How does a deaf person contact emergency services.?

Answer 1

Call 911. The ADA requires all 911 centers or PSAP's to have access to a TDD machine. The same info will come up on the screen and the 911 Telecommunicator can communicate with the person via teletype.

Answer 2

If TTY is not available at the site of the emergency the majority of deaf people can speak and state their location and nature of emergency.

So 911 works inspite of a deaf person's handicap and if a person cannot speak a 911 operator would still act on any call to the best of their abilities.

Having said this much technology has not done enough in this area and there remains more work to be done. See the link below for more information.

The best solution for now is to shop around for the right mobile cellphone service for those with impairments.

Cellphones have the ability to text message and do so much more in the event of an emergency. That they are mobile is key,

TTY equipment is normally limited to the deaf person's home. Not all emergencies occur in the home.

So while the_Mr911 is correct he has not taken into account the lack of TTY services away from the handicap person's home.

On the aside there are also specialized and trained dog's who are now qualified to make 911 calls but each geographic location is different to special 911 features.

In a pinch I am sure the dog would still work as an alert.

Answer 3

There are many different ways to contact 911 emergency services!

1) as many others have already stated, TTY/TDD communication devices for the deaf can easily be used to contact 911, but the process is slow.

2) allow a hearing friend to contact 911 services for you

3) this service is not yet available, but it will be soon: video phone services using an interpreter. Sorenson (a video phone provider) does not currently support 911 emergency calls.

4) obviously, going to the police station/hospital/firehouse in person is always an option, though not always the best one.

Answer 4

The same way they make all of their phone calls: through TTY or through a deaf relay phone service where they make a TTY call to the phone service who then calls the appropriate emergency service and relays the typed info to them. Except for maybe some small Podunk agencies, all 911 dispatch centers in the U.S. have TTY capability.

Answer 5

There is a relay service that they use to communicate with people. I was called by one at my job the other day then told the relay person that we were calling to collect a bill then the relay person told me the deaf person hung up and might call back later.

Answer 6

They use the services of the TDD operator which is able to tell us what the person has going on. It is a slow and laborious process, but it does work. The person texts a message to the operator who then reads it to us. The syntax, etc. of deaf persons is often very different from hearing persons so it is a bit confusing at times, but we eventually figure out what the problem is.

Answer 7

TTY and Enhanced 911.

Answer 8

911 operators can see address and number from which calls are received, or through the TTD operator.

Answer 9

Theres a hearing impaired number to call in your local phone book.

Answer 10

via telephone