This was three weeks ago.
I was at college sleeping and when I woke up, I did my normal thing. Went to class. Then when I saw my youth minister, he told me there was a fire at a dorm building. I told him which building? He said James River. That was my building! I was shocked!
For the rest of the day, I looked around wondering if anyone actually cared I'm alive. Do I not belong here because I am severely hard of hearing?
I found out later that the policeman who was trying to search every room in the building that night was taken to the hospital because he inhaled so much smoke, he suffocated. It was that bad. I was on the 4th floor and he couldn't get to that floor.
I notified the hall director about this. She has not apologized and was trying to save her job. She said that it was my responsibility to sign a list that I should receive special attention. I'm pretty sure that the University knows that I am disabled but I never knew I needed to sign another form...
I also went to the dean of students about this. I specifically asked him to provide better ways for me to be safe. No special alarms have been installed to this day.
No one knows what it is like to be in a blind man's shoes but we can clearly see that he needs special attention but nobody can see what deaf people need help also!
I wish I can sue the University for the lack to provide special attention to deaf people. The disability office has been gone since this summer and this is a state school!