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Deaf Firefighter?
I am 24 years old and I joined a volunteer fire department about 3 years ago. My brother joined and he talked me into it. Keep in mind before any negative commnets starts flying. I am certified Fire I/II and First responder. I did received my hazmat, RIT training, extrication, and several others. I am considered profound hard of hearing and am going to recieve surgery in few weeks for cochlear implants. I could never find any forms related to deaf or hard of hearing fire fighters. I always wanted to know the opinions of other fellow brothers/sisters in our fire/ems service about working with one of such condition. Any comments are not going to hold me back or anything, after all, I am still volunteering. I love it and wouldn't give it up for the world. I would like to hear comments about deaf in fire/ems service from career/volunteer people.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by dan on
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Josh... U think deaf cannot be firefighter or emt??? Ur wrong deaf can do it we can prove u wrong .. In PA there have deaf who are fire CHIEF.... And there 15 deaf people who are firefighter and some emt.. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_609817.html
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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Hey Dan, that's awsome that they can do it. I'm not trying to say anything bad about anyone on here at all. I will give anyone a chance. If they can do it that's great. If I offended you then I would like to apologize to you. And that was a great story about the Chief.
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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God Bless you for bringing this up. I would have no problem supporting you and working right along side you. We all carry some form or another of handicap. Just some arnt willing to admit it until they get hurt or hurt someone else. When we lack in one area the other senses make up for that lack. Thats why we work as teams, we all cover and support one another to make that team successful. Good luck Brandon.
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Permalink Reply by Lt. Ballinger on
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I agree with both sides of the discussion on this topic. The fire service isn't for everyone. This is where I am sure I will upset a lot of you but these are my opinions. My dept borders the 2nd largest city by population in Illinois. Rockford Fire is a full paid dept. and all of us surounding depts are volunteer or paid on call. Rockford has the ability to be selective and should be. They are paying their people a lot of money to man the city and put their lives on the line as a career. The rest of us volunteer our time to do the same jobs. But because of our full time jobs and even part time jobs on top of that and family and other things it is getting real hard to find volunteers that are willing to put the time required in to train and make calls and if you run medics then they have to have time to re-cert and keep up on CEU's. So we don't have the luxery of perople beating our door down to join so we have to give a little to get a little. In this persons case is it a hazard in my eyes to put them in a fire. Maybe, but to me no more than going in with someone who has high cholesterol and could have a stroke or heart attack at any moment or somebody with bad knees or something. They may not be able to drag me out because of their physical limitations. This person might not be able to hear a mayday call as readily as someone else but maybe a workhorse when it comes to stretching the line in and getting the fire out or the victim. We have people on our dept who are 300-400 lbs, legally deaf, asthma, bad knees, and other stuff. Some of our guys that are overweight are driver engineers and damn good ones. They know they can't go inside and are fine with that. Everyone knows their limitations and we jockey people around to fill in as we need to. If this guy or gal is able to do their job well enough that their fellow brothers/sisters have no second thoughts of going into a situation with them and have confidence in them. That is all that matters in my opinion.
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Well said
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Every time I got calls and before i get there i always think about saftey first , what i need to do.. when i arrive there.. i always look around how bad fire is.. When i see house on fire.. I talk myseft is it full, med, or small fire. I will know how it bad is.. I always stay with my partner all time.. I can see and feeling more than hearing people.. I teach my fire crew sign lag For talking and basic sign lag for inside burning.. And when it black smoke I cannot see but i can feel the air presss and heat is close me .. And my partner will hit me three time or pull me that mean i got to get out And when i feel i could be in danger or it get bad i tell my partner im get out.. if i have a partner who will accpt to be with me inside buring all time then i dont have any problem .. if without partner then i will have problem... But if something happen to my partner i will never left my partner. i will find way to get both of us out.. That why u need any tools with u all time...I always have rope and ax with me all time and i always stay with hose.. I beg u all people please dont say that deaf CANNOT be fire fighter or emt .. It kill me. I feel like i lost my brotherhood.. Im not tell u mean or bad people who say that deaf cannot be firefighter.. I understand that u do care and dont want see someone get hurt.. I thank u for ur care.. U know everythings can be happen.. That why we training lot all time.. U see many our brotherhood get killed every year. u think i would say SEE hearing people get killed not deaf.. No i not say that.. Because it could happen to deaf too.. That why we need stay safe and stay together and make good choice.. Im not perfect firefighter we are the same. Brotherhood always work team together.. U could Pracite, training, teaching And learn with deaf people.. Its lot fun work together we will get her DONE QUICK and go HOME SAFE ... THANK YOU AND I LOVE U ALL BROTHERHOOD.... Stay safe.. be safe
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Permalink Reply by Robert on
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I have full hearing in my 85% hearing in my left ear and 15% in my right ear. Both due to IED's in Iraq and still perform my job to the very best of my ability. Which judging by the awards and other I love me crap that I have received I would say the command thinks so as well. Keep at it and don't let anyone get you down. If you can perform when needed then good for you and thank you for not letting a disability as the govt. calls it stop you. Keep it up and be safe.
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wow, i appreciate of all the comments being made. Everyone made very good points. I do want to point out even though i am profound, i am still able to hear noises like the alarms, the bells, i can make out a few words here and there. My department knows my limits and they still want me to do just everything what they want me to do. I do have an amplified sethoscope that helps me hear the breaths. Even with a regular scope, i can make out the heartbeats. I do understand that there are some areas that I will not perform as good as a hearing person. I always worked on it and contiuning to work on it. I will do the best I can to my ablities and my department knows that. I proved it to them by showing up to trainings, classes, and workshops. Once again, I really appreciate the honesty out of everyone. Be safe, everyone..........
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Permalink Reply by Louise Thornton on
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I am profoundly def. I have been and engineer on a tanker in Illinois and he department I was on I had to fight discrimination because I'm a female and have disability. My chief took me under his wing andI accomplish the duties with no problem.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Way back in the dark ages, (1995), I went through EMT school with a guy who had 2 hearing aids. His only real problem was using a stethoscope with them, otherwise he functioned quite well on the fireground. He eventually left to work at Motorola where I understand he's doing quite well also. Best of luck to you.
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The type of hearing aid I have are high tech and I can use the steth. with no problem. There are also special steths. that are for the deaf but the cost are very expensive.
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Permalink Reply by Damo on
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My wife thought I was deaf, so I got my hearing checked and the Dr told me I had a problem only prevelant in males. It is called "selective hearing syndrome". It is weird as I can hear my pager going off two rooms away while I am cutting the grass, but yet when my wife is next to me and asks for help with the dishes I can't hear anything.
I did a semester learning ASL and I think I may go back once I finished my EMT-B training, as you never know when it may come in handy on the fire scene or in the ambulance.
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