Lessons Learned from Effects of Japanese Earthquakes on Deaf Community

Environmental sounds are used for a wide range of audible alerts and safety measures, such as home alarms, car horns, emergency vehicle sirens, and tsunami warning systems. Communication is also critically important during natural disasters, such as understanding emergency broadcasts, first responders, and crisis counselors. While some audible warning devices have been modified for the Deaf, such as smoke alarms that flash strobe lights, there are no such accommodations for most audible alerts and emergency communications. Government emergency response workers are often not trained in how to assist the Deaf.


There is a scarcity of research on how the health of the Deaf is affected by these issues.  Takayama reports that the mortality rate of the Deaf population affected by the Kobe and Tohoku earthquakes in Japan (which took place in 1995 and 2011, respectively) was significantly higher than that of the total population of these regions. This is attributed to the Deaf not being able to understand warnings to evacuate the area or communicate their needs at evacuation shelters.

After the Tohoku earthquake the Japanese Deaf were ill-served by their government, which had not developed a plan of action for this population. Japanese Deaf support organizations stepped in to conduct a needs assessment and provide crisis counseling services for the local population. It was 5 years after the earthquake before many local Deaf received desperately needed services delivered in Japanese Sign Language, such as psychological services, case management, and grief counseling. Training was conducted to help local government emergency service workers provide culturally appropriate services to the Deaf during future disasters, and funding was secured to create a public support center for Deaf people.


Gated
Takayama, K. (2017) Disaster Relief and Crisis Intervention with Deaf Communities: Lessons Learned from the Japanese Deaf Community, Journal of Social Work in Disability & Rehabilitation, 16(3-4), 247-260.

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