s to deaf community with help of All Hands On
responsibility is shared when it
comes to helping deaf people
be emergency prepared. He
encourages all EMAs to consider
attending a deaf CERT class, which
will give EMAs having a “clear,
lucid understanding” of their own
responsibilities.
Outside of All Hands On,
Shoemaker works to provide and
facilitate interpreters for a variety of
state announcements. For example,
Shoemaker worked with David
Cohen and an interpreting agency
during a Hurricane Matthew
conference at the Georgia State
Capitol. During the live press
conference out of the governor’s
office, Shoemaker translated
officials’ speech into ASL and
signed it to Cohen, who would then
sign on camera for deaf viewers.
“We know it’s not e asy to
have one more thing to coordinate
when you’re doing an emergency
On’s involvement in Florida CERT
press conference,” said Shoemaker, classes have resulted in 26 deaf
but “when deaf see a member of
students completing training there.
their own community on the screen
After Hurricane Matthew,
speaking their language, it makes a Barefield attended CERT training
world of difference.”
organized by All Hands On. Now,
Shoemaker also assisted in
not only is she able to care for her
the recording of a public safety
own family, but also her neighbors.
announcement in ASL to alert deaf
“That’s the kind of thing that is
people of the impending ice storm.
really gratifying for us to see, that
When All Hands On shared it on
our work is having an impact in the
their Facebook, it received more
deaf and hearing community,” said
than 5,800 views.
Shoemaker. “That’s what we do.”
“Now here’s the cool thing –
All Hands On is currently
there wasn’t a voice track,” said
planning two upcoming CERT
Shoemaker. “It was just sign
classes to be taught in ASL: an
language, so a hearing person,
August class in Cave Springs, GA
who doesn’t know sign language,
at the Georgia School for the
isn’t going to take the time to
Deaf, and another October class
watch the video… Those 5,800
in Newnan. More information
views, those are actual deaf
will be shared as it becomes
people viewing this video. They
available.
wouldn’t have had access to this
information any other way if it
weren’t for GEMA/HS taking
the time to make this press
release fully accessible to the
deaf community.”
Altogether, Shoemaker
approximates that the
collaboration between
All Hands On and the
GEMA/HS CERT
program has
led to 9 deaf
individuals
being CERT
instructor certified.
More than 67
deaf students have
undergone CERT
training in Georgia
alone, and All Hands