Accessing emergency services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people within the City of Cape Town has been made a bit easier with the launch of a new service that gives them direct access to the City’s public emergency communications centre (PECC), via a feature on the City’s App.
The launch, which took place at the Civic Centre on Monday 30 September, was significant as the curtain came down on Deaf Awareness Month commemorated.
This feature, designed specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing residents, allows them to request emergency assistance easily without needing a voice call.
Residents are advised to register their details in advance. In the event of an emergency, they can send a distress signal within a few seconds. The system automatically pinpoints the resident’s location, helping emergency responders reach them quickly.
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Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said confirmation of the incident reported will be sent via SMS, which also allows for any follow-up questions the emergency services might have.
“If need be, the PECC can also call the complainant’s emergency contact.”
Hill-Lewis said the City is proud to make services more accessible for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
“This is a huge step, it means that the thousands of people in Cape Town who are deaf or hard of hearing can now access that essential and lifesaving service.
“In many cases, people with normal hearing don’t think of the difficulties that deaf people face. They (DeafSA) have been pushing for this and I appreciate that pressure. It is correct and it is wonderful that we have now managed to do the technical work. It is not just about technology, it is about improving and increasing the service accessibility for those people,” explained the mayor.
Long time coming
Jabaar Mohamed, DeafSA provincial director, said they’ve been advocating for this service for many years.
“For the past 14 years, we have been working with the City and we have finally come up with this service where our deaf people can independently log emergency calls, so I am happy about that.”
He explained that people will have access to policing, medical, fire, traffic services, and law enforcement.
Speaking through an interpreter, Jean Claude Smit, DeafSA provincial chair, explained that he has first-hand experience of how inaccessible emergencies are for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“I was previously in a car accident and in that incident, there was about one officer on scene, and I was waiting for this person to approach me but the officer kept going. Other officers kept passing me and I was trying to get their attention. Eventually, I contacted someone at DeafSA and I waited about three hours.”
Smit said working towards inclusivity is crucial.
“It was just a scratch on my vehicle but where was the access for me? If it was a hearing person, they could’ve made a quick phone call and someone would come and assist them it would have been a fast process. I am happy that this service has been implemented for us.”
He said the organisation will lead public education efforts over the coming months, to ensure that as many people register for the service.
JP Smith, Mayco member for safety for security, said: “While it is critical to pause and savour this moment, this is just the pilot phase. Over time, we hope to further expand the offering to include voice, text and video functionality, in line with the ever-changing world and technology at our disposal.”
