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Richmond County Daily Journal - Dispatchers learn to communicate with the deaf
Rockingham and Hamlet police department telecommunicators, along with 911 dispatchers, came together Thursday morning to learn about the most effective ways to deal with the deaf and hard of hearing populations in the event of emergency calls.
“We already have the special equipment needed to take incoming calls that are using telephone texting technology,” said Rockingham Police Department Major Billy Kelly. “We haven’t had a large need for this, but it’s important training. It would be terrible in the event we did need more information about this and we didn’t have it.”
The instructor, Brenda Lusk, a community accessibility consultant at Charlotte Regional Center, led the class with assistance from interpreter Lyndi Patton-Gura, from Fluent Language Solutions.
The class focused on emergency dispatchers learning to understand messages from a deaf or hard of hearing person being transmitted over a TTY device or Voice Carry Over.
A person who is deaf, and utilizes a TTY, relays voice messages by a TRS operator. This allows callers who are unable to use a regular telephone to be able to place calls to people who are using a regular phone. Terms like “Go Ahead” (GA) and “Stop Keying” (SK) are customary in communicating with deaf TTY users.
The next most common call type is Voice Carry Over (VCO). VCO allows a person who is hard of hearing or deaf, and does speak, to use one’s voice while receiving responses from a person who can hear via the operator’s typed text.
Knowing how to effectively communicate with users can potentially save time and lives in an emergency situation.
“Sometimes sentence structure may be different when American Sign Language is being interpreted,” said Lusk. “While a deaf person may be trying to communicate ‘my daughter is hurt and bleeding, I need help,’ it may be translated to the telecommunicator as ‘daughter blood help.’”
Lusk said it’s important that emergency telecommunicators understand that some things may be lost in translation and be able to respond to the information they receive quickly and effectively.
“We want our operators to be prepared so that when we receive calls using any of this technology they will understand the needs of the caller,” said Kelly.
Those in need of assistance with communication technology, alarm technology and other services for the deaf and hard of hearing should contact the North Carolina Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-704-900-0043 (VP), 1-704-568-8858 (Voice) or email Brenda.Lusk@dhhs.nc.gov.
— Staff Writer Kelli Easterling can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com.
911 Emergency Calling Tips for Hard of Hearing Callers
- Begin by telling the 911 dispatcher that you are hard of hearing
- If you are having difficulty understanding the dispatcher, tell them — and tell them that is why you are not responding to their questions.
- Tell the dispatcher the address where you need emergency response and the phone number you are calling from.
- Tell the dispatcher what the emergency is.
- If it’s a medical emergency, describe what has happened to the best of your knowledge and to whom, male or female, age, prior medical conditions, any known allergies and medication they may be taking.
- If it’s a fire, describe where in the home/building the fire is and the cause to the best of your knowledge. Also, describe the color of any flames or smoke you see.
- If police are needed, describe what has happened, where and when. Describe the suspects (height, weight, race, hair color and hair style), the direction they went and what they are wearing. Be sure to mention ANY WEAPONS THEY HAVE, and whether medical services are also needed.
- Calls from cell phones go to the state Highway Patrol first and are then transferred to 911, so you may be talking to more than one person. Tell each person you are hard of hearing. Don’t assume the second person was told by the first.
- The dispatcher is dispatching the emergency services while they are talking to you. The questions they ask and information you give do not delay the services.
- If there is ever a problem with a dispatcher, ask to speak to a shift supervisor.
911 Emergency Calling Tips for The Hearing Impaired
If a caller is using TTY/TTD, the caller should:
- Stay calm, place the phone in the receiver and dial 911
- After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the time necessary to respond to the call.
- Give the dispatcher a moment to respond. If necessary, press the TTY keys again. The dispatcher should answer and type “GA” for “Go Ahead.”
- Tell what is needed: police; fire department or ambulance. Give your name, address and phone number.
- Stay on the phone if it is safe to do so and answer any questions that follow.
If a deaf or speech impaired caller doesn’t have a TTY/TDD, the caller should dial 911 and don’t hang up. Not hanging up leaves the line open. The caller’s address will be displayed on the dispatcher’s screen and help will be sent. This will also work from a pay phone.
