Tips for People with Hearing
Impairments
Batteries
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Store extra batteries for hearing aids and implants.
If available, keep an extra hearing aid with your
emergency supplies.
-
Store extra batteries for your TTY and light phone
signaler. Check your manual for proper maintenance
advice.
Hearing Aids
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Store hearing aids in a consistent, convenient and
secured place, so you can quickly and easily locate
them after a disaster. Consider storing them in a
container attached to your night stand or bed post.
Missing or damaged hearing aids will be difficult to
replace or fix following a major disaster.
Alarms
Communication
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Determine how you will communicate with emergency
personnel if there is no interpreter or if you do not
have your hearing aid(s). Store paper and pens.
-
Consider carrying a pre-printed copy of key phrases,
such as "I speak American Sign Language (ASL) and need
an ASL interpreter."
-
If possible, obtain a battery-operated television that
has a decoder chip for access to signed or captioned
emergency reports.
-
Determine which broadcasting systems will provide
continuous news that will be captioned and/or signed.
Advocacy
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Recruit interpreters to be Red Cross emergency
volunteers.
-
Maintain pressure on TV stations to broadcast all news
and emergency information in open caption format
and/or secure on-camera interpreters for emergency
duties.
-
When you travel, ensure hotels have access packets for
deaf and hearing impaired persons, including audible
alarms. Ask for them when you check in.
Checklist
-
________ Store and maintain extra hearing aids and
batteries.
-
________ Install both audible alarms and visual smoke
alarms.
-
________ Write down key phrases for emergency
personnel.
Developed by
Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco in
cooperation with June Kailes, Disability Consultant,
through a grant from The American Red Cross Northern
California Disaster Preparedness Network
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