It is always a good idea to be prepared for emergencies. The more precautions you take ahead of time, the less you will find you have to worry when unexpected emergencies occur. Michigan is a wonderful place to live because we do not deal with as many dangerous weather conditions as the east and west coasts, which are subject to hurricanes and earthquakes.
Still a blizzard, fire or tornado can occur creating an emergency situation. If you plan for these events ahead of time, you can rest assured that you have a plan in the slim chance that an emergency surfaces. For those with hearing issues, extra precautions must be considered to ensure you have a plan ready, to help you hear amidst inclement weather.
Register for available emergency alert systems
In the case of tornadoes or winter weather emergencies there are several alarms that are triggered to give people preemptive warnings. However if you deal with hearing issues then audio warnings can easily be missed. If you are not wearing your hearing aids because you are sleeping or in the shower or not currently using any assistive listening device then you could miss warnings that can mean the difference between safety and peril.
There are visual warnings that can help alert you when audio warnings are benign. Most weather warnings are delivered via smartphone these days. Make sure that your ringer is set to vibrate so you can be aware of any emergency warnings delivered via smartphone.
Make sure you are signed up for all emergency alert systems that can help alert you on a federal, state and county level, delivered over text message. To obtain a list of national alert systems and to register, visit: https://www.ready.gov/alerts.
Wear your hearing aids and make sure they are ready for emergencies
If you are forced to leave your house due to a fire, tornadoes or other unforeseen emergency make sure to grab your hearing aids on the way out the door. Make sure to pack an emergency kit to protect your hearing aids in such an emergency, such as backup batteries, battery chargers, a waterproof case to keep hearing aids dry in wet weather, and backup cleaning materials.
Make sure an emergency bag is packed at all times so you can grab it quickly if you have to unexpectedly leave your home. It can be very dangerous to leave the house without your hearing aids and an emergency situation will only amplify the danger. In fact, those who do not wear hearing aids are at 3 times the risk as those who use hearing aids, for falls, accidents and hospitalizations.
When your hearing aids are working during an emergency you can be sure to hear warning sounds and understand first responders during an emergency.
Have a backup communication system handy
In the case that your hearing aids are forgotten or not working properly have a back up plan to communicate in place. There is always old-fashioned pen and paper for you or others to write out important information. Personal Sound Amplification Devices are an over the counter option that you can pack away in the case that your hearing aids are unavailable.
Have a plan in place
Don’t get caught unaware and unprepared in the case that inclement weather strikes. Have warm coats and jackets packed in case of a blizzard. Plan for the possible weather issues in your area and decide on emergency contacts ahead of time to help you in the case of an emergency.
Emergencies are much easier to handle when you have help. This could be a family member, neighbor or the local fire station. Make sure in your emergency kit that you pack copies of important documents like insurance cards, photo IDs and emergency contacts. Pack a flashlight, a first aid kit and perhaps a whistle to get someone’s attention.
We are here to help!
The more you prepare ahead of time, the less traumatic a weather emergency can be. If you have hearing loss and want help developing a plan to keep you and your hearing aids safe during an emergency, contact us.
We can make sure that you have everything you need to make sure your hearing aids are ready to help you through any emergency situation that may arise. Contact us today so we can be ready for any unexpected emergency before it occurs.