Special Populations

September is National Preparedness Month. National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies. The ADPH Office of Health Equity and Minority Health worked with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind to develop training addressing special populations during public health emergencies.

First Responders Guide to Emergency ASL

The First Responders Guide to Emergency Situations Using American Sign Language (ASL) training was created to assist people with sensory loss. The information is presented in six sessions that cover the alphabet, numbers, essential words and phrases, and basic ASL phrases for emergency personnel and first responders.

The titles of the mini-training modules include:

• Session 1: Information Relating to Individuals with a Sensory Loss
• Session 2: American Sign Language (ASL) Alphabet and Numbers
• Session 3: Basic American Sign Language (ASL) Words for Emergency Personnel and Responders
• Session 4: Basic American Sign Language (ASL) Phrases for Emergency Personnel and Responders
• Session 5: Basic American Sign Language (ASL) for the Police
• Session 6: American Sign Language (ASL) Essential Words and Phrases

Training modules are available on the Alabama Public Health Training Network (ALPHTN) website.

Companion Guide

A companion guide (pictured above) titled: Emergency Response for Individuals with Sensory Loss Knowledge and Guidance was developed as an additional resource to reinforce the training module concepts.