You know, I had spoken with some interpreters and CODAS after the hurricane Katrina. I thought this may be interesting for y'all.
I have to follow up on ADA requirements to see if that may be actually a hinderance in disasters...
1. Volunteer interpreters came to help the deaf evavuees, however they mostly weren't "certified" considered by FEMA or Red Cross. Never mind that the paid interpreters came LATER..(a week later)
2. Interpreters who volunteered were treated rudely by "certified" interpreters, demanding to see the certificates of the volunteers, never mind that the interpreters had grown up with deaf parents or deaf families, (CODA).
3. During interviews (with FEMA or Red Cross), volunteer interpreters were told that they can't interpret for their deaf relatives or other deaf evacuees, because they weren't "certified." Frankly..... during disasters, the deaf community wants the interpreters NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not two days later..not next week, not two weeks later... and if the volunteer interpreter can sign like a deaf, who are you to tell the deaf community NOT to use that interpreter??!! If there is a certified interpreter there and now, that's great. If there isn't, and if the survivors had to wait another week or two...hell forget it... Hence one basic rule of crisis intervention says 'if the supplies and resources are available now, use them NOW."
An interpreter, Teri, suggests that levels of how skillful the interpreters can be assigned to services, such as very skillful interpreters could be assigned to FEMA interviews, medical assessments, the medium range interpreters could be assigned to medical checkups, social support, and getting necessarities, and low range interpreters could be assigned to handing out food, water, and housing information. I have to agree with Teri... In disasters, both man-made and disasters..if there are accessible services right there right NOW, don't complain that it's not "certified" or "licensed" or "approved." TAKE the services, even if it is a volunteer interpreter who can sign because of his/her deaf family, a guy who knows how to fix a motorized wheelchair but is not licensed in that state the disaster occured, or an RN who can do medical checkups but is deaf, USE THEM... they come to help!
Hence I am concerned about future disasters. FEMA and Red Cross need to think hard and long about interpreters for deaf survivors as well as other disabled individuals. If there are helpers who can assist, let them. Don't wait a week or two weeks.. More the survivors wait after the disaster (and aftermath) to get assistance and that includes communication, you're putting them longer in risk of developing PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
1 comment:
Thank you for this blog entry - it raises critical systemic and service delivery issues in which all of us should and must have a vested interest. First, in times of crisis, whatever resources and/or volunteers are available to better serve the deaf community in need must be utilized. The Red Cross is absolutely committed to help overcome and ameliorate any communication issues that arise in times of disaster, whether getting general education materials out to the public, trying to better serve the disabled, hard of hearing or limited English proficient communities.
As we all know, in times of crisis, there are numerous challenges to overcome, and therefore we at the Red Cross firmly believe that one strategy is to partner with and leverage the expertise and resources of our partners, for example, the deaf community.
We continue to recruit, do outreach and ask that our partners join the Red Cross volunteer pool so that we're able to collectively better serve our peers and communities. Red Cross does not have any certification for deaf interpreters requirement. While other governmental entities may, and we cannot speak on their behalf, the Red Cross does not. For our volunteers, there are certain volunteer training prerequesites to help better prepare our volunteers who are deployed in times of disaster, but we absolutely do not have a deaf interpretation certification requirement.
Again and always, we continue to solicit input, feedback and recommendations so that we can collectively better serve our communities. Thank you so much for your poignant statement and comments.
(you can email Wendy at HarmanW@usa.redcross.org)
Post a Comment