Emergency suggestions when you have hearing loss

Jun 9, 2023

Communicating during emergencies is deeply challenging as blaring sirens, stressful situations and downed phone lines are all contributing factors that can make it hard to speak, hear or think clearly.

For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, there is an extra layer of complexity and additional obstacles. For hearing people, the scream of a siren is loud — often uncomfortably so, prompting people to cover their ears. That's not necessarily the case for anyone with impaired hearing.

Depending on someone's severity of hearing loss, they may not hear emergency alerts well — such as fire alarms, smoke detectors and emergency vehicle sirens. It's not just sirens that announce danger.

Our hearing also provides a sense of environmental awareness, to pick up any subtle cues of approaching danger such as a home intruder, water leak or elevator malfunction.

Hearing also provides directional information. With limited hearing, a person may walk toward a dangerous situation unknowingly.

Another challenge can be hearing instructions from first responders or taking in the questions they are asking. By nature, emergencies are often unexpected. People don't intend to have car accidents or medical crises or to encounter natural disasters.

But you can prepare for how you’ll handle unexpected situations. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide meters that emit beeps when they detect danger aren't necessarily helpful for people with hearing issues. Alerting devices, including smoke alarms for hearing impaired citizens — are available that use lower frequency sounds, emit a visual cue or incorporate vibrations.

Visual or touch systems, such as a doorbell that blinks a light or an alarm that makes the bed shake, are helpful since most people don't wear their hearing aids to sleep. When awake, just the act of wearing hearing aids if you need them is helpful and doing so helps you hear signs of danger and improves your ability to communicate.

But of course, those hearing aids can't help without power. If rechargeable, make sure your hearing devices are charged or have fresh batteries and are well maintained. Plus, consider changing them near your bed for easy access in a middle-of-the-night emergency.

If needed, keep spare batteries in various places for emergencies, like in your car or a purse. For rechargeable hearing aids, consider getting a portable power bank, which can be stored in your car for easy access.

When possible, sign up for text alerts rather than phone alerts, so emergency messages are abundantly clear.

Clinton County has a free service where you can sign up to get a "code-red" text from the communications center anytime a situation affects your neighborhood. To sign up, go to www.ready.pa.gov/beinformed/signup-for-alerts.

Also, a medical ID bracelet can quickly convey your condition to first responders. This functional jewelry can alert people, including first responders or emergency room staff, to your name and hearing loss.

We all pray that disasters and emergencies don't happen. But if they do, remember that our hearing-impaired neighbors have a greater challenge facing them.

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Jeff Bayliff is owner of Hear the Birds Hearing Aid Centers in Lock Haven and State College.

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