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EDITORIAL: Fort Worth should take specific steps to aid the deaf and hard of hearing | Editorials | Star-Telegram.com
The goal of a citywide "Let’s Talk Fort Worth" meeting four months ago was to solicit ideas from residents to make the city a better place to live. Speakers Tracey Michol and Muriel Buie made eloquent appeals for the city to become more attentive to the needs of deaf people.
Those words haven’t been forgotten.
The city’s Human Relations Commission took up the issue in the wake of the Sept. 25 town hall meeting at Will Rogers Auditorium. The citizen panel since has come up with a list of specific recommendations regarding ways that the city can help make Fort Worth more "deaf-friendly." The City Council, which canceled today’s meeting due to the weather, was to consider a resolution accepting those recommendations to better assist deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
The council should approve the resolution, which would be an important first step toward actual implementation of measures designed to make city meetings and services more accessible and beneficial to deaf persons.
As the resolution stresses, "Fort Worth’s vision to be Texas’ 'Most Livable City’ cannot be realized without providing accessibility and equal opportunity for all residents, including those in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community."
Fort Worth Human Relations Commission recommendations to help deaf and hard-of-hearing people include:
Ensure that all city-owned or city-operated facilities are accessible, with technology such as Video Relay Service (VRS) provided. Training should be given all city employees on the use of VRS. The city, when appropriate, also should use Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services.
Train Fort Worth police officers and recruits regarding issues specifically pertaining to the deaf and hard of hearing.
Encourage deaf and hard-of-hearing persons to participate in a program to provide the Fort Worth-Tarrant County Office of Emergency Management with vital information about themselves and to register with the program.
Review city employment policies and disability programs in an effort "to maximize opportunities for the deaf and hard of hearing" and ensure that they are not inadvertently discriminated against or discouraged from applying for jobs.
Ensure that all televised meetings of the City Council and other city commissions and boards are accessible by providing sign interpretative services and closed captioning for broadcasts. Also, include closed captioning for videos on the city Web site and provide American Sign Language (ASL) services online.
The goal of a citywide "Let’s Talk Fort Worth" meeting four months ago was to solicit ideas from residents to make the city a better place to live. Speakers Tracey Michol and Muriel Buie made eloquent appeals for the city to become more attentive to the needs of deaf people.
Those words haven’t been forgotten.
The city’s Human Relations Commission took up the issue in the wake of the Sept. 25 town hall meeting at Will Rogers Auditorium. The citizen panel since has come up with a list of specific recommendations regarding ways that the city can help make Fort Worth more "deaf-friendly." The City Council, which canceled today’s meeting due to the weather, was to consider a resolution accepting those recommendations to better assist deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
The council should approve the resolution, which would be an important first step toward actual implementation of measures designed to make city meetings and services more accessible and beneficial to deaf persons.
As the resolution stresses, "Fort Worth’s vision to be Texas’ 'Most Livable City’ cannot be realized without providing accessibility and equal opportunity for all residents, including those in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community."
Fort Worth Human Relations Commission recommendations to help deaf and hard-of-hearing people include:
Ensure that all city-owned or city-operated facilities are accessible, with technology such as Video Relay Service (VRS) provided. Training should be given all city employees on the use of VRS. The city, when appropriate, also should use Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services.
Train Fort Worth police officers and recruits regarding issues specifically pertaining to the deaf and hard of hearing.
Encourage deaf and hard-of-hearing persons to participate in a program to provide the Fort Worth-Tarrant County Office of Emergency Management with vital information about themselves and to register with the program.
Review city employment policies and disability programs in an effort "to maximize opportunities for the deaf and hard of hearing" and ensure that they are not inadvertently discriminated against or discouraged from applying for jobs.
Ensure that all televised meetings of the City Council and other city commissions and boards are accessible by providing sign interpretative services and closed captioning for broadcasts. Also, include closed captioning for videos on the city Web site and provide American Sign Language (ASL) services online.
I know Tracey.