Miss-Delectable
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MyFox St. Louis | Emergency Disaster Training For The Deaf
Many times in a disaster people trying help others become victims themselves because they don't know what they are doing.
CERT teams are supposed to change that.
One pool of potential volunteers has largely been ignored until now.
In an emergency every minute counts and so does every person.
But sometimes those who want to help have trouble offering it because they have a bit of a barrier; they’re deaf.
Fifteen men and women in one class either cannot hear or cannot hear very well.
Still they are training to be volunteers for cert which is short for Community Emergency Response Team - neighbors who help neighbors in a disaster while waiting for professional help to arrive.
Tim Bonno of the Gateway Citizens' Corps Coalition says…"We want to give them that ability to deal with that emergency and assist first responders. They can be their eyes and provide a lot of information."
Among the skills they are learning: how to fight small fires using basic tools and basic teamwork.
While the deaf can fight fires as well as anyone the difficulty for many is knowing there is a fire because special visual fire alarms can sometimes be out of reach.
They are not training to become professional firefighters able to control a massive blaze.
But by being learning how to help others help them in this kind of situation they might be able to keep a fire from getting out of control from the start.
So far only two cert training classes for the deaf have been held in Missouri.
The training also included light search and rescue skills.
Many times in a disaster people trying help others become victims themselves because they don't know what they are doing.
CERT teams are supposed to change that.
One pool of potential volunteers has largely been ignored until now.
In an emergency every minute counts and so does every person.
But sometimes those who want to help have trouble offering it because they have a bit of a barrier; they’re deaf.
Fifteen men and women in one class either cannot hear or cannot hear very well.
Still they are training to be volunteers for cert which is short for Community Emergency Response Team - neighbors who help neighbors in a disaster while waiting for professional help to arrive.
Tim Bonno of the Gateway Citizens' Corps Coalition says…"We want to give them that ability to deal with that emergency and assist first responders. They can be their eyes and provide a lot of information."
Among the skills they are learning: how to fight small fires using basic tools and basic teamwork.
While the deaf can fight fires as well as anyone the difficulty for many is knowing there is a fire because special visual fire alarms can sometimes be out of reach.
They are not training to become professional firefighters able to control a massive blaze.
But by being learning how to help others help them in this kind of situation they might be able to keep a fire from getting out of control from the start.
So far only two cert training classes for the deaf have been held in Missouri.
The training also included light search and rescue skills.