Smart 911
• Did you know that you can protect yourself, your family, and your pets by sharing critical information before an emergency?
• When you call 9-1-1 or need emergency care, have you noticed how emergency responders ask you all sorts of questions when all you want is help?
• Those emergency responders need critical information from you for a reason – to help others help YOU.
Smart911 is a free service that helps citizens communicate more effectively during emergencies. Smart911 improves the flow of information about you and members of your family, including children, the elderly and pets, to emergency responders when you need it the most!
For the deaf community, Smart911 provides a critical service. While deaf callers are unable to respond to call takers questioning they can rely on their pre-entered profile data.
For more information, go to: http://www.nashville.gov/ecc/smart911/
To register at Smart911, go to: http://www.smart911.com
Disaster Preparedness Training a Success
The Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network(CEPIN) held “Emergency Responder and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community:
Taking the First Steps to Disaster Preparedness” training on August 10, 2010 in Nashville TN, for a group of 50 local emergency responders, managers and planners and Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers. The goal of the course is to encourage networking, preparation and communication between the two communities prior to disaster situations. This was also the first step in offering more disaster preparedness workshops through the Living Well Program at Bridges.
“The training will educate emergency responders and planners on the various types of communication preferences and on how to determine the most appropriate accommodation,” said Neil McDevitt, Program Director for CEPIN. “Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers will identify tools in working with emergency responders in order to develop comprehensive disaster preparedness efforts at the local and state level.”
Visit http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=12958791 to see the news story!
2010 Scholarship Winner Announced
Joe Cowden with scholarship winner Lane Watson
Bridges is proud to announce that Edward Lanier “Lane” Watson, III is the 2010 recipient of the Linda Cowden Memorial Scholarship. Lane is a 2010 graduate of Hillsboro High School and will be attending Gallaudet University. He played baseball and football for Hillsboro High School, in addition to being an active member of Hickory Bend United Methodist Church’s youth group and the Boy Scout Adventurer troop. Congratulations Lane!
United Way’s Summer Day of Action benefits Youth
Recently, United Way volunteers stopped by Bridges to deliver over 40 backpacks stuffed with back to school supplies for Deaf and hard of hearing youth for United Way’s Summer Day of Action. Thanks to United Way and all their volunteers and donors!
Welcome New Board Members
Please help us welcome Colleen Turner, Kelly Miller, Michelle Puryear, Bob Geldreich, Rebecca Leslie, and Charlene Cohen-DeRoy (L-R).
Sitting board members were thrilled to welcome the 2010-11 incoming board members at the agency’s recent annual meeting. Board chair Valeria Matlock commented that she was excited to chair the board of an organization that looked forward and was eager make plans and changes in the coming year. Board meetings are the fourth Monday of alternating months at noon and are open to the public.