Rockingham and Hamlet police department telecommunicators, along with 911 dispatchers, came together Thursday morning to learn about the most effective ways to deal with the deaf and hard of hearing populations in the event of emergency calls.
“We already have the special equipment needed to take incoming calls that are using telephone texting technology,” said Rockingham Police Department Major Billy Kelly. “We haven’t had a large need for this, but it’s important training. It would be terrible in the event we did need more information about this and we didn’t have it.”
The instructor, Brenda Lusk, a community accessibility consultant at Charlotte Regional Center, led the class with assistance from interpreter Lyndi Patton-Gura, from Fluent Language Solutions.
The class focused on emergency dispatchers learning to understand messages from a deaf or hard of hearing person being transmitted over a TTY device or Voice Carry Over.
A person who is deaf, and utilizes a TTY, relays voice messages by a TRS operator. This allows callers who are unable to use a regular telephone to be able to place calls to people who are using a regular phone. Terms like “Go Ahead” (GA) and “Stop Keying” (SK) are customary in communicating with deaf TTY users.
The next most common call type is Voice Carry Over (VCO). VCO allows a person who is hard of hearing or deaf, and does speak, to use one’s voice while receiving responses from a person who can hear via the operator’s typed text.
Knowing how to effectively communicate with users can potentially save time and lives in an emergency situation.
“Sometimes sentence structure may be different when American Sign Language is being interpreted,” said Lusk. “While a deaf person may be trying to communicate ‘my daughter is hurt and bleeding, I need help,’ it may be translated to the telecommunicator as ‘daughter blood help.’”
Lusk said it’s important that emergency telecommunicators understand that some things may be lost in translation and be able to respond to the information they receive quickly and effectively.
“We want our operators to be prepared so that when we receive calls using any of this technology they will understand the needs of the caller,” said Kelly.
Those in need of assistance with communication technology, alarm technology and other services for the deaf and hard of hearing should contact the North Carolina Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-704-900-0043 (VP), 1-704-568-8858 (Voice) or email Brenda.Lusk@dhhs.nc.gov.
— Staff Writer Kelli Easterling can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com.
911 Emergency Calling Tips for Hard of Hearing Callers
- Begin by telling the 911 dispatcher that you are hard of hearing
- If you are having difficulty understanding the dispatcher, tell them — and tell them that is why you are not responding to their questions.
- Tell the dispatcher the address where you need emergency response and the phone number you are calling from.
- Tell the dispatcher what the emergency is.
- If it’s a medical emergency, describe what has happened to the best of your knowledge and to whom, male or female, age, prior medical conditions, any known allergies and medication they may be taking.
- If it’s a fire, describe where in the home/building the fire is and the cause to the best of your knowledge. Also, describe the color of any flames or smoke you see.
- If police are needed, describe what has happened, where and when. Describe the suspects (height, weight, race, hair color and hair style), the direction they went and what they are wearing. Be sure to mention ANY WEAPONS THEY HAVE, and whether medical services are also needed.
- Calls from cell phones go to the state Highway Patrol first and are then transferred to 911, so you may be talking to more than one person. Tell each person you are hard of hearing. Don’t assume the second person was told by the first.
- The dispatcher is dispatching the emergency services while they are talking to you. The questions they ask and information you give do not delay the services.
- If there is ever a problem with a dispatcher, ask to speak to a shift supervisor.
911 Emergency Calling Tips for The Hearing Impaired
If a caller is using TTY/TTD, the caller should:
- Stay calm, place the phone in the receiver and dial 911
- After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the time necessary to respond to the call.
- Give the dispatcher a moment to respond. If necessary, press the TTY keys again. The dispatcher should answer and type “GA” for “Go Ahead.”
- Tell what is needed: police; fire department or ambulance. Give your name, address and phone number.
- Stay on the phone if it is safe to do so and answer any questions that follow.
If a deaf or speech impaired caller doesn’t have a TTY/TDD, the caller should dial 911 and don’t hang up. Not hanging up leaves the line open. The caller’s address will be displayed on the dispatcher’s screen and help will be sent. This will also work from a pay phone.