One of the legacies of persistent discrimination is pent-up emotion. Lack of services and humane consideration adds up and seeks outlets. Get a group of sign language interpreters and Deaf people together to work on solutions to bad or absent communication and inevitably a flood of frustration will arise. This energy was very effectively re-directed toward productive long-term problem-solving by the skilled trainers leading this workshop.
Emergency Management – Interpreter Deployment Readiness
Following on the need for self-care skills at reducing and managing trauma exposure responses, tangible steps in becoming deployment ready include
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Emergency Management Interpreters may be needed in any/all emergency support functions.
assessing your individual tolerance for risk (and your family’s, too – which might be less than your own, how will you make sure they’re okay, too?),
- prior planning (see WesternMassReady.org for resources and examples and,
- physical preparation – physical fitness, a routine of adequate sleep, and your Go Kits! This is equally important for interpreters who want to be able to deploy on short notice and for people with any kind of “functional need” – you already know you’re vulnerable, start planning now!
FYI: even with the increase in natural disasters, the most worrisome high risk event in Massachusetts is a pandemic, which is a public health emergency. Download a “Personal Emergency Preparedness Guide” from the Western Mass Ready section about Individuals Requiring Additional Assistance (IRAA).
Public Information Officers and Interpreting Media Events
There’s a lot more to this than getting on television next to the Governor – and just that is challenging enough! Successful emergency management interpreting will be performed by interpreters who have learned the FEMA jargon and can talk the language of the Public Information Officer, Emergency Managers and First Responders.
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