access during Power Outages at:
http://www.hearingloss.org/learn/communications.asp
READY.GOV: Making your personal emergency preparedness plan at:
http://www.ready.gov/america/makeaplan/index.html
American Red Cross: Preparing and Getting Trained at:
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.53fabf6cc033f17a2b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=537b218c37752210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&currPage=e507d7aada352210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD
Being prepared increases your chances for survival in a disaster situation. Please learn more today…for a safer tomorrow.
