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Here is the summary of the Emergency Preparedness
Group discussion on October 23, 2005 at the NYSA Leadership
Conference:
Ways
we can help prepare for an emergency:
- Look at our own personal responsibility for self to be
prepared.
- Focus on the needs of people with hearing loss.
- Recognize that there are different needs for the city
than for the more rural areas of the state.
- Start in our own community to educate "John Q Public" to
be prepared, using newspaper articles, letters to editor,
mass mailings, brochures, library contacts, ALD demonstrations,
presentations to own apartment managements, employers.
We may be able to get funds from Homeland Security
to help with getting information out to the public.
- Locate the local Red Cross shelter.
- Locate and educate first responders (911, fire department,
police) to the needs of people with hearing loss
for communication needs and visual alerts. Make a
checklist of things they
might want to have on hand to communicate with
people with hearing loss, e.g., pocket talkers, batteries,
flashlights,
pencil and paper. Identify yourself as a person
with
hearing loss ahead of time with the local first
responders and
apartment building management.
- Volunteer to assist with local emergency prep team.
- Be involved with any testing of systems, e.g.,
911, fire drills.
- Collaborate with other disability organizations
on a state and city level with information
for first
responders.
- Create a list of needs a person with hearing
loss should add to their EMERGENCY KIT
(see below). The contents
should be kept up to date (medications,
batteries, contact lens
solution).
- Educate hospital personnel and hearing
health care providers (ENT doctors and
audiologists)
as to
the emergency needs
of people with hearing loss (specifically
we would like to give them copies of
the EMERGENCY
KIT list).
- The state health department has prepared
an insert on emergency preparedness
for local newspapers.
We should see whether
each of our local papers will add that
insert.
- Contact the Red Cross about their disabilities
preparedness pamphlet.
Each group member committed to least one personal goal
to work on over the next several months.
There are a number of specific Web sites to look at for
recommendations. These four sites are generic in nature,
focused on food, clothes and shelter type of needs:
www.health.state.ny.us (NYS Dept. of Health)
www.semo.state.ny.us/programs/recovery/ (New York
State Emergency Management Office)
www.redcross.org (American Red Cross)
Another link: www.ready.gov (from the US Dept. of Homeland
Security) is a very helpful link. It leads to three important
places: 1) An emergency kit; 2) Planning ahead; and 3)
Being informed.
A basic personal EMERGENCY-KIT should include (from www.ready.gov
)
Recommended Supplies to Include in a Portable Kit:
Water, amounts for portable kits will vary. Individuals should determine what
amount they are able to both store comfortably outside the home and be able
to transport to other locations
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Flashlight and extra batteries
First Aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
Moist towelettes for sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Unique family needs, such as daily prescription medications, infant formula
or diapers, and important family documents
Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
ADDITIONAL NEEDS FOR PEOPLE WITH HEARING LOSS:
Extra HA/CI batteries
Spare hearing aids if you have them
Hearing aid drying device
Extra eyeglasses/contacts & solution (we can’t
speechread if we can’t see!)
Assistive listening devices (pocket talker, FM device,
direct audio input)
Pencil and paper to help when you absolutely can’t
hear
Mary Fredericks
Facilitator
Group Participants:
David Branfield
Roger Davis
Pam Foody
Mary Fredericks
Judy Ginsberg
Hollace Goodman
Joe Gordon
Suzanne Jeffery
Barb Law
Ed McGibbon
Karen Ratner
Larry Weingart
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