Hearing Loss May/June 2010 - 16

Hurricanes and Hearing Loss
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then finding herself isolated in a house without power. Without power, there was no television, radio, or cell phones, no way to communicate with the outside world or find out what was happening in the outside world. Even those old TTYs wouldn’t work without power. Lois was lucky that her grown children were with her during and after the storm and the night after all power had been knocked out when the wind downed power lines. They had no access to television after the 9 p.m. news broadcast on September 12, 2008, the evening before the storm hit. Her daughter happened to live near the power station, so they were again lucky that her daughter’s home was among the first to have electricity restored. Others were not nearly as lucky—a huge swath of Texas had no power for two weeks. Stores, schools, gas stations, and banks were shuttered during that time. People had to make do in the intense heat and without power.

According to AccuWeather.com, hurricane center meteorologists, the early hurricane season forecast is “calling for a much more active 2010 season with above normal threats on the United States coastline.” Are you ready?
car power adaptor • Personal assistive listening system with batteries • Extra hearing aid and extra batteries • Extra cochlear implant processor and car charger for the rechargeable batteries • Battery-powered radio—even if you can’t hear it, your neighbors might • Battery back-up for a laptop computer with Internet access If you are not prepared when a storm is on the horizon, it may be best to move to a shelter with others who can help you survive the storm and the aftermath. Lois also reported that while the TV was on, the captioning of the emergency broadcast was great. For those of us who live in areas that provide live captioning of local news programs, having good captioning in an emergency can be a lifesaver. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not require captioning, but they do have rules requiring visual display of what is said during emergencies: “emergency information that is provided in the audio portion of programming must be provided either using closed captioning or other methods of visual presentation, such as open captioning, crawls, or scrolls that appear on the screen.” http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumer facts/closedcaption.html If you live in a community that does not provide real-time captioning for their regular news broadcasts, contact your local broadcast station to encourage them to provide live captioning for emergency situations. There are alternatives to getting your information from television broadcasters. State and local communities are now turning to the

Internet to post their community emergency information. If you have access to the Internet, check to see what your community plans to post, if anything, during an emergency. In some communities, text messaging of emergency information is available to residents who sign up for that. Know what’s available in your community in advance.

Hurricane Season 2010 Begins June 1
According to AccuWeather.com, hurricane center meteorologists, the early hurricane season forecast is “calling for a much more active 2010 season with above normal threats on the United States coastline.” Are you ready? Most communities have emergency preparedness websites that can give you the kind of general information you need to prepare for emergencies. Check your community’s website for that information. However, you will have to think beyond the basic supply kit (food, water, medical supplies). You need to be sure that your particular situation is covered. Besides your communication needs, have you prepared for having any medications that need to be kept refrigerated? Do you have copies of documentation you might need if you need to evacuate? Do you have pets or service animals to take care of? Service animals are protected by law and should stay with you whether you shelter at home or need to evacuate. But also remember to check on your pets and keep them close to you. Do not leave them locked up in a room by themselves or locked in your home if you need to evacuate. In fact, since the experience of Hurricane Katrina when many abandoned their pets or conversely refused to evacuate without pets, local authorities now plan for sheltering of pets. You can find out what your local plan is by contacting the local emergency management agency or the local branch of the Humane Society or ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has information to help you prepare for

Planning Ahead
We shouldn’t depend on our lucky stars to see us through the storm. We need to plan for emergencies. If you have a hearing loss, be sure you have your communication needs covered. Do you have the back-up technology to ride out the storm without electricity? With the National Weather Service sending out reports well in advance, hurricanes are one of those emergency situations that we are given ample time to prepare for. If you make sure your car’s gas tank is full and you have a car charger for your phone or portable captioned television, you are in a good position to get the information you need. Here are some of the things you can use during a power outage: • Cell phone, PDA, or Smart Phone that accepts text messaging with a car power adaptor to charge your cell phone • Portable captioned television with
16 Hearing Loss Magazine

Hearing Loss May/June 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hearing Loss May/June 2010