An emerging training and communication book for first responders in communicating with Deaf people during disasters

Due to communication barriers, Deaf people are at risk of limited information acquisition during all disaster phases. Communication barriers between emergency first responders (EFRs) and Deaf sign language users perpetuate disaster preparation and response disparities. This study compared pre/post-educational intervention EFR knowledge about Deaf culture and their comfort communicating with Deaf people during (written) disaster scenarios. Additionally, EFRs provided a preliminary acceptability rating of a disaster communication book.

This prospective study assessed the impact of an EFR educational intervention and Deaf Communication Catalog (DC3), a comprehensive emergency/disaster communication book designed specifically for improving disaster communication. Key outcomes were assessed at three timepoints: pre-, immediately post-, and 3 months post-educational intervention. Generalized linear models were used to assess changes over time for Likert variables. Descriptive statistics characterized the sample.

Of the 167 participants, the majority were male (88 percent) and White (91 percent). Immediate post-educational intervention comfort improved for many EFR duties (scale = 1 very uncomfortable, 4 = very comfortable): plan explanation (mean 2.8 vs 3.0, p = .002), disaster explanation (mean 2.9 vs 3.0, p = .017), and determining Deaf people's needs (mean 2.8 vs 3, p = .002). Compared to pre-educational intervention, at 3 months, EFRs were more aware of barriers to communicating information during disasters (p < 0.05) and of greater information loss during disasters with Deaf people (p < 0.02). An increase in Deaf culture knowledge was demonstrated across all three assessments (69 percent vs 88 percent vs 93 percent, p < 0.0001). Nearly all (96 percent) reported DC3 was useful for bridging communication gaps.

EFRs had Deaf culture knowledge improvements, increased awareness of communication barriers, and improved comfort in communicating with Deaf people during disaster scenarios after an educational training. DC3, a comprehensive emergency/disaster communication book, was reported to be useful in fostering communication with Deaf people.